Big bucks to M$, unless someone knows sendmail...

[Robert Ambrose]

Take a look at openmail from HP (www.openmail.com).  

rna

On Thu, 14 Sep 2000, Gene Holmerud wrote:

> Where I work (government) we're searching for a replacement for an 
> email system.  The current system has custom hardware and software 
> and runs on (would you believe) a private X.25 WAN.  It gets messages 
> to any or all 50-odd sites throughout the Western US in less than a 
> minute.
> 
> Here's the new game plan/requirements:
> 1. Solution needs to be "off the shelf" h/w and s/w.
> 2. A private and robust IP WAN is in place, ready for use.  The 
> Internet doesn't guarantee delivery times.
> 3. A pair of servers that are data mirrors should be at one node.
> 4. Another server mirroring data can be located at another node on 
> the WAN.
> 5. Loading is very light (something like 10 to 20 1k messages per 
> client per hour).
> 6. Reliability is very important, re: the robust WAN and multiple 
> servers.
> 7. Failing from one of the paired servers to the other should be 
> nearly unnoticable to the client users.  Failing to the second-site 
> server could require stopping the client and relogging in.
> 8. Copies of messages sent from any client go to the intended 
> client(s) and to a repository (could be one of the servers).
> 9. A convenient means of determining whither a given message has been 
> delivered.  A return msg from each destination is not a good solution 
> as 50 such messages are just clutter, and one or two missed 
> deliveries would not be noticed, but should alert an administrator.
> 10. Email client must have a forms capability.  That is about 10 pre-
> defined forms exist on servers and clients.  User fills in the 
> blanks, and only the variable data is transmitted.
> 11. Logins (user, client maintenance, server maint., & sys 
> management) must use encrypted passwords.
> 12. Automatic printing of received messages at client sites.
> 13. A folders capability for manual and/or automatic sorting and 
> retention of messages at the client.
> 
> Yes, it's a tough spec.  M$ Exchange 2000 comes somewhere near 
> fulfilling the requirements, but at something like $5k to $10k 
> licensing per server!  If there's something close in the Linux 
> environment, I'd like to take a real hard look.
> 
> Gene
> 
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