zimbra using 3rd-party imap as backend

[gruad23]

I know that most people say, that it cant be done, but I want give up that soon.

I'd like to use zimbra with all its great features but as backend for the mails we need to keep our existing cyrus-imap-servers. It holds myriads of users,
mailboxes and mails and can deliver them fast and reliable. Zimbra is not so fast when it comes to standard imap-access.

I know of a big company planning to use zimbra for all its employes and partners and still will use MS-exchange as mail-backend. I talked with their sysadmin lately and he claims it can be done.

So my question:
* who is actually using zimbra as frontend for some other 3rd-party imap-server?
* what are the actual problems and why cant it be done. I imagine Zimbra will use standard lmtp/imap/smtp-protocoll when talking with its own backend, so why is it so hard to use a different backend?

thnx a lot,
peter

[uxbod]

Welcome to the forums

Simple answer is that it is fully integrated, tested and support in that configuration.

I know of a big company planning to use zimbra for all its employes and partners and still will use MS-exchange as mail-backend. I talked with their sysadmin lately and he claims it can be done.

I presume they will not be wanting support then ?

[phoenix]

Originally Posted by gruad23

I know that most people say, that it cant be done, but I want give up that soon.

Even the Zimbra developers have said that.

Originally Posted by gruad23

I know of a big company planning to use zimbra for all its employes and partners and still will use MS-exchange as mail-backend. I talked with their sysadmin lately and he claims it can be done.

Does he know something the developers don't, perhaps he'll be doing this for you? If you mean that mail is going to be sent/received via Exchange then that's certainly possible in a split domain set-up.

Originally Posted by gruad23

So my question:
* who is actually using zimbra as frontend for some other 3rd-party imap-server?

Nobody.

Originally Posted by gruad23

* what are the actual problems and why cant it be done. I imagine Zimbra will use standard lmtp/imap/smtp-protocoll when talking with its own backend, so why is it so hard to use a different backend?

Perhaps, as the previous answer from Uxbod says, because it's a completely integrated package that's designed to work as such. If you're brave enough, you could always download the source code and see what needs to be done.

Having said all that, you haven't given much of a description of where you think Zimbra is going to fit into this scenario and how it's going to be used. If your intention is to replace the IMAP server of Zimbra with Cyrus then that's not likely to happen unless you modify the package.

[sn00p]

What does it mean "myriads"? We tested approximatly 150000 users and didn't notice any slowdowns in IMAP access comparing with other solutions.