PMDF supports a variety of network protocols, mi gration tools and gateways. Although Innosoft states that the broadcast fax requirement is met by using PMDF-FAX, the price of this product was not quoted. Support for pagers is met natively within the mailer component of PMDF-MTA. Innosoft provides the directory integration with PeopleSoft by using scripts and reports based on system-generated EDF files. PMDF provides sophisticated directory synchronization capability and supports Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP). The backbone provides a secure messaging environment using S/MIME. Administrative tools trace a message, restrict the size of a user's message store and offers support for Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP).

As you can see from the company's summary, Innosoft is proposing only a backbone or infrastructure solution--just what Innosoft does best. The advantage of this solution is that MegaSystems would have a robust backbone capable of supporting advanced collaborative computing functionality and the capability of selecting any IMAP4 or POP3 client for enterprisewide deployment.

At only $74,560, this solution is ultimately the most cost-effective, even with the addition of third-party products for client messaging, fax, paging and voicemail integration.

Netscape Communications Corp.'s Solution Summary
In seeking new competitive advantages and ways to differentiate themselves, today's businesses are demanding more effective communication, collaboration and sharing of information, both within the enterprise and with external customers, partners, distributors and suppliers. In business, the quality of decisions and the speed with which they are executed translate dir ectly into material success--or failure. However, businesses can only make decisions as good as the information available to them. Information systems provide tremendous value because organizational effectiveness is very much a function of the quality of information and the efficiency with which businesses can create, ac cess and share this information.

Frustrated by the unfulfilled promises of proprietary client/server solutions, their high costs, the single-vendor dependence they impose and chronic incompatibilities, businesses are looking to modular, powerful, scalable and standards-based solutions that will let them maintain their competitive edge.

To help companies realize these benefits, Netscape Communications Corp. designed Netscape SuiteSpot, an integrated suite of server software that forms the basis of a full-service intranet. Built on the Internet's open standards and protocols, the Netscape SuiteSpot line of award-winning servers scales seamlessly from the workgroup to the enterprise and fr om the enterprise to the worldwide Internet.

Netscape SuiteSpot 3.0 delivers the following advantages:

· a comprehensive set of user services that boosts productivity within the enterprise;

· native implementation of Internet protocols and standards to provide interoperability, reduce management costs and increase performance and scalability;

· cross-platform and cross-database support that lets customers leverage their existing investments in IT infrastructure;

· advanced features and functionality that can be extended to users outside the firewall; and

· a cost-effective way to create, deploy and manage a complete intranet solution.

With Netscape SuiteSpot 3.0, organizations can easily realize the promise of a full-service intranet and all it provides--e-mail, groupware, security, directory, information sharing, database access and management.

SuiteSpot is as powerful as traditional proprietary systems like Lotus Development Corp. Notes and Microsoft Corp. B ackOffice. However, these applications and services cost more to create, deploy and manage. And because SuiteSpot is built on the Internet's open standards, customers reap the benefits of cross-platform and cross-database support, flexibility and vendor independence. It also gives customers the ability to leverage the innovation an d products of an entire industry rather than a single vendor.

To download an Adobe Acrobat .pdf format version of the Pricing Summary, click here.
To download an Adobe Acrobat .pdf format version of the vendor's technical specifications, click here.


Updated July 31, 1997