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Linux Messaging Firm Scalix Launches First Product
By Lizbeth Scordo
7/28/2003
SAN MATEO, Calif. -- Scalix, provider of a Linux-based enterprise messaging server, announced its first product.

The Scalix offering, a Linux-based e-mail and calendaring platform for large enterprises, consists of Scalix Server, Scalix Connect for Microsoft Outlook, and Scalix Web Access. The company claims the system will work together to run an enterprise's e-mail at half the cost of comparable platforms. Scalix charges $50 per user as well as annual maintenance fees.The product is based on OpenMail, which Scalix licensed from Hewlett-Packard.

CEO and founder Julie Hanna Farris said now is an opportune time for Scalix to launch its product. "E-mail has become more business critical then ever before," she said. "Combined with the fact that the underlying platform that supports it has a lot of problems, it costs too much, it's too complex, and it's not reliable. E-mail should be as reliable as our phone systems because we use it as much now."

The Scalix Connect for Microsoft Outlook component provides access to a range of Microsoft Outlook functionality, including e-mail, calendaring and scheduling, contact management, shared public folders, and task delegation, while Scalix Web Access is a Web client that provides an interface that behaves like a desktop application. The company will also offer professional services.

Ms. Farris said Scalix is not going to try to convert companies to Linux, but, rather will go after the growing segment of enterprises that have been early Linux adopters. "Linux is a much better platform for e-mail and there is a shift going on right now to Linux," said Ms. Farris. She cites a study that projects the share of messaging servers running on Linux will grow from its current 7% market share to 21% in 2006.

Founded in June 2002, Scalix announced its launch last month with $13.2-million Series A round of funding from Mayfield and New Enterprise Associates. According to Ms. Farris, the company could get to profitability without raising more funding. The company plans to staff up in sales and marketing and development and expects to double its 20-member staff by the end of the year, she said.


http://www.scalix.com