In groupware systems, Web clients offer an advantage over IMAP or POP clients, providing access to calendars and other groupware features not available over Internet mail clients. However, these HTML clients are best used as a convenience. Browser interfaces, while functional, are no match for a native client. The native clients that are integral to groupware solutions are expensive compared with basic POP and IMAP e-mail. But while we can hear the drumbeat for outsourced message management growing louder, there's no question that these behemoths have their place.
Many companies dislike the idea of jettisoning groupware in favor of less expensive solutions.
Likewise, outsourcing may not serve companies with confidential or internal information to protect. Despite these limitations, several vendors are offering carrier-class messaging servers designed to handle extremely high message volumes and enable delegated administration. This allows an outsourcing agency to manage the server itself and hand off tasks such as user management to individual clients. As more IT departments assume a service-provider role within their organizations, these features take on added importance. An IT department can offload local tasks while maintaining responsibility for managing the actual messaging infrastructure.