Question : Add alternative Web eMail to company using eXchange

Many users, we run eXchange and others, and are looking for additional mailers, programs, products, for some potential future users that won't be put on exchange.

Looking for cheap, http, perhaps pop3/smtp for Win2K (preferable, but will do linux if we must).  To be like ISP and those that give free eMail service. Of course, the corporate want us to put up similar goods.

Any configuration help and cautions appreciated, as well as comments for products that can get us up quick - while being robust enough to handle extreme increase in users without adding lots of servers.  Of course, compatibility with existing exchange servers nice, as well as collaboration (like sharing address lists, for example).

All internal to our company - the h/w & s/w & users (well, not the phone system, we don't own that piece)

Answer : Add alternative Web eMail to company using eXchange

> When using the OWA, how does MS demand that you handle the client access licenses?

that is correct as i understand it.  exchange can only be licensed in per-seat mode, not per-client, thus you need a license for each *user* (ie mailbox)  looking at the MS product catalog, there is also no 'internet connector' license pack for echange as there is for other S/W (like SQL server)

>  I've lost my train of thought here. I thought I'd seen a comment on mDaemon only recommended for up to 500 users. I thought by meverest, but cannot locate in threads at moment.

that's right - as mdaemon does not support LDAP (once again, i qualify this statement by stating that the last version i looked at closely did not), then there is significant limitation for the number of users that can be effectivly supported.

i had experience once with netscape mail server running in local userbase mode (ie no ldap server) and it really crapped out badly at around 500 users (but that was an old pII server) - this effect is mainly due to the mailbox-deliver functions trying to scan for the correct email addres/es.  i suggest that any mail system based on flat file (or registry) userbase will perform in a similar manner.

if you need as many users as you suggest, you really have no choice otherthan ldap or some other properly indexed userbase.

for my ow systems, i use netscape messenger server v4 with directory server, handles approx 3000 users, approx 80 internet domains.

messenger serer has a reasonable built-in webmail service that does most of what is needed.  i have not used the netscape calander server, which could be a good alternative to exchange's calander.

but once again, if you have exchange already, and if the users will access it by outlook at the office, then giving them OWA from remote costs no more and provides the best integration with exchange.

i am only assuming that this is the case for you - i am not sure whether you are looking at replacement of your mail system, or (as the initial question implies) simply looking for a web extension to exchange.(?)

cheers.