Take A Message: It's Lotus Vs. Exchange

A big advantage Microsoft has over IBM with unified messaging is that all modules necessary to create a true unified messaging solution are incorporated into Exchange 2010. To get that same level of functionality with IBM's solution requires the installation of multiple IBM products.

Exchange is so feature-rich that a lot of customization is not necessary for most organizations. For example, incorporating mobile messaging into Exchange only requires enabling ActiveSync. ActiveSync is also supported almost across the board by the major mobile platform vendors.

Exchange 2010 also comes with a lot of enhancements to legacy Exchange. One of the major new features is the ability to integrate voicemail into Outlook Web Access. In fact, voicemail preview is a new feature that provides a text-based preview of voicemail messages.

Yet another new feature is Exchange federation. This allows for the cross-premises sharing of resources, including federated message delivery and calendar sharing both within and outside an organization. Exchange 2010 also lets users share calendars with users outside the company. Access permissions and controls are available to keep such communication secure.

There is now also support for SATA. Exchange 2010 can utilize Serial Advanced Technology Attachment (SATA) desktop-class hard disk drives.

With Exchange 2010, e-mail administrators can opt to give end users quite a bit of control over that user's own messaging environment. The Exchange Control Panel (ECP) is a Web-based interface that enables users to "self-help." Users can perform tasks as varied as running delivery reports to managing distribution groups.

There is even enhanced device security in Exchange 2010. Per-user mobile device policies can be set, such as allowing attachments to specifying PIN requirements. Administrators can also deem which mobile device can sync to Exchange and which to block.

Many Exchange users will welcome the introduction of Mail Tips. This feature walks a user through checking a message before sending to avoid potentially embarrassing sent messages. Unfortunately, Mail Tips is not supported in Outlook 2007 -- only in Outlook 2010 or the OWA that comes with Exchange 2010.

The Management Console has the same interface introduced in Exchange 2007. Almost all major tasks needed to get Exchange up and running are done through user-friendly wizards. Active Directory is also tightly intertwined in this version of Exchange; end-user mailboxes are created directly in the Exchange Management Console rather than having to go outside to the Active Directory Users and Computers module.

Lotus Notes and Domino 8.5 also have feature enhancements. Some of the features, however, are ones that have long been in Exchange and Outlook. In the latest Lotus 8.5 client, a new feature being touted is auto-completion of an e-mail address while composing a message. Another feature, the ability to forward contacts as a vCard, is also one we have already seen in Exchange.

Still, some of the new features are quite innovative and really take advantage of the customizability for which Notes and Domino are known. One such feature is the ability to mash up your calendar; you can add activities, private or public Google calendars or other Notes calendars to yours.

Notes 8.5 also comes with built-in social networking capabilities, as Lotus Connections can be integrated into Lotus Notes. With it, users can create blogs, communities, bookmarks and more.

On the security side, Notes share log-in now lets users start Lotus Notes and use their Notes IDs without having to provide Notes passwords.

Notes 8.5 has an interface to manage the Domino server. It's not Web-based -- it's an actual client that gets installed onto a machine independent of the Domino server. Both this interface as well as the Notes client, although perfectly acceptable in how they run their features, have a dated, technologically "primitive" look to them.

For features, we are going to give Exchange the win. Exchange 2010's new features aid in bringing a user an entire new experience. In Lotus, not as much. Lotus client 8.5 resembles pretty much the Lotus clients of the past.

Exchange 2010: 5 out of 5 stars, Notes 8.5: 3 out of 5 stars

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