Messaging and collaboration software vendors Scalix Corp., IBMs Lotus Software division, Novell Inc. and Open Wave Inc. are each moving to meet enterprises increasing demands for Linux-based software at the server and client levels.
Startup Scalix this week will announce a namesake messaging and collaboration platform that includes Scalix Server and two client modules, Scalix Connect for Microsoft Corp.s Outlook and Scalix Web Access.
The platform is based on Hewlett-Packard Co.s OpenMail e-mail platform, which Scalix ported to a Linux architecture with full support for Web services integration. HP stopped developing OpenMail but has licensed it to third-party vendors including Scalix, of San Mateo, Calif.
Scalix Server will serve large enterprises at a lower cost and higher level of reliability, thanks to its Linux architecture, company officials said. It can be used as a stand-alone platform or work in tandem with other messaging platforms to extend e-mail and calendaring to deskless workers. Those capabilities can also be integrated with other applications via Web services, officials said.
Enterprises can also turn to established vendors that are increasing their support for Linux. Lotus, whose Domino platform has run on Linux servers since the R5 release, will add support for Linux running on zSeries mainframes to its Notes and Domino 6.5 release, due in September.
The release will also support the Domino Web Access client via Mozilla browsers running on Linux. The Notes desktop client will not support Linux, according to Lotus, of Cambridge, Mass.
Having Linux support for the Web client is welcome news to John Head, technical specialist with PSC Group LLC, an IT consultancy that is participating in the Notes/Domino 6.5 beta program. Many of the companys consultants access the Internet via Mozilla browsers running on Linux clients.
“Its nice to be able to access Notes on Linux without having to use Wine [a Windows emulator] or VMware [Inc.s virtual machine software] or a third machine or Windows Terminal Server, where youll have hacks upon hacks upon hacks,” said Head, in Schaumburg, Ill.
Separately, Novell, of Provo, Utah, is expected to announce soon that its GroupWise messaging and collaboration server will run on Linux. The GroupWise client already supports Linux. In addition, Open Wave, of Redwood City, Calif., is expected to announce Linux support for its mobile messaging server by September.