Will Zimbra fill my needs?

[jim.thornton]

I'm looking for a new email solution. I've been using Thunderbird with Lightning for quite a few years now. I'm getting frustrated because everytime I've re-installed windows (or most times anyway), I lose information. I'm looking for a solution that takes the storage of emails off my desktop and onto a server.

I have a server box that I have not been using but is:
Intel 2.4ghz Quad-Core Xeon
4 GB Ram
2x500GB w/ RAID controller card

I'm planning on installing some type of virtualization software. I was thinking of the Karesansui Project for this. I would like one server to be running a hosted email solution.

I was planning on running Mail Archiva with Zimbra so that I can keep copies of all emails.

I would like to have the functionality of being able to use a desktop client and have it sync with the web client. Hopefully avoiding the IMAP protocol as I find this very slow. Is this possible?

[odeleon]

Yes. Zimbra just might work for you. Have a look at Zimbra Desktop for the client side, though Zimbra has its own web-based client that works just as well (or better, depending on who you ask). Check out the online demo to see for yourself.

(I don't have any experience with the Karesansui Project, so I won't speak for or against the mix)

[jim.thornton]

Yes I have checked out the client and I like it (the webclient too). It was annoying my firewall a lot though (PC Tools) but I'm sure that is just because it was just installed for the first time.

Is the desktop client interchangable with the webclient?

I like the convenience of the IMAP protocol but I do not like the speed of it. I find it very slow and the few times that I have started using it I quickly change back to POP.

The other issue is that I cannot READ emails unless I have internet access with IMAP. I want something, ideally, that keeps a copy of the emails on my desktop/laptop client and then when I'm away from the home/work that I can login to a webclient and still be able to see them.

The disadvantage to POP is that often I have to check my emails when I'm out. If I forgot to close my email client on the computer than I get stuck because the POP messages have been downloaded.

Is Zimbra the happy-medium that I'm looking for?

[odeleon]

Yes, you can switch from the web-client to the desktop when you like.

Zimbra Desktop keeps a local copy of your emails, calendar appointment and everything else, so you can use it on the road or when you don't have an active connection to the server and it will sync-up once you do.