NetMAX Customer Stories

Garrett College Improves Email Access via NetMAX Professional Suite and E-mail Powerpack; Lowers Infrastructure Cost

Situation:

Located in western Maryland, Garrett College has a national and international reputation for its degrees in adventure sports, natural resources and wildlife technology. Committed to providing quality higher education, lifelong learning and access to the universe of information, Garrett is known as a national leader in the use of advanced telecommunications and computer technology.

In an effort to control operating costs, Garrett College took a hard look at its email and web server hosting needs, which had been outsourced to a local Internet Service Provider (ISP). Moving these IT services in-house would improve efficiency and lower costs, but with more than 170 staff and faculty members relying on email communications and Web services, it was imperative that any transition be smooth and efficient. And since the college had a small staff of IT professionals responsible for its entire network, it was critical to find an easy to use application that alleviated administration and deployment time.

Lack of Linux Expertise

In late 1999, the Garrett College IT team had heard about Linux and knew about its reputation for stability within enterprise and campus networks; some members had even tried using Linux on a limited basis. But for the most part, the team had many more years of experience with DOS and Windows, leaving them understandably nervous about switching to an untried operating system.

“We were intrigued by the flexibility and stability of Linux,” said Kevin Bass, MIS administrator at Garrett College. “Yet, at the time we didn't have much real experience with the operating system. Since most of our expertise was with DOS and Windows, it quickly became apparent that setting up a server and configuring files under Linux would be very time consuming.”

After evaluating several software packages in 2000, Garrett College selected Cybernet's Linux-based NetMAX Professional Suite; its web interface and economical cost were major factors in the decision. “We were drawn to NetMAX mainly because of its web-based interface and low cost price point,” Bass explained. “As a result, we were able to get the software up and running quickly on our servers and make required modifications. At the same time, we were able to examine the config files more closely and get a better understanding of the structure of Linux. “

Although the majority of Garrett College's server applications run on Windows-based machines, NetMAX seamlessly integrated within the existing network. “The NetMAX system fulfilled the needs of our organization and allowed the IT department to meet these needs with a minimal amount of maintenance,” Bass said.

Expanding Email Functionality with Minimal Maintenance

In 2003, when it came time to rebuild the college's email server, Garrett College again chose NetMAX and upgraded to the NetMAX Professional Suite 4.3 with the E-Mail Powerpack. The E-Mail Powerpack includes SpamBouncer to deliver enhanced spam and virus filtering at the server level, and SquirrelMail to provide simple web-based e-mail access tailored to the needs of a small- to mid-size business or educational organization.

“We wanted to provide a portal into our mail server for employees that are off-campus, as well as provide enhanced hosting for the college's informational website,” noted Dan Fabbri, systems operations manager at Garrett College.

“The application package has enabled the IT department to successfully meet the demands of the school's communication needs with a minimal amount of maintenance. We continue to be impressed with NetMAX's functionality.”

Fabbri added that, while the college is still evaluating SpamBouncer, the initial implementation process is going smoothly. When he does hit a speed bump, he talks with the NetMAX support team. He found their willingness to resolve problems and review their updates and backup procedures “a pleasant surprise.”

“NetMAX maintains a very well moderated forum that provides a medium to voice user questions and opinions,” Fabbri said. “They are also willing to listen to their clients and seriously evaluate their requests for additions or changes in the software.”

Have an opinion about NetMAX you'd like to share with us? We would very much like to hear from you - especially about how you use NetMAX and Linux in your business. You can contribute your input to the NetMAX Forum, or to our general NetMAX contact form!

Let us know about your likes, dislikes, and general comments. We are especially interested in the type of additions to NetMAX Server you would like to see as we continue to develop the NetMAX Product Line.