IBM 'Migrate to the Penguin' Program to Encourage Customers to Migrate E-Mail Systems From Microsoft Exchange to Lotus Notes and Domino on Linux

Market Wire, March, 2006

With IBM's Linux-based email and other collaboration software growing at more than 200% year-to-year, the company today announced a new initiative to help customers move from Microsoft Exchange to IBM Lotus Notes and Domino on Linux quickly and easily.

The new 'Migrate to the Penguin' initiative is an expansion of IBM's Move2Lotus program, which now includes more than 100 IBM Business Partners helping customers migrate to Lotus Notes and Domino and developing migration tools to help customers make the transition.

In addition to the Linux-focused initiative, IBM has rolled out new resources to help Move2Lotus Business Partners maximize their Notes and Domino expertise as they develop migration strategies or build on existing Lotus Notes and Domino environments. New resources include no charge education and certification for Lotus Notes and Domino 7 to help Business Partners maintain the most current Lotus Notes/Domino development skills and a new offering that allows customers to "try before they buy," by providing a hosted Lotus Notes and Domino environment.

With these new migration programs, IBM is building on the momentum of Lotus Notes and Domino 7, which has experienced one of the fastest adoptions of a new version in Lotus Notes/Domino history and contributed to double-digit revenue growth for the Lotus portfolio in 2005. In the last two years, IBM has migrated nearly 3,000 customers from Microsoft Exchange and other email and messaging platforms to Lotus Notes and Domino.

"A growing number of organizations are interested in moving away from closed, proprietary technology platforms in favor of an open computing model," said Michael Loria, Director of Worldwide Channels, IBM Software Group. "As one of the fastest growing operating systems in the world, Linux is emerging as a viable alternative to Microsoft Windows as an email and collaboration platform," he added.

Moving to Lotus Domino on Linux Helped Head of Computer Operations at CCPOA 'Sleep Better at Night'

The California Correctional Peace Officers Association (CCPOA), an organization that provides membership and benefits programs for California Department of Corrections and Youth Authority personnel, migrated from Microsoft Exchange to an IBM Lotus Domino on Linux environment. IBM Business Partner, GreyDuck Technology, developed the new messaging environment and managed the migration to Linux, which helped CCPOA lower its overhead costs and provided its users with better day-to-day messaging functions.

"We wanted a dependable, stable platform to help streamline our in-house operations and support our expanding mobile staff," said Craig Haarmeyer, Computer Operations Specialist, CCPOA. "We found ourselves attempting to coax our existing system into doing what we needed it to do, yet the process was time-consuming and expensive. With the migration to IBM Lotus technology, we've found operations to run much smoother, with our staff gaining access to the information they need easily. And as an organization, we're experiencing the cost reduction that Linux offers."

"CCPOA wanted a non-proprietary email and collaboration solution that provided more functions and flexibility," said Tom Hillebrand, COO, GreyDuck Technology. "To help lower the organization's costs, we developed a Lotus Domino on Linux environment that could interoperate with the other systems that CCPOA needed. The solution allowed CCPOA to choose its own hardware platform and operating system software, providing users with an updated environment to better suit its business needs."

The initiatives and resources in today's announcement help IBM Business Partners smooth the migration path for customers and arm the IBM Business Partner community with the information and skills necessary to meet customers' evolving collaboration demands. Collectively, the IBM Move2Lotus Business Partner community can help customers with any level of migration, regardless of size or industry.

The new migration initiative under Move2Lotus comprises:

'Migrate to the Penguin': -- IBM is introducing a limited time only rebate program for eligible IBM Software Resellers who move customers from Microsoft Exchange to Lotus Notes and Domino on Linux collaboration offerings. Eligible IBM Software Resellers can receive a rebate for each seat of qualifying "trade up" licenses, up to a maximum of 1,000 seats per Passport Advantage site number or Passport Advantage Express site number. The rebate offers $20 per qualified seat with a maximum rebate of $20,000 per IBM Business Partner. The program is immediately available in the United States and Canada, and will be introduced across the globe during 2006.

Updated Notes and Domino Education and Certification -- Available to all Move2Lotus Business Partners working with Lotus Notes and Domino customers, the certification program helps IBM Business Partners update their Lotus Notes and Domino skills to version 7. Move2Lotus program participants are eligible to receive the Lotus Notes and Domino 7 education and certification at no additional cost.