14 DAY TRIAL // Open-Xchange has released a tool to help Microsoft Outlook users to migrate to the open-source alternative. The new tool enables Outlook users of either the stand-alone app or a Microsoft Exchange account to move their emails, contacts and so on to an Open-Xchange Server.
"We are significantly minimizing the hassle and cost for migrations to our open source collaboration software," Rafael Laguna, CEO of Open-Xchange said. "We made the tool as intuitive and easy as possible to ensure that every user can install and use the tool without support."
The new tool comes in handy in several situations. For businesses moving from Microsoft Exchange to Open-Xchange as an email and collaboration tool, the "Open-Xchange Microsoft Outlook Uploader" enables users to keep all of their emails, contacts, appointments and tasks.
The data is normally stored as PST files on the users' computers. Open-Xchange can aggregate all this data and store it on a central server, by using the "Uploader."
The "Uploader" is useful in two types of scenarios, Open-Xchange says. If a company chooses to migrate entirely to the open-source solution and ditch Outlook completely, the tool can import all of the relevant data and make it available to the users through the web-based email client. All of their emails and contacts will be available as well as the existing folder structure.
However, if the company chooses only to switch to Open-Xchange from Microsoft Exchange, but keeps the Microsoft Outlook client, the "Uploader" is useful as well allowing users to migrate their data. It also enables users to clean up their data during the migration process.
"The cost savings can be substantial by migrating to Open-Xchange. As one example, for a 50-person company the difference between Microsoft Exchange and Open-Xchange is estimated to be $1,200 lower per year," Open-Xchange says.