PostPath Breaks Microsoft Exchange Compatibility Lock with AJAX-Enhanced Collaboration Server

July 11, 2006; 09:21 AM

PostPath announced initial customers for and the immediate general availability of the Linux-based PostPath Server, the only Exchange alternative to deliver drop-in enterprise compatibility, enabling it to integrate seamlessly with Outlook and today's entire enterprise collaboration infrastructure.

Early customers include First American Trust, the City of Steamboat Springs Colorado, some of the largest financial institutions in New York, New Jersey and Massachusetts, and Drachenfels GmbH in Germany. "Although there are many other Linux email servers out there, PostPath's server is the only Exchange alternative to offer fully featured Outlook support without the need for new desktop software, and the only one that could drop into our existing Exchange farm and co-exist without disruption," said Henry Jenkins, CTO of First American Trust. Johannes von Drachenfels, CEO of Drachenfels GmH, commented, "I'm impressed with the seamless integration with Active Directory, the lack of extra requestors or plug-ins to connect Outlook and the very simple installation."

Further benefits of selecting the PostPath Server commonly cited by customers include avoiding vendor lock-in, saving money, increasing performance by 5x, improving resilience, and increasing flexibility and innovation. Specifically, customers look to PostPath to slash software, storage and infrastructure costs by 75%, simplify administration via live granular backup and restore, leverage more efficient standards-based archiving and compliance approaches, simplify on and off-site redundancy for business continuity and disaster recovery, and leverage open systems by offering capabilities like a browser-independent AJAX web client with rich and flexible web-based client access.

Those who would like to test the product and benefits themselves can download a free fully-functional 12-user version of the server at www.postpath.com.

The Only Drop-In Plug-Compatible Alternative to Exchange

PostPath has created a unique approach to compatibility by being the first to implement Exchange network protocols on a Linux email server. Thanks to this server-side network protocol compatibility, the PostPath Server is the first Exchange alternative to be able to drop into an existing Exchange organization, the first to interoperate with the server-to-server functions of already-deployed Exchange servers, including cross-server free-busy, to enable co-existence and gradual migration, the first to provide full-featured Outlook interoperability without the need for plug-ins, connectors, or reconfiguration, the first to appear in the Active Directory(TM) management tools as though it were an Exchange server, and the first to interoperate directly with unmodified Exchange ecosystem applications such as Blackberry Enterprise Server(TM).

"PostPath's unique server-side network-protocol-based compatibility is the key to unlocking Exchange's hold over enterprise infrastructure," said PostPath CEO Duncan Greatwood. "Whereas in the past enterprises had no choice but to buy Exchange simply to get the compatibility they require, PostPath's seamless interoperability is the missing enabler that enterprises need to break Microsoft's lock and take advantage of a new generation of efficient, cost-effective, easily-managed, powerful, flexible, and open infrastructure."

Early Customers Pleased with PostPath Results

Organizations ranging in size from the world's largest financial institutions to the City of Steamboat Springs are demonstrating the viability of this unique approach to solving the fundamental problems of existing enterprise email infrastructure.

"Outlook has the user interface that our customers prefer, but maintenance of an Exchange Server is tough for a small IT organization, so we have been waiting for a Linux based alternative to increase performance and lower overall infrastructure costs, something that only PostPath has achieved," said Kent Morrison, Director of IT for Steamboat Springs.

"At the same time, cost is certainly a factor, and we have doubts about Microsoft's ability to keep pace with developments in the open-standards community. We also feel a responsibility to make the best long term decisions for interoperability, and PostPath is the open path," continued Morrison.

"Innovations like AJAX web-client support, dramatic cost savings via lean infrastructure enablement, and drop-in compatibility supporting existing desktops and infrastructure without disruption are the factors driving the adoption of the PostPath Server," concluded Greatwood.