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| What
is Mithi ConnectServer? |
| Short
Description |
Mithi
Connect Server, the enterprise messaging
solution runs on a server running Linux,
enabling you to send and receive electronic
mail and chat messages. The software
also offers features such as group calendaring,
contact management etc. The software
has been designed to co-exist with other
mail server applications such as Microsoft
Exchange or IBM’s Lotus Notes
and with popular email clients such
as Microsoft Outlook, Outlook Express,
Novell’s Evolutions, Thunderbird
etc.
Mithi Connect Server supports the POP3,
SMTP, IMAP4, HTTP, HTTPS, LDAP protocols,
has built in on-server virus and spam
scanning, content filtering, policy
control, firewall, connectivity management,
web mail client, address books, directory
service, etc. and can support multiple
domains on a single server.
Based on the robust Linux and OSS platform,
Mithi Connect Server provides an enterprise
messaging solution that's secure, easy
to maintain and requires lower up-front
investment in software licensing than
proprietary software. It's easy to use
interface design lowers training needs
and saves on the operating costs, enabling
organisations to create an efficient
and low cost enterprise wide communication
infrastructure to improve workplace
productivity.
The software meets the messaging requirements
for small and large organizations and
is easy to deploy and manage. By appropriately
deploying and configuring the Mithi
Connect Server platform, multiple solutions
catering to varied needs are possible.
The same software platform is capable
of serving small businesses/organisations,
medium sized businesses/organisations
and large businesses/organisations.
Connect Server can have as much as 80%
saving in consultancy, licensing, hardware
infrastructure, implementation, maintenance,
management, training, upgrade, migration
and archival costs, over an existing
messaging set-up
A browser based interface enables the
Linux mail server to be easily configured
and managed from a Windows or Linux
PC, with significant saving in deployment,
management and training costs.
The software is designed to allow 'plugging
in' of different third party applications.
Mithi Web Mail™, a high performance
web mail and collaboration application
forms part of the standard Mithi Connect
Server package along with some select
third party applications like a shared
web Calendar, Instant messenger etc.
Based on open standards the solution
provides web service interfaces to communicate
with other applications making it easy
to integrate with other enterprise software.
Mithi Connect Server can be deployed
on 32 or 64 bit Red Hat Enterprise Linux
3.0. It can also be deployed on the
Enterprise Linux 3.0 for Itanium servers
and Fedora Core 3. Support for platforms
such as Solaris, Suse, Fedora Core 4
and Red Hat Enterprise Linux 4.0 will
be added in the upcoming releases. |
|
| Solutions |
| The
software can be used to configure solutions
for mail security, performance improvement,
high availability, integration with
existing enterprise applications, server
consolidation etc. for an existing mailing
set-up or as a complete enterprise email/messaging
solution. |
| Solutions
using Mithi Connect Server™
|
| Complete email/messaging
solution |
Mail Server,
Mail Gateway, Web Mail, Instant
Messenger, Web Calendar, Address
Books |
| Email Security |
Anti Spam,
Anti Virus, Firewall, PKI, Content
filter |
| Enhanced Performance |
Mail Relay,
Load Balancing |
| Availability |
Archival, High availability
set-up, Mail Parking & Remote
Back-up |
| rprise Application
Integration |
ADS integration,
LDAP directory and Web services
(for integration with enterprise
applications) |
|
| |
|
| Architecture |
 |
Mithi
Connect Server™ is a messaging
and collaboration solution built using
a multiple layer architecture. The underlying
Operating system and open source components
are chosen after detailed comparative
studies for features, benefits, support
and performance and are interchangeable
with other equivalent components.
Mithi's Software framework (ConnectServer™)
provides a unified interface to the
components using standard communication
protocols and storage formats to –
a) Eliminate vendor dependence
b) Promote easier integration with legacy
systems (migration, co-existence) and
c) Provide for easier integration with
third party tools like virus scanners,
firewalls, gateways, etc.
The framework's modular, scalable, directory
based architecture promotes easier maintenance
(upgrades, patches, configuration),
and easier setup of Component and Network
load balanced systems. |
Click on the image to Enlarge |
Automatic
& Remote management & maintenance
tools ease and automate the task of
maintaining and managing the system
functions with maximum availability.
Exposure of familiar standard enterprise
objects like user, group, domain, server
and enterprise makes it easier to configure
properties for a single user or group
of users, or all domains or all servers
in the enterprise.
Users can configure and manage their
own properties as allowed by the domain
manager.
Quadra-state properties to allow easier
setting for a bunch of users viz. group,
domain, and server.
In a controlled way, the system can
be configured & managed by individual
managers for the Enterprise, for each
server, for each domain and then for
each user. It also provides a built
in security framework over all the services
supported by the system.
|
Click on the image to Enlarge |
|
| Key
features |
- Email Server (SMTP, POP, IMAP
based complete email server)
- Email Gateway/Retriever (periodic
fetch, concurrent fetch cycles,
size and number limits, etc)
- Server Manager - Configuration
and Management console (Web based
remote access and SSH based command
line access)
- Applications Manager - Multi level
(Users and Administrator can use
this) Configuration and Management
console (Web based remote access
and SSH based command line access)
- Security – Anti virus, Anti
Spam, firewall and a security framework
- Reporting (Health, mail usage,
delivery, events…)
- Monitoring (Services, logs, alerts,
connection)
- Backups (Single click, remote
copy, schedule, multiple jobs)
- Connectivity Management (multiple
connections, switch, active connection,
scheduled activation)
- Bulk Mail (Separate message for
each recipient, batch size control,
HTML mail with attachments)
- Compatibility (to desktop email
clients (LDAP/SMTP/IMAP/POP), Vcal
compliant calendar applications,
standard protocols)
- Comprehensive online documentation
- Interfaces to support third party
software integration/communication
(Web services)
- Multiple domain support
- Public Folders
- Calendar integration
- Chat/IM
- Proxy Server
- Web Mail™ - Web Mail client
with support for Indian languages
(11 Indian languages + English)
- Personal Address Book™
- Global Address Book™
- Corporate Directory™ (LDAP
based with list of users and groups
on domain)
|
|
| Web
client module of Mithi Connect Server™ |
1. Mithi
Web Mail™ is an independent application
that can be installed, configured and
managed from a server. The management
is via command line programs and a remote
web based administration console (if
installed as part of the Mithi Connect
Server™ package).
2. Mithi Web Mail™ is a web application
and adheres to all web application standards
for deployment and use (folders, logging,
usability…)
3. Mithi Web Mail™ can be configured
to work with any SMTP/POP/IMAP compliant
mail servers (remote or local).
4. Mithi Web Mail™ is customizable
to the extent of changing color schemes,
logos, terms of service etc.
5. Mithi Web Mail™ provides an
Indian language interface to send and
receive messages in 11 Indian languages
besides English. It also provides a
localized interface (menus).
6. Mithi Web Mail™ can host multiple
domains.
7. The application is developed on the
Java Servlet platform with HTML/JSP
as the front end. This can be deployed
on any platform viz. Linux, Solaris,
Windows and Unix.
8. The base components used are from
the open source world viz. Web server
– Apache, Database – PostgreSQL,
Servlet Runner – Tomcat, Mail
Server – any SMTP/POP/IMAP server,
JSDK, JDK and Javamail.
9. The Indian language interface and
messaging is based on the IndiaInteractive
product from Mithi that has been used
to make award-winning applications like
LEAP and also used in large projects
like MP Treasuries and the Govt. of
AP web site etc.
10. The user options for mailing such
as multiple POP account information,
folder options, etc are stored in the
database.
11. The features of Mithi Web Mail™
are described
here . |
|
| Example
of an Enterprise messaging set-up using
ConnectServer |
| Mithi Connect Server
can be configured in several
different ways to suit the
needs of the messaging infrastructure.
The figure below shows how MCS
can be configured to serve the
needs of a distributed organization. |
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Click on the image to enlarge |
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|
| Benefits
|
At enterprises
across the world, the focus is shifting
from ensuring individual worker productivity
to group productivity. And while the
IT budget may be restricted, enterprises
can least afford to postpone or limit
the use of technology in their quest
to stay competitive in today's hyper
competitive world.
Open source software for messaging and
collaboration provides a lower cost
alternative, however users and customers
need help in managing the costs, risk
and benefit from these open source software.
|
|
| Mithi
Connect Server - Low Cost. Adaptable.
High Performance. Open. |
It’s
low cost enables enterprises customer
to undertake a faster and wider deployments
of the messaging service to improve
productivity and responsiveness.
It’s flexible architecture that
enables it to be adapted to specific
email, messaging and collaboration needs
without compromise on performance.
An open architecture helps in controlling
costs and managing vendor related risks.
|
| Perspectives |
Assessment
Criteria |
Connect
server Benefits |
|
| CEO |
Customers
Experience |
Improved business response |
| Trust
& Relationship |
Lower
vendor dependence |
|
| CFO
/ CTO |
Business
Strategy |
Productivity
improvement
Cost saving |
| Benefits
& risk analysis |
High
performance
Open |
|
Chief
Architect &
Business planner |
IT
Strategy |
Adaptability
Freedom from vendor lock-in |
| ROI
assessment |
Integrated
solution
lower cost due to open & standard
data format |
|
| IT
Manager |
Management
Complexity |
Greater
manageability |
| Service
Level |
Complete
life cycle support |
|
| User |
Personal
Productivity
|
Compatibility
Wider choice of productivity tools |
| Group
Productivity
|
Support
for group collaboration |
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