Zimbra: Collaboration Suite Explored
Zimbra is not just an email platform; it's a sophisticated collaboration suite designed for businesses and enterprises.
What is Zimbra?
Fact: Zimbra was originally developed by Telligent Systems and was first released in 2005.
Zimbra provides a versatile open-source messaging and collaboration suite, which combines features like email, calendaring, contacts, and online document authoring into one cohesive platform.
Key Features of Zimbra
- Email Management: Supports IMAP and POP3 protocols, offering rich email features like search, filters, and tags.
- Calendaring: Group scheduling, shared calendars, and integration with various devices.
- Contacts: Sync contacts with mobile devices and manage them in a web interface.
- Document Sharing: Share documents and collaborate on them directly within Zimbra.
- Mobile Access: Optimized for mobile devices with apps for iOS, Android, and others.
- Security: Features like two-factor authentication and encryption ensure secure communication.
Technology Stack
Zimbra's core is built on several modern technologies:
- Java: The primary programming language used for the backend.
- HTML5, CSS3, and JavaScript: For the responsive web interface.
- MongoDB: Used for storing metadata and enhancing search capabilities.
- PostgreSQL: For data storage and management.
Licensing and Editions
Zimbra is available under both:
- Open Source Edition (OSE): Free to use with access to source code.
- Network Edition (NE): A commercial version with additional features and support.
Advantages of Using Zimbra
- Scalability: Easily scales from small businesses to large enterprises.
- High Availability: Designed to minimize downtime.
- Customizability: The open-source nature allows extensive modifications.
- Cost-Effective: Open Source Edition provides robust features without licensing costs.
Community and Ecosystem
Fact: The Zimbra community contributes to its ongoing development and support, making it a truly collaborative project.
The Zimbra community is active, providing forums, blogs, and additional third-party plugins to extend functionality.