Now that we've completed the transition at Deerfield.com from VisNetic MailServer to IceWarp Mail Server we've been spending the last few weeks becoming familiar with the upcoming IceWarp Unified Messaging Server V10 release. This is as much of a revolutionary release as it is an evolutionary in that it consolidates and improves upon many of the features found in previous Merak, VisNetic MailServer, and Icewarp Mail Server products. It also adds significant new features that truly warrant rebranding the product.
Starting with V10 IceWarp will officially become IceWarp Unified Messaging Server. The new name is necessary to accurately reflect the direction the product is moving in order to satisfy the needs of current and future customers. One of the main components of the V10 release is the new webmail client which incorporates all of the mail, groupware, instant messaging, file sharing and yes .. VoIP telephony functions into its interface. The new webmail interface can truly replace one or more desktop clients for most users, simplifying administration, and increasing availability, while consolidation all of the users comms (voice, email, chat) into one streamlined interface.
To highlight just few of the new features; there now will be a new AutoDiscover Service that will provide auto-configuration of email clients based upon email address and password, greatly simplifying user administration. IceWarp SmartAttach is also a key new feature that enhances usability, security, reliability and efficiency of email attachments by allowing the option of email attachments to be cached on the server. Typically, attachments are automatically sent to every recipient in the body of the a message which over utilizes bandwidth, potentially subjects users to viruses, or causes the messages to be block by their ISP. SmartAttach solves these problems by allowing the sender to chose to have the attachment hosted (via HTTP) on the IceWarp server, while automatically embedding a link in the email message that will allow a recipient to download the attachment by their choosing.
There are also 20 or so new features or improvements in the core mail server engine and 3 dozen changes and improvements to the all-new IceWarp WebMail client.
The majority of the new usability features and improvements are most noticeable in the groupware and mobility functions of the product. Some of the mobility and collaboration enhancements introduced in v10 of IceWarp Unified Messaging Server include:
- Official Exchange ActiveSync Support - IceWarp's new native support of the Exchange ActiveSync protocol provides out-of-the-box synchronization of email and groupware data with mobile devices, including iPhone and Windows Mobile devices, without the need for a plug-in. EAS provides not only a robust user experience, but also reduces the overall administration of mobile devices within the enterprise that communicates with IceWarp Server.
- SmartAttach™ - SmartAttach™ is a revolutionary new management feature for attachments, that conserves bandwidth, decreases load spikes, improves security and ensures better overall utilization of system resources. With SmartAttach, IceWarp Server can be automated to offload attachments and make them available through secure HTTP download via one-click hosting. The recipient manually initiates the download, ensuring that bandwidth is used only when needed and sensitive files are kept out of recipient email storage and archiving.
- Unified Integrated WebMail - IceWarp WebMail provides a unified interface for access to email, groupware, instant messaging, SMS and VoIP via IceWarp's new integrated softphone.
