Google Apps, Exim Replacement

[jandafields]

I've always used Exim+Assp for email and spam on my server, but I was wondering what would be involved to use Google Apps as a direct replacement for Exim...

I know how to setup Google Apps for a domain, but to get it to work with Squirrelmail, etc, is different.

Google Apps supports IMAP, so this may be a possibility. But, I don't want people to have to change their existing client settings (outlook, etc), so there would need to be some port redirection of some sort when a client's outlook logs into the servers ip address for pop/imap or smtp.

Would it be possible to use google apps as a direct replacement for exim?

[JBenedetti]

I'm not using it as a direct replacement for exim/Horde/SquirrelMail, but do use it for some clients the way Google intends for it to be used (ie, I simply edited mx records for specific clients so they can use gmail at their domain) and have found that the clients generally prefer the gmail interface to squirrel mail and Horde. I don't personally agree with them, but that's what I've found. As far as configuring it so that people don't have to change their mail client's settings, I'd be interested in seeing if this is a possibility as well.

[wzd]

I've also used google apps for a few domains and without going into too much detail I've been quite happy with the integration possibilities. The best part is the integration into the calendar etc..

So far i've come up with a few ideas - As much as I like google apps i'd like to be able to keep things seperate so what I am currently doing is this:

Say Client has clientdomain.com we setup a forwarder that forwards all email sent to mailboxes @clientdomain.com to the respective users mailbox @webmaildomain.com

When a client goes to www.clientdomain.com/webmail they login with their standard webmail details and we are working on implementing a gmail style login box as one of the options. They can then login to the WEBMAIL domain email account.

--- As to making the transition from exim to google apps and to answer the question in the thread i think this would just require good support co-ordination. Alternatively maybe there are some other linux gurus here who could suggest a way to forward connections for a certain domain on port 110 to google's 110.

Last but not least my biggest fear is that google apps will some day decide to close down accounts and there will be a panic - Second to that is privacy issues but hey, you gotta love google!

That's my 2cents but i'd really like if we could expand this topic and get everyone's opinion and input...