VMware Zimbra

VMware Zimbra is the popular mail server including work with e-mail, the calendar and functions of exchange to documents. VMware Zimbra has the interface and ample opportunities for integration into third-party solutions, best in the class WEB, such as Microsoft Outlook and Mail Apple, by means of own modules so letters, contacts and calendar items can be transferred from them to the Zimbra server. VMware Zimbra also provides simple double-ended synchronization with many mobile devices, for example: E-series Nokia, BlackBerry, Windows Mobile, iPhone.

2012: Zimbra Collaboration Suite 8.0

The software maker for virtualization of VMware announced the beta of Zimbra Collaboration Server which can be downloaded from the official site of the project in July, 2012. Deliveries of the final version of a product will begin until the end of this quarter. Zimbra Collabotation Server 8.0 represents Linux product for the organization of corporate e-mail and the system of scheduling. VMware says that the eighth version of a product received the updated and simplified system of installation and also ability to integrate with the systems of unified communications of the third producers.

It is said in the statement of the producer that to carry out installation and primary Zimbra 8.0 setup it is possible literally in 10 minutes, and primary setup practically does not require any administrative manipulations. "We wanted that all IT administrators opened for end users of advantage of SaaS-like applications irrespective of where they work", said in the statement of VMware.

The new version of a product can be set completely on the user's server, is purchased from provider or any of partners of VMware can provide access to it worldwide. For today, according to data of VMware, Zimbra use about 250,000 organizations servicing more than 85 million mailboxes. VMware says that Zimbra Collaboration Server 8.0 can be integrated with the systems of unified communications Cisco and Mitel, exchanging various communication opportunities with them. There is also a support of solutions of others of the company.

Among functional expansions of the eighth version it is possible to call advanced search in programs, the updated system interface of scheduling, new integrator for work in Microsoft Active Directory and some other LDAP. Besides, there was a new mechanism of updating allowing to be updated automatically to the latest version to current users.

Access to Zimbra can be got not only from the PC or the notebook, but also through MS Outlook and the mobile devices IOS, BlackBerry, Android and Windows Phone.

2011

VMware Zimbra 7

Zimbra 7 (Zimbra Collaboration Server) is a system for collective work and message exchange under the name. The core of this system is distributed for free and together with source codes, and here add-on modules which do this product valuable to end users, are delivered in the closed form at additional expense. The packet of Zimbra 7 can be provided through service providers and in the form of a product for local installation.

The VMware company received Zimbra technology from Yahoo! company at the beginning of 2010. During the time which passed after purchase of Zimbra technology, the VMware company did huge work. At first in cooperation with Canonical company the protected version of Ububntu for creation of the virtual Zimbra-server was created. Besides, the graphical interface which was integrated with the VMware vSphere tools for management of virtual environments, with a directory service of Microsoft Active Directory and with file services for Windows and other server platforms was created.

At the moment the packet of Zimbra Collaboration Server is available in ready versions to the Canonical Ubuntu, Red Hat Enterprise Linux and Novell SUSE Linux Enterprise Server Linux platforms and also in the form of a cross-platform RPM packet. If initially the packet of Zimbra was positioned as an alternative to a linking of Microsoft Outlook/Exchange, IBM Notes/Domino or Novell GroupWise, then with release of Zimbra 7 operator and local versions of Zimbra can compete with the known packets of "cloud" office applications.

Only for last year the Zimbra platform received 150,000 clients using a product through service providers. According to the company VMware, more than 2,000 customers use the Zimbra server in the networks, and the total number of paid mailboxes which are serviced by Zimbra technology grew to 66 million.

At the moment there are already commercial deliveries of Zimbra Collaboration Server 7, and the virtual device Zimbra Collaboration Appliance and a packet of Zimbra Desktop (for work in a standalone mode) still are in a beta testing stage. It is expected that the last two components will arrive to users until the end of March, 2011.

Developers of the Zimbra platform especially note function under the name Briefcase ("Portfolio") which allows to move files to "cloud" storage and to exchange them with colleagues. Also the connector for access to messages and synchronization of calendars / address directories with the BlackBerry Enterprise Server 5.0 server is a part of Zimbra 7.

Zimbra is mail from "cloud" for educational institutions and the commercial organizations

The Progress Media company, the participant of the affiliate program of VMware for educational institutions (VMware Academic), started open testing of the VMware Zimbra mail server.

The solution VMware Zimbra supplements the concept <виртуальный персональный компьютер>which is actively implemented in a number of the Russian higher education institutions. The solution VMware Zimbra is focused on providing to students and staff of higher education institution of a modern mail service. At the same time all user correspondence, contacts and the calendar are stored on the virtualized mail server, and access to mail can be provided via the WEB interface from any point.

The mail WEB interface which can be issued in the color scheme and stylistics of an institution and also the free VMware Zimbra Desktop e-mail client is available to testing.

The second stage of the program provides testing of abilities to integrate with Microsoft Outlook, synchronization with mobile devices. Throughout the entire period of testing it is going to add the most interesting modules additions Zimlets.

The third test stage will allow to define joint work of VMware Zimbra with solutions of fight against spam of Cisco IronPort.

Why Zimbra for educational institutions

Educational institutions are in conditions of upgrade of the outdated systems of e-mail and also elimination of several at the same time used systems. VMware Zimbra has in the arsenal the powerful tools allowing to perform fast transfer of accounts and also the user mailboxes from the most widespread systems, such as Microsoft Exchange and Lotus. Higher educational institutions need to provide access for students and employees to high-tech and powerful solutions and also to minimize the cost of ownership of these solutions. Simplicity of administration, powerful functionality and also the special program of VMware for educational institutions, will help educational institutions to reduce cost of ownership of the solution VMware Zimbra many times.