Ok, so we at Blessed Trinity own our domain. And we host our own website. And we host our own email. But after a slew of interesting issues, I am considering giving up my control and moving to Google.
Issue number ONE: Our web server needs to be replaced. My options are (1) purchase a new server to host our website – cost approximately $2000 once the software and antivirus and security are all installed, not to mention client access licenses, a steep learning curve and a lot of time, OR (2) use Google Apps for Your Domain or www.catholic-church.org or any number of free or very low-cost hosts to host our website for way less than $2000. Google Apps would even let us publish a public school calendar. Hmm, more time saved.
Issue number TWO: Our email server has been a hassle since we bought it. I fought with it by myself to figure out how to migrate from Exchange Server 5.5 to Exchange 2000 Server without losing any messages or calendar items – no easy task for even the brightest of IT professionals. Then add the antivirus hassles, and then spam, which probably takes up 5% of my time weekly and still doesn’t block what it should and blocks what it shouldn’t. We can’t afford that fancy-dancy antispam hardware! My options are (1) keep messing with it, try to figure out the whole DST issue and how to get calendars throughout our organization to sync up right and continue to pay subscription fees for clients, antivirus and antispam that is way overpriced for what they do, OR (2) use Google Apps for Your Domain to host our email – cost approximately, um, $0. Now that’s a learning curve I’d be happy to travel.
There are certainly transition issues that need to be considered, which is why I haven’t already made the move. Administration is hesitant (as am I) to make a big change in the middle of the school year. Our subscriptions are paid through the school year, so what is in place IS already paid for. But for the future? I think we have to make the move. With fewer than 50 email accounts, does it really make sense that it takes my time away from technology integration meetings and working with teachers to have our email a little more controlled? Heck, I’m sure Google can find things as easily as I could, and at the very least it is using their time, not mine.
If you have a similar size organization and have made the switch or are considering it, or if you have other services that you use, please leave a comment and share with us.
I’ve been toying a little bit with Google Apps, mostly for collaboration between my wife and me, but also for a small business of mine.
So far my decision is to wait, mostly because I’m not sure of the integration of my personal calendar between my cell phone and a shared Google calendar. I think it’d be great for a public school calendar, but I’m not sure how well it’d work for individual use. I’ve recently been told about sync services that connect a Google calendar to cell phones, but I’ve not tried them yet.
The Documents and Spreadsheets is something you might benefit from as well. It would be good for sharing enrollment forms, permission forms, etc.
The part of this that you should know (that shouldn’t be an issue if you’re skilled enough to be administering an Exchange server) is that you’ll need to do all the DNS stuff. You have to point your MX records to some of Google’s servers, and you’ll need to setup CNAME records.
Leave it to Google to come up with something so awesome. I’d be interested in hearing what you decide to do.
(And if you decide to keep hosting your mail, check out postini for spam and virus detection.)
Jill,
Katie, the smart one, moved our email at Highland Catholic to Gmail last month. Yes, there were some transition emails and our junk mail – not bad, just junk – seems to be up a bit, but the ease of use makes it worth. The additional resources of Google Docs, etc. for our tech plan and other collaborative writing is even better. We do our web site with Urban Planet at TIES.
Great site. Great start.
Cara