Internet Solutions is expanding its unified cloud messaging offering to SMEs with fewer than 1 000 users and to the public sector – using Zimbra, VMWare’s next-generation, open source, Linux-based email and calendar groupware platform. Known as IS Zimbra Messaging, Internet Solutions’ new offering positions the company to provide unified cloud communication and collaboration (UCC&C) services to the full spectrum of South African organisations.
“For many large corporations, Microsoft Exchange services are fully established in their business and they would have no reason to change it,” says Internet Solutions Communications Services product portfolio manager, Craig Stewart. “For SMEs and the public sector, however, the Zimbra option is ideal because it eliminates the need for substantial capital expenditure on messaging technology and the human resources to manage it.”
Pay-per-use system
“IS Zimbra Messaging gives organisations that currently have no or limited unified messaging options access on a pay per use basis to a secure, compliant, full feature solution,” says Stewart. “We can also provide them, on request, with archiving, and branding facilities powered by Pinpoint.
“In other words, cloud messaging has just become an extremely tangible business option in South Africa.”
By combining open source and the cloud, IS Zimbra Messaging gives companies and public sector organisations the best of both worlds in a solution that can be deployed easily. Additionally, the solution is quickly learnt, which reduces associated costs and allows smaller organisations to be more competitive within a global communications environment.
Collaboration challenges solved
IS Zimbra Messaging solves for businesses the most significant challenges related to collaboration on content, a crucial operational tool in today’s business environment.
“The enormous advantage of Zimbra over other messaging solutions is that most collaboration features are built in,” Stewart says. “For instance, it has a powerful instant messaging capability and all social media feeds and documents can be managed via the mailbox. So, it effortlessly bridges organisations into the productivity benefits of unified communications and collaboration.
“At the same time, the pricing of our IS Zimbra Messaging solution reflects the needs of the market at which it is aimed – with instant messaging, for instance, bundled into the overall offering.”