The Low-Down on Low-Cost E-mail Systems
Naturally, Microsoft isn’t taking this threat lying down. The new Exchange Server 2003 includes a per-device licensing option that makes it more economical for companies that want to provide kiosk-based Web access to large numbers of deskless workers. Instead of paying for each user, companies can pay a license fee for each device, with an unlimited number of users. And Microsoft has announced plans to move Exchange toward a SQL-based data store, although that is probably several years from fruition.
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In addition to deskless workers in large corporations, commodity mail vendors may find some traction among small and midsize businesses, where the allure of added features may not be enough to overcome high costs. While commodity mail is not going to unseat Exchange and Domino from their thrones, says Yankee Group’s Gardner, it may contribute to a gradual erosion of their market share over time.
In the short term, however, most companies are moving cautiously. "I want to pick a platform that’s going to be around for a long time," says Len Pagon, president and CEO of technology consultancy Brulant. Salerno agrees: "A lot of companies are playing wait and see—they’re waiting for a success story."
"Commodity mail is nothing new. It’s been out there for the past decade, and it has yet to take hold in corporate America," says Meta’s Cain. Instead of switching mail systems, Cain recommends looking for ways of reducing costs in your existing mail setup: Consolidating servers, centralizing and managing storage more effectively, and adding Web mail access to eliminate client maintenance and training headaches.
Still, if you’re adding large numbers of new users to your e-mail system, if you’re expanding your mail system to groups of employees that haven’t had mail accounts, or if you’re a small company with a tight IT budget, you should take a look at low-cost mail alternatives. If nothing else, those systems are providing IBM and Microsoft with some much-needed competition. And they just might deliver what you need at a fraction of the cost.
