GroupWise Competitor Comparison
See how Novell GroupWise 2012 stacks up against Google Mail (Gmail).
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| Feature | GroupWise 2012 | Google Mail (Gmail) |
|---|---|---|
| Installation and Deployment | Best of class. | Requires use of templates or custom scripts to port over user names and sync passwords; no servers needed. |
| Customization | Robust set of Web Services APIs; Novell Data Synchronizer tools. | Some, but requires Google Apps. |
| Security | Recognized as one of the most secure Email and Collaboration platforms. | Several vulnerabilities already exposed; will become a bigger target. |
| Global Signatures | Yes | No; requires Google Apps for Business API and/or Postini API. |
| Email Retraction | Yes | No |
| Ability to Forward Inline, as Attachment, Flat Forward and Delegate Items | Yes | Yes |
| Instant Messaging Included | Yes | Yes |
| Task Management | Yes | Very basic functionality. |
| Contact Management | Yes | Yes |
| Shared Address Books | Yes | Yes |
| Server-side LDAP Authentication | Yes | Using Google APIs |
| Routing Slips (workflow processing) | Yes | No |
| Rich Editing Capabilities When Composing Email | Yes, full support for Microsoft Word or LibreOffice word processing capabilities. | No |
| Attachment Preview | Yes, with support for over 600 file types. | No |
| Quick-View of History Per Contact | Yes | No |
| Threaded View on All Messages | Yes | Yes |
| Native RSS Reader | Yes | No |
| External Free/Busy Search | Yes | No |
| Receive RSS Feed Subscription for File/Folder/Page Updates | Yes | No |
| Native Support for Mobile Devices | Yes | Yes, but at additional cost. |
| Licensing | Per-mailbox license covers both client and WebAccess, free SUSE Linux entitlement for the servers, Novell Messenger (IM) and Novell Data Synchronizer (mobile device support) included. | Per-user, but note that benefits like additional mailbox space, mobile support, and a full client experience come at additional cost. |
| User Experience / Desktop Client | Client supported across multiple platforms (Windows/Linux/Mac). | Only with desktop client at additional cost. |
| Performance | Best of class. | Dependent on your bandwidth and speed. |
| Hierarchical and/or Nested Folders | Yes | No |
| Rules | Yes | No; Gmail uses Filters |
| Multiple Calendars | Yes | Yes |
| Shared Folders | Yes | No |
| Offline Mode | Yes | Only with Chrome (and doesn't include calendar). |
| Caching | Yes | No |
| POP/IMAP/NNTP Support | Yes | Only with desktop client at additional cost. |
| Native Personal Backup/Archiving | Yes | No. Service available for an additional cost, but all archives are kept on Google servers. |
| Proxy (Delegation) | Yes | No proxy support comparable to GroupWise. Delegation is supported, but only for a maximum of 10 users. |
| Auto-cleanup | Yes | Gmail auto-deletes Trash and Spam folders after 30 days, but does no other clean-up. |
| Integrations with Other Desktop Apps | Yes | No, only Google Apps. |
| Status Tracking | Yes | No |
| Change Item Type ("Change to") | Yes | No |
| Digital Signatures/Encryption | Yes | Not natively. |
| Size Limits and Other Administrator Controls | Yes | No real administrator-controlled options for file size, cleanup, or archive locations. |
| Auto-save | Yes | Yes (as draft) |
| Export/Import AB, Email | Yes | Yes |
| Dual Time Zones | Yes | No |
| Multi-user Calendar | Yes | Yes, but requires some planning to determine whether to use Google Calendar, Google Groups, or grant others administrator rights. No tracking of changes is available. |
| Modify Appointment | Yes | Yes |
| Work Day Settings | Yes | No |
| Time Zone Settings | Yes | Yes, but limited to a single time zone and Gmail may adjust this based on user's "determined" location. |
| Native Support for Resources | Yes | No, requires Google Apps. |
| Meets Data Governance Requirements | Yes | Defaults to Postini (available at additional cost) for security and compliance, but can't claim compliance for regulations like HIPAA. |
| Unlimited Attachment Size | Yes | No, maximum allowed is 25MB. Additional cost to increase this limit. |
| Unlimited Number of Message Recipients | Yes | No, limit of 500 recipients per message. Additional cost to increase this limit. |
| Native Alias Support | Yes | No, requires Google Apps. |
| Unlimited Number of External Messages Per User Per Day | Yes | No, maximum of 2,000 external emails per user per day. |
| View Attachments Natively | Yes; can also use the associated application (even if not installed) to view attachments. | No, requires Google Apps. Does not use associated application. |
| Preserve Attachments When Changing Item Type | Yes | No |
| Reminder Notes | Yes | Yes |
| Random Patterns for Recurring Appointments | Yes | No |
| Management of Tasks Sent to Multiple Recipients | Yes | No |
| Automatic Updating/Revising of Appointments By Sender | Yes | Yes |
| Drag Content to Begin Email | Yes | Yes, but requires FireFox or Chrome. |
| Drag and Drop Messages in Web Client | Yes | No |
| Rich Busy Search Capabilities | Yes | Yes, but complex to use. |
| Native Phone Items | Yes | No |
| Home View Customization | Yes | No |
| Navigation Bar | Yes | Yes |
| Photos in Address Book | Yes | Yes |