Open Xchange Collaborative Solution Review

With companies looking to automate processes and minimize the redundancies, collaborative software products have emerged in big way. We have already done with Free Open Source Groupware eGroupWare () and now searching for more productive and comprehensive groupware that are more budget-friendly. Microsoft has the Microsoft Exchange Server with extensive features,  but this may not be the choice for those with budget-constraints. Moving to the open source groupware we came across Open Xchange. It seems a Microsoft Exchange Server replacement providing most of its features. Open-Xchange software is a messaging and collaboration solution that integrates common free software packages, open standards and web services. It offers several collaborative functions like e-mail, calendaring, contacts and task management. In addition,  it is loaded with advanced groupware features such as information management and document sharing. Open-Xchange provides turnkey solutions for small and medium sized companies.

Open Xchange offers a collaboration solution for enterprises, academic institutions, and government authorities. It has three editions, Open-Xchange Appliance Edition and Open-Xchange Server Edition are the on-premise edition and the Open-Xchange Hosting Edition that allows web hosting companies to provide an easy-to-use and feature-rich application that is delivered  as Service (SaaS).

Features

Now let’s deal with the features of Open Exchange

Interface

Open Xchange features a web-based AJAX interface. The installation is pretty simple and hassle free. It allows you to add and manage users, start and stop services, create aliases and domains, monitor the system and manage your SSL certificates. Further, with the web based the workers, interface emails, addresses, appointments, tasks and documents from any computer connected to the Internet. The administrative interface is simple. Having said that, I must add the interface is non-intuitive, it lacks an integrated contextual help system or wizards.

Integration with Windows infrastructures

The Open-Xchange Appliance Edition is provided with connectors such as the Microsoft Active Directory that allows the groupware to integrate with the current IT environments. It can be used alternatively or parallel to Microsoft Outlook as a client.

Emails

Open Xchange supports standard email clients like POP3 and IMAP as well as desktop groupware applications. For more you have the Outlook connector. There are no problem with mail set up, as well as calendaring, tasks, and address book when you configure Open-Xchange with Kontact. Outlook users on OX Express Edition can synchronize public, private, and shared folders. They can also accept or decline appointments through Outlook, as well as manage private appointments, tasks, contacts, and Free/Busy status

Document management

On this part Open Xchange seems quite clumsy. In order to enter all the necessary information the user has to  move between two different pages. The user also needs to enter the MIME(Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions) type when prompted by Open-Xchange. Such requisitions can be tough for an average office user. Now think of a situation where an office user has to enter the MIME type of a JPEG, Microsoft Word document, or Zip file just to add the document to document manager. This doesn’t make it too user friendly.

The document management reduces email flooding and keeps the documents up to date. The old versions automatically receive a version number. The user has the best control over all documents.

Some other functions

Apart from the usual features of email, calendaring, task and project management, and an address book, Open-Xchange offers several functions

Calender: lets you manage your personnal and pro calendar

webmail: web access to internal messaging system

Tasks: It allows you to manage task for a project and delegate it to a group or a user
documents and knowledge base: share the documents and elements you want

Pinboard: gives important tips to manage the portal first page

Portal: the first user page shows the last information

Open Xchange Server 5

This is one of the crucial sections of Open Xchange. It encompasses the basic collaborative functions like email, calender, contacts,and task management and integrates them with the integrated advanced groupware features like document sharing, objects linking, rights management, online projects, user forums, and a knowledge base.

The Open Xchange Server 5 supports:

• SyncML enabled devices.

• Third party software provides access from Treo devices

• Any modern web browser
• Microsoft Outlook and Microsoft Outlook Express via the Outlook OXtender, a plugin that allows the Outlook client to interact with an Open-Xchange Server as though it were a Microsoft Exchange Server

• WebDAV interface (XML), LDAP, iCal, HTTP(S), SMTP, IMAP, POP3, and SyncML.

OXtenders

these are innovative connectors for better customer experience. It uses open standard APIs to integrate existing IT infrastructures or extend capabilities to mobile devices, fax servers, back-up utilities, email archiving tools, and Samba administration tools.

Pricing

Open-Xchange is cheaper than its MS Exchange, but it’s still lagging behind chief competitor Zimbra.  In order to avoid license fees, you can use the open source version of Open-Xchange and set it up your enterprise.

Pros

A cheaper alternative Microsoft Exchange Server

It’s one of the best solutions when it comes to functionality

Cons

The web interface is somewhat clunky.

It lacks an integrated help system.

It doesn’t allow the users to configure new users in bulk by uploading a spreadsheet with user information.

Open Xchange lacks real-time monitoring and management tools for the mail system. there are no email recovery features

Conclusion

Overall Open-Xchange is a feasible groupware solution, leaving aside it’s unimpressive web interface. With continuous upgrades, Open-Xchange can hope for a better future. Still more, if you have some opinions to share, go ahead.