Choosing Zimbra over gmail and google apps?

[freebsdboy]

I'm looking for a recent comparison of Zimbra platform and googles gmail/calendar platform for an organizations use.
Not personal use, not the free versions of either.

There have been comparisons online but they are all a few years old. I'm looking for compelling arguments to use one platform over another.

[uxbod]

You retain control over the infrastructure and data ?

[freebsdboy]

I can see the value in running your own service and being able to make changes to the code, add-ons like zimlets.
Staying with a particular version.
Being able to access the data directly, control over availability and response time.

Integration with other products like Alfresco?

[raj]

Google Terms of Service
read section "11. Content licence from you"

..By submitting, posting or displaying the content you give Google a perpetual, irrevocable, worldwide, royalty-free, and non-exclusive licence to reproduce, adapt, modify, translate, publish, publicly perform, publicly display and distribute any Content which you submit, post or display on or through, the Services...

11.2 You agree that this licence includes a right for Google to make such Content available to other companies, organizations or individuals with whom Google has relationships for the provision of syndicated services, and to use such Content in connection with the provision of those services.

so in short..google can take(or already taking) your EMAIL or private info and can sell for there personal profit if they need to.

this is good enough reason for me not to use them and my own point against gmail, google apps if you are a corporate or even small personal deployment..

unless you want to compare "cost" to "privacy" then zimbra cannot win with FREE (google apps) everything vs Free as in freedom to use the (zimbra) software and own & protect your own private info

Raj

[freebsdboy]

The terms of Service I understand spell out that Google can search through the stored content and use it as they see needed.

Can't seem to find the paid service TOS online.

Thanks - Good feedback here.

[raj]

Google Apps TOS

raj

[andrelohmann]

Hi there, I know, this thread is already a few month old.

I have to make the following decision:

I have been working with Google Apps for a long period now and always felt comfortable, because communication is all in Projectwork. If you are working together with people that you never see face to face or you are staying in deep contact with your salesman (the roadwarriors) or your decission makers that are all on the run, you need quick exchange of information.

Google Apps always was giving me everything I needed. It was perfectly integrated into my Android Phone (or my colleges iPhone). I was able, to work on a document, together with a far away college, when on the run (realtime collaboration on google docs), share my callender, contacts, documents. Communicate through googletalk, when necessary. Every communication is easily archived and can be searched. When sitting at my desctop I can see every of my colleges online.

In short words: It simply fits my needs perfectly.

Now I am changing to a new Company with my new Boss beeing a bit paranoid. He's a little bit afraid, Google could steel his Ideas, when using Google Apps. On my opinion, Google Apps is also the perfect tool, for the workflow in my new company, but my Boss is trying to force me, to find a self hosted solution.

Now Zimbra comes in Place.

I already installed the current Zimbra Opensource Edition and the mailing and callander seems quite ok to me. But what I am missing is a way to communitcate and collaborate like I explained I can do in Google Apps.

So the Questions goes out to the more experienced Zimbra Users out there. Can Zimbra replace Google Apps?

[hescominsoon]

Originally Posted by andrelohmann

Hi there, I know, this thread is already a few month old.

I have to make the following decision:

I have been working with Google Apps for a long period now and always felt comfortable, because communication is all in Projectwork. If you are working together with people that you never see face to face or you are staying in deep contact with your salesman (the roadwarriors) or your decission makers that are all on the run, you need quick exchange of information.

Google Apps always was giving me everything I needed. It was perfectly integrated into my Android Phone (or my colleges iPhone). I was able, to work on a document, together with a far away college, when on the run (realtime collaboration on google docs), share my callender, contacts, documents. Communicate through googletalk, when necessary. Every communication is easily archived and can be searched. When sitting at my desctop I can see every of my colleges online.

In short words: It simply fits my needs perfectly.

Now I am changing to a new Company with my new Boss beeing a bit paranoid. He's a little bit afraid, Google could steel his Ideas, when using Google Apps. On my opinion, Google Apps is also the perfect tool, for the workflow in my new company, but my Boss is trying to force me, to find a self hosted solution.

Now Zimbra comes in Place.

I already installed the current Zimbra Opensource Edition and the mailing and callander seems quite ok to me. But what I am missing is a way to communitcate and collaborate like I explained I can do in Google Apps.

So the Questions goes out to the more experienced Zimbra Users out there. Can Zimbra replace Google Apps?

already has at my church. What are you having trouble doing in zimbra as opposed to googleapps?

[ccelis5215]

Its right, Google Apps suits your needs but also you have to consider your privacy....

And for your direct question: Zimbra don´t replace Google Apps but you have to measure what´s that means.

Regards.