Are you planning to jump on the “open source software” bandwagon? Or contemplating the idea of switching from an open source setup to a commercial solution? Here are a few considerations to keep in mind.

This article discusses the features and benefits that the Axigen Free Mail Server offers compared to open source solutions. It provides a comprehensive analysis of the factors that IT and Business managers should consider when choosing a messaging platform, particularly addressing the needs of small to medium sized businesses.

Free Open Source Mail Server vs. Axigen Free Mail Server With email being the backbone of business communications, having a reliable messaging solution can make the difference in terms of maintaining productivity and even continuity. Spam and virus protection, back-up and archiving, shared calendars, contacts and tasks, support for various web and desktop email clients, mobile access – these are just some of the requirements that mail servers should meet besides sending and receiving email messages. Designing and using your own email system made of several open source components could save you some money (great money, in some cases), but it could also prove to be quite draining. Not only that it usually takes a significant amount of time and knowledge to research, integrate, test and support the various components into a custom, fully-functional messaging solution, but maintaining it is far more laborious than imagined.

An easy way out is always proprietary software. One may say that it’s too traditional, that users have no choice but to use the software “as is”, or that it’s too expensive. What if it‘s free and quite flexible? If we have caught your interest, then you might have a look at the Axigen Free Mail Server. It is a turnkey messaging solution with 100 free email users and 5 calendaring users – just about enough to get you started. Focused on innovation in order to differentiate itself in the market, this all-in-one solution offers a clear roadmap evolution to guarantee the inclusion of new features and keeping you in control as your business evolves. All in all, it’s a great alternative to Open Source.

Nevertheless, there are no true winners or losers – just different solutions. After analyzing the specific messaging needs of your business, you’ll only have to consider where to shift your budget focus: on in-house configuration and development, integrating third-party applications, or licensing, support and maintenance etc.

Here are a few points to consider when making your decision:

1. COSTS
Free Open Source Mail Server: Free
The basic idea behind Open Source is that it is freely available. You have the freedom to run the program for any purpose, to modify it and to redistribute copies of either the original or the modified program (without having to pay royalties to previous developers).

Axigen Free Mail Server: It’s also free!
You just have to spend 5 minutes to register your license in order to benefit from integrated mail services for 100 users (including WebMail access from PCs and mobile phones, and 5 calendaring users), unlimited domains, advanced security and effortless administration, totally free of charge.

2. COMPATIBILITY
Free Open Source Mail Server: Linux-prone
Very few open source software applications adjust well with Windows, hence lots of effort is put into integrating an open source mail server and its complementary applications.
However, if you are using Linux, compatibility is not an issue, and there are several open source candidates for enterprise deployment.

Axigen Free Mail Server: Multi-platform
Axigen allows you to switch platforms freely, without additional costs – the solution is available on both Windows and Linux OS (32 or 64-bit), and supports integration with various third-party applications (e.g. billing, CRM, AntiSpam). It also keeps you worry-free by compliance with major international standards and data retention regulations.

3. USABILITY
Free Open Source Mail Server: Too little, too late
Axigen Free Mail Server: User-centric look and feel [...]

4. FLEXIBILITY
Free Open Source Mail Server: Freedom of choice
Axigen Free Mail Server: Moving forward on your terms [...]

5. TECHNICAL SUPPORT
Free Open Source Mail Server: Community support
Axigen Free Mail Server: 24x7 technical support [...]

6. MAINTENANCE
Free Open Source Mail Server: Unpredictable future
Axigen Free Mail Server: Clear roadmap [...]

7. RELIABILITY
Free Open Source Mail Server: Debatable
Axigen Free Mail Server: Rock solid [...]

8. SECURITY
Free Open Source Mail Server: Good potential
Axigen Free Mail Server: Fully secure messaging [...]

9. LICENSING
Free Open Source Mail Server: Flexible, yet not so generous
Axigen Free Mail Server: Friendly licensing terms [...]


Final thoughts
Both open source and proprietary messaging solutions have their pros and cons, so it is just a matter of choice. The business world is, in most cases, a hybrid one, that continues to integrate proprietary and open source code altogether. In the end, the more options you can choose from, the better.

The Axigen Free Mail Server is, however, a great place to start. The powerful technology it’s based on makes it reliable and safe, while still remaining quite adaptable to work the way you do. You’ll definitely enjoy the comfort of easy communication with this all-in-one, friendly messaging solution.

For further details on this free mail server, or any other products and services offered by Axigen, we invite you to visit the Axigen website or get in touch with the Axigen team at contact@axigen.com.


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About Gecad Technologies and Axigen
Established in 2001, Gecad Technologies SA, member of the GECAD Group and ISO 9001:2008 certified, is the vendor of Axigen, an integrated email, calendaring and collaboration platform, masterfully built using a unique mail server technology, for increased speed and security. Axigen ensures an efficient and secure worldwide communication environment and business growth for both service providers and companies of all sizes. It is currently distributed internationally by 300 partners from 100 countries and manages the email traffic for more than 11,000 companies with 8 million end-users. For further details, please visit www.axigen.com

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