By Cynthia Morgan
Microsoft has buttressed its Exchange Server release with promises
of add-in networking tools that touch just about every networkable
area, from terminal emulation to groupware. The strategy may give
Microsoft a real chance to crack the Lotus Notes market.
The add-ins come mostly from outside developers, and many are
simply new editions of popular Notes apps. Symantec's FormFlow
2.0 will support Exchange Server's public/ private folder system
and replication. Verity, whose topicSearch is the leading search-and-retrieval
application in the Notes arena, has shipped a similar product
for Exchange Server. It includes an electronic conferencing program
and Web management tools.
Several companies will build on Exchange's fax and remote capabilities.
Optus, OmTool and Fenestrae will build fax capabilities into Exchange's
already familiar e-mail client. The highly regarded FACSys 4.1
fax server, from Optus, also lets administrators balance fax loads
across multiple servers according to cost, queue and traffic data.
Microsoft is also promoting Exchange Server as a gateway to outside
services. A deal with Individual, for example, will provide customized
news.
Still, workgroup tools need time to mature. Microsoft has provided
an easy migration from mail to groupware by letting administrators
add apps to an existing mail server as needed. Within a year,
Exchange may be the big player on Windows networks, es-pecially
those with NT. But those on heterogeneous networks won't transfer
anytime soon.
Even users who do switch will probably go slow. Mesa Group's new
JumpStart, for example, translates Notes 3.x databases into discussion
files in Exchange folders. Users can set rules for retaining threads
and converting attachments. It can be used as a con-version tool
or to let Notes and Exchange servers co-exist.
Copyright © 1996 CMP Media Inc.