GFI is launching a new version of its enterprise fax server, GFI FAXmaker. Version 12 merges GFI FAXmaker for Exchange – multiple Readers’ Choice Award winner – and GFI FAXmaker for Networks/SMTP into one product, GFI FAXmaker for Exchange/SMTP. GFI FAXmaker is now completely SMTP-based, and offers better email integration and improved scalability. Furthermore, the purchase cost has been reduced significantly.
New SMTP-based GFI FAXmaker connector for Exchange Server
GFI FAXmaker now integrates with Microsoft Exchange through a specially configured standard Exchange SMTP connector. Schema updates to Active Directory are no longer required, and no custom software needs be installed with Exchange. This makes GFI FAXmaker extremely scalable, and supportive of new Exchange versions and service packs. Microsoft Exchange 5.5 is supported by configuring a separate routing rule on the Exchange 5.5 SMTP connector. GFI FAXmaker can be installed directly on Exchange Server 2003 and Exchange 2000 Server, or on a separate machine. Lotus Notes and popular SMTP/POP3 servers are also supported.
“Microsoft is pleased to see GFI extend the capabilities of Exchange,” said Tiffany Allesina, lead product manager for Exchange at Microsoft Corp. “With version 12 of FAXmaker, GFI offers Exchange customers even more options to meet their needs.”
Across-the-board price cuts
The new version brings significant cost savings to GFI, to the benefit of customers. GFI has drastically reduced all GFI FAXmaker prices: A 25-user FAXmaker has gone down by 22% from US$895 to US$695, for example, and a 100-user from $2195 to $1950, i.e., 11% per cent. A sample of price reductions may be viewed in the table at http://www.gfi.com/news/en/fax12launch.htm:
Archiving to SQL Server
Version 12 can archive all faxes centrally to Microsoft SQL Server. The central fax repository can be sea.ched via a web-based interface, and faxes can be searched for based on recipient, sender or the text in the fax (requires OCR module).
Supports multiple mail servers and clustering
Because of its flexible new SMTP-based design, one GFI FAXmaker installation can “fax-enable” multiple mail servers, even different versions of Exchange Server and SMTP/POP3 servers. Active and passive clustering are fully supported because GFI FAXmaker does not require any software to be installed on the mail server itself; one must simply configure both mail servers in the cluster to be able to send and receive faxes via GFI FAXmaker.
Improved SMS/texting gateway: GFI FAXmaker embraces mobile messaging
GFI FAXmaker 12’s SMS gateway has also been enhanced. Support has been added for robust GSM modems, so that SMS messages can be sent and received directly from the server. It is now also possible to configure different web-based SMS providers to work with the SMS gateway.
The SMS gateway has proved popular because users can type and send SMS messages much faster from their computer (rather than using their mobile phone pad) and can also use the address book for recipient mobile numbers. The SMS gateway can also be used for administrative alerts such as notification of a web server outage, network intrusion or Internet link failure. News can easily be broadcast to a list of recipients from the email client. Because the SMS gateway integrates seamlessly with SMTP, any program that can generate emails can also send notifications via SMS, allowing organizations to SMS-enable any corporate application.
Faxes can be received in PDF format
GFI FAXmaker allows faxes to be received in PDF – this permits GFI FAXmaker users to view faxes in their PDF viewer and forward them to external parties (who do not have a GFI FAXmaker viewer). Faxes in PDF format are also easy to integrate with document management and text archival systems.
Other features
Other features introduced in version 12 include:
- No Active Directory schema updates necessary
- New Windows 2003 NetPrintQueue2Fax driver
- Possibility to configure SMS providers via SMTP template
- Improved TextAPI
- Support for Brooktrout TR1034 analog and digital boards
Standard GFI FAXmaker features include a multi-line fax server, inbound fax routing, print to fax driver for Windows, support for server-based rendering of Office documents, fax management features and more. More product information and a free trial version are available at http://www.gfi.com/faxmaker/.
