Friend/client wants to get rid of old exchange server

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DJ Big T

[H]ard|Gawd
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Client wants to go from PC to Apple. Client is getting a Mac Mini server with OS X server on it. What is the best way to transition out of this old MS exchange server into something comparable on the Apple / Mac side? (noobie question I know, but I need to know) Thanks! :D:confused:
 
do they have their own domain? may want to look at google apps for migrating the email accounts to and use active sync for them. i believe its up to 10 users for free on there, used to be 50 i think.
 
Gmail has cancelled their Free GApps account as of November last year. Any legacy Free accounts have had ActiveSync disabled. ActiveSync is available for Paid Accounts only. That being said, if they want to go Mac, them GApps probably would be the best fit. Just keep in mind that it'll be $50/user/yr. Exchange migration tool

Even being Mac and the security by obscurity thing, make sure that a good AV and backup solution is in place.
 
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Apple does have some basic Mail/Calendar/Contacts stuff built into OSX Server, but its not going to be anywhere near fully featured as Exchange. But if he's just using Exchange for basic email, then he may not even notice. Can't say I've ever used it though, but I'm sure there is info online about migration, from simply adding both accounts to Outlook then drag/dropping from old to new server, to all sorts of automated tools.

Otherwise there's the aforementioned Google Apps or even hosted Exchange (like Office365 or some other hosted Exchange). If he's going with MS Office on the Macs, then hosted Exchange is probably going to give him an almost identical experience to what he has now.
 
The osx server for mail and calendar & web is a neat and nice little box, it works great, if they all have iphones too, it's good with that..
 
I'd be considering O365 hosted email as well, integrates nicely without Outlook for Mac or built in mail client and will work great through the web and with mobile devices.

Depending on the number of users in the office / client I'd possibly be advising he cancel the order for the Mac Mini. Nice little devices, but not really servers. Mac Pro minimum for a "server" or else I'd recommend sticking with a Wintel box - possible S2012 Essentials for AD and syncing passwords with O365.
 
scotlandrocks said:
I'd be considering O365 hosted email as well, integrates nicely without Outlook for Mac or built in mail client and will work great through the web and with mobile devices.

Depending on the number of users in the office / client I'd possibly be advising he cancel the order for the Mac Mini. Nice little devices, but not really servers. Mac Pro minimum for a "server" or else I'd recommend sticking with a Wintel box - possible S2012 Essentials for AD and syncing passwords with O365.
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the little mac mini server with 8gigs ram does fine with 20 users NO PROBLEM and very low cpu usage. Even with mail in out ad the www site being used ...
 
Office365. Going from Exchange to anything else is like asking how to get the same room as first class in economy. I'd flip it around and check the client's needs and wants, then propose a solution based on that. Sounds almost like the client is making an emotional decision; you might want to make sure you can function safely inside that framework.
 
RocketTech said:
Sounds almost like the client is making an emotional decision; you might want to make sure you can function safely inside that framework.
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Obviously. Just about anyone wanting to use Apple for any reason is making an "emotional decision." It's only better for SOME graphics/audio work (Windows is equal or better for some of that stuff, too, depending on the specifics). For anything else, ESPECIALLY server applications, it is just plain worse, period.
 
itsparks said:
the little mac mini server with 8gigs ram does fine with 20 users NO PROBLEM and very low cpu usage. Even with mail in out ad the www site being used ...
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Until it breaks....
From experience, I'd never recommend a Mac Mini is used for anything mission critical. Disk in a Mac Mini as standard are only 5400rpm is just one example of why not. Need a second nic or add in card for some reason, just install one. Oh wait, that won't work..

Great little devices, just not to be relied upon.
 
dandragonrage said:
Obviously. Just about anyone wanting to use Apple for any reason is making an "emotional decision." It's only better for SOME graphics/audio work (Windows is equal or better for some of that stuff, too, depending on the specifics). For anything else, ESPECIALLY server applications, it is just plain worse, period.
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Ditto, unfortunately some clients just won't listen :)
 
Nate7311 said:
Ditto, unfortunately some clients just won't listen :)
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I love it how a none techie tries to steer IT decisions. No one ever listens to the IT guy. This is why I charge a lot of money for consulting. Best lessons in life are the expensive ones..

You are most likely to get blamed when shit doesn't work either after all of this.
 
RocketTech said:
Office365. Going from Exchange to anything else is like asking how to get the same room as first class in economy. I'd flip it around and check the client's needs and wants, then propose a solution based on that. Sounds almost like the client is making an emotional decision; you might want to make sure you can function safely inside that framework.
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Agreed completely on Office365. It is slick, migrates well, and has all the features they are used to.

Going to anything else will feel very cumbersome.
 
Wow, going from Exchange to something else?

:Grabs Popcorn:

My helpful comment is to go to Office 365 it will be the only lateral move, everything else just seems so...downhill?
 
When a client doesn't listen to the experts they've brought on board to help them, it is time to find new clients.
 
scotlandrocks said:
Until it breaks....
From experience, I'd never recommend a Mac Mini is used for anything mission critical. Disk in a Mac Mini as standard are only 5400rpm is just one example of why not. Need a second nic or add in card for some reason, just install one. Oh wait, that won't work..

Great little devices, just not to be relied upon.
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got one in productions hasn't had a issue in the last 3 years. Runs great..
 
itsparks said:
got one in productions hasn't had a issue in the last 3 years. Runs great..
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Just because some random guy says they've done something and it's working does not prove anything. Wait 'til your one hard drive goes out on you. What RAID?

The world isn't black and white. It's not "works" or "doesn't work." An idea can vary on an infinite scale from good to bad, and hell it could even have more than that one dimension to it.

Using a Mac Mini in production may work, but it's a downright stupid idea 100% of the time. Sorry.
 
dandragonrage said:
Just because some random guy says they've done something and it's working does not prove anything. Wait 'til your one hard drive goes out on you. What RAID?

The world isn't black and white. It's not "works" or "doesn't work." An idea can vary on an infinite scale from good to bad, and hell it could even have more than that one dimension to it.

Using a Mac Mini in production may work, but it's a downright stupid idea 100% of the time. Sorry.
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You are entitled to your own opinion. ;)
 
My last manager (Global IT Manager I think his title was) only used Apple. He didn't know how to use any Microsoft products!
 
What's the Backup/Restore scenario for the MiniMac? and What's the planned RTO?
 
Apple sort of try and say Mac Mini can be used as a "server" but its desktop hardware at the end of the day.
 
Yes, MacMini is a server. So is my thermostat, but I don't run an enterprise off of it. Any Enterprise solution is like playing Russian Roulette- you are making choices that remove as many bullets as possible, and make pulling the trigger less likely. Using a MacMini as a server is like using a semi-auto with one in the chamber and the safety off.
 
RocketTech said:
Yes, MacMini is a server. So is my thermostat, but I don't run an enterprise off of it. Any Enterprise solution is like playing Russian Roulette- you are making choices that remove as many bullets as possible, and make pulling the trigger less likely. Using a MacMini as a server is like using a semi-auto with one in the chamber and the safety off.
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i guess that's why they have sold MILLIONS of them right ?
 
itsparks said:
time machine, it works ok. Does what windows built in backup can do..
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So what happens if there's a fire, tornado, earthquake, Godzilla (Oh no! It's Godzirra!), or any other destruction scenario? Your MacMini is gone and... ...so is your backup.


itsparks said:
i guess that's why they have sold MILLIONS of them right ?
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And how many enterprise servers have HP, Dell and IBM/Lenovo sold?

Noboday is saying that's a bad solution for you. If you are happy, then run with it. But to advocate a Mac Mini to someone that doesn't have basic Mac experience, let alone DR experience with a Mac is leading him down the wrong path.
 
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