After a year of evaluation and testing, we have decided to migrate the district email system from GroupWise to Google Apps' Gmail. The cutover will occur in July 2009, but we are announcing it now so that everyone has time to make the transition. We will be providing documentation and training sessions from February to June so that everyone has a chance to begin using Gmail prior to the switch.
Between now and July, both GroupWise and Gmail will be fully active and supported, so you can continue using GroupWise, switch to Gmail, or even use both at the same time until you are comfortable with Gmail. We will provide lots of training sessions this spring and again in August to make sure that everyone can use the new system. And don't worry about your old mail- we will move all the messages in your GroupWise cabinet to Gmail.
In case you are curious, a few of the reasons we are switching include:
-seamless integration with shared calendars;
-it saves money; Google Apps Gmail is free, unlike GroupWise;
-more features;
-integration with Google Docs to share documents;
-better support for mobile devices like smartphones, iPhones, and Blackberries;
-integrated spam and virus protection;
-guaranteed 99.99% uptime;
-more storage space for mail;
-easier to search for old messages.
I realize that this, like any change, may cause some concern. I have been using Gmail instead of Groupwise for almost a year now, and although it did take a little time to grow accustomed to a new system, it works much better. We are committed to providing you with training and support to make this a smooth transition. If you have any specific questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me directly.
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