ChannelWeb: Take A Message: It’s Lotus Vs. Exchange (and we win!)

June 8 2009

Been a while since we saw a head-to-head of Notes/Domino vs. Microsoft Exchange/Outlook.  Even when given credit for the beta Exchange 2010, Microsoft still loses!

For Installation, points go to Lotus. The install process is a smooth one because the installer contains all of the necessary files to get Domino up and running in a relatively short amount of time.  ...

In terms of interoperability and customization, Lotus is the clear winner over Exchange. However, all of that customization horsepower can lead to a level of complexity for Notes administrators. Businesses are opting more for the shrink-wrapped feature set of Exchange. [Ed: not sure I agree with that...] An added plus for Lotus Notes is the ability to install on multiple platforms and operating systems.  ...

It would seem that IBM's pricing far exceeds Exchange. Yet, considering Domino is a platform upon which Notes and virtually limitless applications can run, it is economically reasonable. Also, the fact that Domino and Notes can run in an open-source environment can really reduce the amount an organization would otherwise have to spend on operating systems and other proprietary software licenses.

By the time an enterprise has purchased Exchange and the CALs for it, plus the Windows Server license and CALs for Windows Server, costs begin to snowball.

The edge in pricing, when all is factored in, goes to Lotus. You simply get more bang for your buck.

The bottom line: Both Exchange and Lotus have their pros and cons. We felt Lotus excelled when it came to installation, interoperability, customization and what you get for the price. Exchange, we believe, is superior in performance and feature set. The deciding factor was the edge in pricing value that Lotus has over Exchange.
There are certainly places to quarrel with (on both sides of the debate), but overall, this is one of the best reviews I have seen in terms of focusing on the value and business benefits of the respective products.  What's the overall impact to IT, and the overall benefit to the organization?  With those criteria, IBM Lotus Notes/Domino wins!

Link: ChannelWeb: Take A Message: It's Lotus Vs. Exchange >

Ed Brill Highland Park, IL USA Category:  Notes and Domino 8.5  Add/View Comments [22]

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  1. 1  Keith Brooks http://www.vanessabrooks.com | 6/8/2009 3:07:08 PM

    What "shrink-wrapped feature set of Exchange" exist? And what about all the pieces which MS only in the 2010 edition will include that have been in Notes and Domino for years?

    Mostly a good article, but no one with a Lotus background was working with them I guess given how they wrote it.

    Outlook loads quickly because that whopping hog of an OS loads it almost entirely at startup which is why it takes so damn long to get to a login screen.

  1. 2  Hal Ninth  | 6/8/2009 3:30:04 PM

    Deleted

  1. 3  Michael Kobrowski  | 6/8/2009 3:44:12 PM

    I miss reading product comparisons that go over 5 to 10 pages like I used to in the German c't magazine.

    For example, when they read all the soon to be featured Exchange 2010 features, they don't mention some of the same features exist for free in Lotus Domino.

    For example:

    "For example, incorporating mobile messaging into Exchange only requires enabling ActiveSync. ActiveSync is also supported almost across the board by the major mobile platform vendors. "

    Which Traveler will take care of - guess it should be part of the basic install options too. 8.5.1?

    Which Lotus Notes version did they use? How can 8.5 client and mailfile look anything like the "Notes from the past"? If you have eyesight that is...

    They mention local security in Exchange....wow... since when was that available in Lotus Notes?

    lol, they should go a lot deeper...

  1. 4  jimmy bracco http://www.lotus911.com | 6/8/2009 3:59:58 PM

    uh oh, whats this?

    I think i have a stiffie....

  1. 5  Kevin Mort http://www.theglobalmind.com | 6/8/2009 4:02:08 PM

    @3 I agree.

    While I like the idea of ND winning a comparison like this, it is unfortunate they tried to compress it all into such a short article.

    First off comparing against a release of Exchange that isn't yet in production (still beta) vs 8.5 (should be 8.5.1 to be similar).

    They dis the UI of Notes which is interesting. It goes back to @2's comments. IMHO Lotus not being at least a draw with Exchange on features & performance should be considered an issue.

  1. 6  Paul Robichaux http://www.robichaux.net/blog | 6/8/2009 4:55:41 PM

    Yawn. Call me back when CRN does an analysis that takes into account the correct set of licenses-- there's little reason for a 100-seat org to buy the Enterprise server license. Better yet, how about waiting until MS actually releases pricing for Exchange 2010?

  1. 7  William Lefkovics  | 6/8/2009 5:33:33 PM

    "The deciding factor was the edge in pricing value that Lotus has over Exchange."

    The author lists the price for Exchange Enterprise for a 100 person deployment. There is little or no need for Enterprise for such a small firm. Additional Exchange savings ~$3000.

    It's so easy to do editorial comparisons as a summary article rather than provide remotely indepth quantifiable analysis.

  1. 8  Bill Geimer  | 6/8/2009 5:38:10 PM

    Yet has there ever been a Notes vs. Exchange decision which was not inherently political.

  1. 9  Ed Brill http://www.edbrill.com | 6/8/2009 6:05:33 PM

    @6/7 as was said in the other comments, it would be easy to quarrel with some of the specifics on either side. Overall, it doesn't change the fact that MS tried to compete with a beta product and lost.

  1. 10  Darren http://www.dadams.co.uk | 6/8/2009 6:53:56 PM

    There are a few things here I would take issue with. One is the comparison of Exchange versus Notes... Microsoft's server versus Lotus' client. You'd think they'd get their terminology right.

    Also, "Lotus client 8.5 resembles pretty much the Lotus clients of the past". What? Sure 8.5 resembles 8.0, but is a far cry from 6 and 7.

    So basically Notes / Domino won even with them underestimating some factors.

  1. 11  Erik Brooks  | 6/8/2009 8:15:55 PM

    @9 - Spot on, Ed. The fact that Notes won is what really matters here.

    There's missing pros/cons of each platform (especially the fact that with Exchange you still need to drop even more cash for Office), but the simple fact is that not too many years ago Lotus would've probably lost, even IF the pricing was still an advantage.

    If IBM keeps the $$$ flowing there should be no reason that Lotus doesn't pull even farther ahead.

  1. 12  Paul Robichaux http://www.robichaux.net/blog | 6/8/2009 8:21:25 PM

    @9, @11: OK. If it makes you feel better to say "Notes won, yay us", go ahead. Ignoring the flaws in the comparison won't make them go away. It was pretty clearly not written by someone with experience using, or even solid technical knowledge of, either product.

  1. 13  David Bell  | 6/9/2009 12:46:55 AM

    @12 - "It was pretty clearly not written by someone with experience using, or even solid technical knowledge of, either product."

    I would agree. To say Exchange wins on performance is just laughable.

    However, it's annoying isn't it when your capabilities are misrepresented or misunderstood and comparisons are just flat out wrong and the analysis is flawed. That shoe has been on the other foot for how long ?

  1. 14  Hal Ninth  | 6/9/2009 1:12:37 AM

    Deleted

  1. 15  Stuart McIntyre http://blog.collaborationmatters.com | 6/9/2009 2:19:04 AM

    "if there is a race ongoing, don't forget that we're running, you're just doing tires. for sure tires are very important, but we assemble the full car and run every day, not you or even Microsoft."

    @14 Hal, I've not seen you comment on Ed's blog before - can you explain your viewpoint?

  1. 16  Matt Vargish  | 6/9/2009 7:23:04 AM

    @14:

    "we, all as professionals, should start to be more carefully on how we manage informations"

    Ed has taken a position on a topic, quoted source, and provided citation. IMO, academic standard.

    If you're going to take on the legitimacy of Google/blogs/the Internet as a forum for debate, we'll need your footnotes.

  1. 17  David Schaffer http://bloginprogress.us | 6/9/2009 8:26:33 AM

    The big deal is to see the comparison from a source that doesn't focus much on IBM Lotus done as A vs B not as MS vs everyone else. Nice to see Domino win out at the bottom line. But it is a very oddly written piece. Agree with Paul @12, not much technical knowledge/experience displayed. I hesitate to circulate it.

  1. 18  Bilal Jaffery http://www.bilal.ca | 6/9/2009 11:12:48 AM

    You guys will love today's post then.

    { Link }

  1. 19  Mike Robinson http://www.invcs.com | 6/10/2009 8:08:57 AM

    It's good to see the good old days of competitive analysis alive and well. Admitently it was much more fun when groupwise, and a few other systems (that are now extinct) where all in the fray...

  1. 20  Brad H.  | 6/17/2009 7:27:43 PM

    Ed - There is no doubt that Domino beats Exchange most fronts. However, it's on the client side where Microsoft is still winning the war. Yes, the enhancements and features in Lotus Notes 8.5 are great and bring Notes up to par with Outlook in most respects and best it in some (such as iNotes).

    The biggest issue with Notes 8.x is performance. Even with a fast PC and 2-3GB RAM it is painfully slow compared to all other email clients I have ever used. Yes, I know that it is much more than an email client, but the majority of users use mail, calendar, contacts, And to do's almost exclusively so that excuse doesn't hold much water when most users just don't care.

    Lack of full support for the iPhone is also a limiting factor. iNotes Ultralight is good, but Exchange support is much better and there is still no Sametime support on the iPhone. Please don't disappoint on this with Traveler in 8.5.1 since we've had to wait so long for it compared to Exchange. Please make your top priority Notes performance (not just start up times) rather than new features until this is fixed. Take a page from Apple's book with Snow Leopard, and work on making Notes blindingly fast as your main objective. If you do, you will start to win a lot of marketshare from MS in the next few years.

  1. 21  Marcelificus http://www.fayerwayer.com | 7/27/2009 2:17:53 PM

    Se debe tomar en cuanta el tipo de workflow que tiene la empresa para las comparaciones, aunque he trabajado mas con notes y es mucho mas estable, sobre todo en correos masivos para los usuarios internos

    (trabajo en un banco)

    Saludos desde Chile

    ***

    You should take into account the type of workflow that the company has for comparisons, although I have worked with more notes and is more stable, especially in mass emails for internal users

    (work in a bank)

    Greetings from Chile

  1. 22  John Snyde  | 3/3/2010 12:24:56 PM

    As a first time user of Lotus Notes, I found it extremely difficult to use, very un-intuitive. For all those who claim Exhange management and reliability, i have managed a 4000+ user Exchange cluster with zero failures.

    When it comes to managing an email system, blame the admin to a certain degree, not the product.

    At the end of the day - the end user is the one who is using the product, not the administrator. Who cares about PKI and encrypted databases, when the passwords are written besides the computer? It has to be usaeable! In my environment, where email client functionality is more important than chat and sametime - Outlook & Exchange beat Domino hands down!