Yahoo acquires Zimbra

Unified Communications This newsletter is sponsored by NetApp Whitepaper: Server virtualization for SMBs Server virtualization is not only meant for the largest enterprise organizations. In this whitepaper, Server Virtualization for Small and Medium-size Businesses, learn how this technology is ideal for smaller IT shops. This whitepaper explains how simplifying hardware and server applications with virtualization software allows for key operational improvements. Network World's Unified Communications Newsletter, 09/25/07 Yahoo acquires Zimbra By Michael Osterman Last week’s acquisition of Zimbra by Yahoo is the latest in a string of significant messaging-related acquisitions that have taken place over the past couple of years. While I had expected that Google was the more likely suitor for Zimbra, based in part on the strength of Zimbra’s technology and Google’s current major push into the workplace, the Yahoo acquisition is not much of a surprise. Although the $350 million acquisition is not yet finalized, plans are for Zimbra to remain as a stand-alone business unit. Zimbra's offering will retain the same feature set it currently has, and both hosted and on-premise offerings will continue to be offered. As of this writing, there is no planned integration of Zimbra’s and Yahoo's e-mail offerings, although it would seem inevitable that some level of integration will occur. I think there are several messages that this acquisition sends: Network World's Network Applications Buyer's Guide Find the right network applications for your enterprise - fast. Our extensive database of detailed product information will help you quickly pinpoint what you need. With the side-by-side comparison tool you can evaluate product features and make the best decision for your enterprise. Click here to go to the Buyer's Guide now. * First, the hosted messaging market is alive and well. A growing variety of vendors are offering, or will soon be offering, hosted messaging services that offer very feature-rich capabilities. Hosted offerings provide a variety of benefits, particularly for smaller organizations that might not have dedicated IT staff or that are geographically distributed. While many organizations are dead-set against even considering hosted messaging, there are a variety of reasons that they should do so. * Second, alternatives to the offerings of the major messaging vendors must support standards and be completely compatible with the leading servers and clients. Zimbra, for example, is compatible with Outlook and supports IMAP, iCal and other standards. Having just an ‘Outlook-like’ interface, for example, just won’t cut it for a lot of potential customers. * Third, the end user messaging experience needs to be compelling. Zimbra’s AJAX-based client that offers integration of Web services and mash-ups of various capabilities provide users with a great deal of functionality. To address the key issues surrounding hosted messaging, and to address some of the key objections we hear frequently, Osterman Research will be hosting a Webinar on Oct. 3, sponsored by USA.NET. You can sign up for this no-charge event here.   What do you think? Post a comment on this newsletter

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Contact the author: For webinars or research on messaging, or to join the Osterman Research market research survey panel, go here. Osterman Research helps organizations understand the markets for messaging and directory related offerings. To e-mail Michael, click here. This newsletter is sponsored by NetApp Whitepaper: Server virtualization for SMBs Server virtualization is not only meant for the largest enterprise organizations. In this whitepaper, Server Virtualization for Small and Medium-size Businesses, learn how this technology is ideal for smaller IT shops. This whitepaper explains how simplifying hardware and server applications with virtualization software allows for key operational improvements. ARCHIVE Archive of the Unified Communications Newsletter. BONUS FEATURE IT PRODUCT RESEARCH AT YOUR FINGERTIPS Get detailed information on thousands of products, conduct side-by-side comparisons and read product test and review results with Network World’s IT Buyer’s Guides. Find the best solution faster than ever with over 100 distinct categories across the security, storage, management, wireless, infrastructure and convergence markets. Click here for details. PRINT SUBSCRIPTIONS AVAILABLE You've got the technology snapshot of your choice delivered to your inbox each day. Extend your knowledge with a print subscription to the Network World newsweekly, Apply here today. International subscribers, click here. SUBSCRIPTION SERVICES To subscribe or unsubscribe to any Network World newsletter, change your e-mail address or contact us, click here. This message was sent to: networking.world@gmail.com. Please use this address when modifying your subscription. Advertising information: Write to Associate Publisher Online Susan Cardoza Network World, Inc., 118 Turnpike Road, Southborough, MA 01772 Copyright Network World, Inc., 2007