Microsoft Exchange Customers may get $20,000 if migrate to IBM LOTUS Notes and Domino Platforms

Microsoft is getting more competitor. They sure have a tough day to compete...

The new initiative, named "Migrate to the Penguin," is an expansion of IBM's Move2Lotus program, which so far has convinced over 100 of the company's business partners to migrate to Linux from other programs.

In rolling out the new Linux-focused initiative, IBM is offering a rebate for partners of $20 per licensed Exchange user, up to a maximum of 1,000 users.

The company also is offering a service that lets switchers exploit IBM expertise through free education and certification programs, as well as a "try before you buy" package that consists of a hosted Lotus Notes and Domino environment.


Open Waters

The new migration programs build on the momentum of Lotus Notes and Domino, said Michael Loria, director of worldwide channels for the IBM Software Group.

Over the past year, there has been a 232 percent growth in IBM's Linux business, he stated. And in the last two years, nearly 3,000 customers have moved from Microsoft and other e-mail and messaging platforms to Lotus Notes and Domino.

The growth rate is an indication of the increasing interest in organizations to move away from proprietary technology platforms, especially Microsoft's, Loria said.


Penguin March

Given the significant momentum claimed by IBM, some might wonder why the company needs to offer a bounty at all. The reason, Loria noted, is that migration costs often hinder I.T. departments that might otherwise want to switch. IBM simply is making the migration easier with the incentive, he said.

"In I.T., there's always an economic challenge with migration," he noted. "People say, 'I love what you're telling me, but I have a huge investment, and it would be costly to move everything over.' We're just removing that obstacle."

The "Migrate to the Penguin" program intensifies the competition between Microsoft and IBM. In January, Microsoft released a set of tools designed to aid customers in moving from Domino to Exchange.

Loria, after first admitting his bias, commented that it is much easier to migrate in the other direction. "Exchange was created as a mail platform, and it never really grew beyond that," he said. "It's not that difficult to migrate from Exchange."