Open-Xchange has announced a comprehensive feature update for Open-Xchange Server 5 to be released next month. Customers get access to more than 100 improvements, all of which are designed to improve the usability and integration capabilities of the leading open source collaboration software.

Open-Xchange Server 5 provides key messaging functions like email, calendaring, contacts and task management -- fully integrated with advanced groupware features such as document sharing, project tracking, user forums, and a knowledge base. Open-Xchange Server 5 offers major productivity improvements through object "linking" and "permissioning" and works with "rich clients" such as Microsoft Outlook as well as most browsers and mobile devices.

"The current release of Open-Xchange Server 5 has been helping organizations collaborate and be more productive for the last year," said Frank Hoberg, CEO Open-Xchange. "Our customers and partners have suggested improvements to our current feature set as well as new functionality. Open-Xchange has listened to those requests and is excited to offer Service Pack 1."

Upgrades include:
• Enhanced usability for Microsoft Outlook users
• Push technology ensures real-time connection for Outlook users and reduces server load, enhanced support of global address book, and user modification within Microsoft Outlook vacation notice, filter rules, password, etc.
• Extended search capabilities and functionality.
• GUI and usability enhancements for Contacts and Calendar including new Calendar look-and-feel, customizable layout for contact lists and extended print functionality for selected contacts.
• Improved project management visualization
• RSS feed support
• Security Enhancements -- added encryption protocols SSL and TLS support to ensure secure mail (IMAPS, SMTPS), internal server communication (LDAPS) and to secure ALL connections between clients and Open-Xchange Server
• Distributed Mail Server Support