IS considering e-mail server change
By Stephanie Snay | Staff Writer
According to University of Indianapolis Chief Information Officer Jeff Russell, UIndy is exploring the idea of switching from the Zimbra e-mail server to a host such as Google’s Gmail, Yahoo or Microsoft Media Server.
The server switch would start with the incoming freshmen, and returning students could choose whether they wanted to make the switch or stick with their Zimbra accounts.
“Eventually, the Zimbra would just die out,” Russell said.
Russell said Information Systems is mainly leaning toward choosing Gmail as the client because of all the features it has and because Google already partners with other universities. Google also offers Google Apps Education Edition, a free suite of hosted communication applications designed for schools and universities.
“If UIndy were to switch to something like Gmail, that would allow better integration with gadgets, something that could very easily sync between home and work computers. I would love that,” said Amy Sekhar, assistant professor of modern languages. “I realize that with Gmail and Zimbra both, there is no true ‘syncing’ because they are Web-based, but Google has wonderful gadgets that sync my Mac calendar in Gmail, which I can then get online on my work computer.”
According to Google’s Web site (google.com), thousands of universities are currently using Google Apps.
“Google Apps Education Edition is a free suite of hosted communication and collaboration applications designed for schools and universities,” according to the Web site.
Sekhar, already a Gmail user, said the new system would allow for more freedom in managing e-mails.
“I would love to have something akin to Gmail,” Sekhar said. “I already have three accounts on Gmail, and I love having more control over how I can sort my mail, archive my mail, label my mail and filter it.”
Russell said that many students already use Gmail or a different e-mail service.
“They [students] have all of their e-mails forwarded to different accounts,” Russell said. “And all the e-mails we send out still go to them and just take up space on our servers.”
Sekhar said that she already has her e-mails forwarded to her Gmail account so that she is able to check them from her Apple iPhone.
The space used by e-mail has become especially important since phishing scams, which send e-mails from false Web sites in order to steal personal information, have become more prevalent.
“One person falling for a phishing scam can send 15 to 20 thousand messages out an hour,” Russell said. “We would be taking this problem away from UIndy and putting it into Google’s hands.”
According to Google’s Web site, there is so much space on its server, users never have to delete a message.
If IS implements the server switch, the UIndy e-mail addresses would change slightly. They would be ‘yourname@gmail.uindy.edu.’ Russell said switching to Gmail would allow students to have a lifelong e-mail if they want it.
My UIndy would be about the same. Russell said they would stick with the same color schemes and fonts that already are used. Blackboard also would run the same.
