Version 12 of Gordano Messaging Suite (GMS), includes implementations for Linux, Solaris and AIX platforms as well as Windows, all with the same features and add-ons.

Anti-virus and anti-spam security modules are among those options, plus an Exchange-like collaboration server, with enhancements to all three platforms.

Because it is modular it can take a while to work out which bits of GMS you need. We opted for a small-business setup, comprising the core GMS Mail server, Webmail and Collaboration server components.

These we installed onto an IBM xSeries server running Windows Server 2003, a process that took about 10 minutes to complete using the setup utility supplied.

Some post-install setup was then required to configure the primary domain (multiple domains are supported) and arrange for inbound SMTP messages to be routed correctly.

Alternatively, Pop3 message retrieval can be configured with a straightforward web-based interface used for all management and monitoring activity.

The enhancements in version 12 are mostly to do with email security and Outlook integration with, on the security front, ‘zero-hour protection’ to cope with emerging mail-borne threats.

This uses a patented Recurrent Pattern Detection technology from Commtouch, whose detection centre analyses millions of emails a day looking for malware activity. Mail servers connected to the Commtouch network can be updated within minutes of a new threat being detected.

Zero-hour protection is added to the existing mechanisms supported by GMS. However, the anti-virus module does add to the price (£555 ex Vat for 25 users) as does the anti-spam module (£138 ex Vat).

The other enhancements, around Outlook integration, make the Gordano software almost indistinguishable from Exchange, both in terms of email and collaboration features.

In earlier releases Gordano had already added Mapi support, giving Outlook users access to a global address book, server-held message stores, contacts folders, calendars, and so on.

Folder sharing had also been added along with support for free/busy time allocation, meeting invitations and other groupware options.

However, Outlook users still saw the GMS server as a separate set of folders (inbox, calendar, contents and so on) with a special local database, created during client setup, that was needed to hold synchronised copies of server data.

Now, in version 12, Outlook users see a single navigation tree, just as with Exchange, which is less confusing and easier for customers to migrate from Microsoft to the Gordano software.

A standard Outlook Pst file is also used to hold the local data, improving performance and addressing compatibility issues when synchronising to PDAs and other devices. Calendar sharing is also a lot easier in this version.

However, Gordano does not have additional client setup. Outlook naturally assumes that Exchange will be used, so extra work is required to get it to use the GMS Collaboration client.

Still, it is not that difficult and once the client is loaded it is hard to tell that you’re not connected to a Microsoft server.

We didn’t find GMS the easiest mail server to manage and the array of options can be confusing. However, it does the job well and, in functionality terms, is about as close to an Exchange clone as it is possible to get.