Microsoft targets Notes users

Announcement pre-empts IBM's annual Lotusphere user event

Microsoft last week announced a suite of new and updated tools to encourage users of rival messaging system Lotus Notes to migrate to its Outlook and Exchange offerings.

The announcement came in advance of IBM’s annual Lotusphere user event, which kicks off in Orlando, Florida today.

Microsoft Application Analyser 2006 for Lotus Domino, which will be available as a free download to users later this quarter, will give administrators greater insight into their current Notes/Domino environment, according to Microsoft. And Data Migrator 2006, due to arrive next quarter, will help companies to migrate data from Lotus Domino template-based applications to Windows SharePoint Services Application Templates.

Microsoft has also released updated migration and coexistence tools for messaging and calendaring. Troy Zaboukos, European lead product manager for Exchange, said that firms want such tools to take advantage of their previous investments in Windows, Active Directory and Office. “People also love using Outlook,” he argued. “The end-user wants to go in that direction and the best platform [for that] is Exchange.”

However, Chris Harris-Jones of analyst firm Ovum said, “These pieces of software will ease migration for those organisations that have already decided to go and may tip the hand of those hovering over a decision. But the biggest reason why people stay or go is purely commercial. There are [virtually] no cases of people moving because of functionality.”

Richard Edwards of analyst company Butler Group added that vendors have begun offering migration packages because many firms are “falling out of love with email”, while others are looking instead to standardise with a single provider.