Announcement: IBM Lotus Foundations Start V1.0 provides essential software for businesses of all types with up to 500 users
Overview
IBM Lotus Foundations Start V1.0 delivers essential software required to run a small business. Lotus Foundations Start provides a unique combination of reliability, security and simplicity while helping to reduce cost and complexity.
Whether you need to set up an office network, connect branch offices, protect your data, or provide remote access, e-mail, and collaboration capabilities to your employees, Lotus Foundations Start can help.
  * Run your business on a reliable and security-rich server. An extremely small server footprint and a Linux-based operating system provide high reliability, security features, and business continuity.
  * Help save time and costs in manual day-to-day IT management, while adding simplicity and reliability to your IT infrastructure. The unique self-managing autonomics reduces IT complexity, automating many critical functions including installation, configuration, security checks, and overall system management.
  * Facilitate the creation and sharing of information in your company. Easily share calendars and schedule meetings with IBM Lotus Notes and Domino collaboration software.
  * Help reduce cost of ownership with Lotus office productivity tools. Work on spreadsheets, presentations, and documents without purchasing expensive office software or upgrades.
  * Have the peace of mind that your data is reliably backed up with frequent automated disk backups, and in the event of a disaster, usually execute a full system recovery within minutes.
  * Protect your business with integrated firewall, antivirus and antispam software.
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At a glance
IBM Lotus Foundations Start V1.0, the first in a series of Lotus Foundations servers:
  * Provides core IT services needed to run any small business including setting up a security-rich network or connecting branch offices.
  * Helps save time and costs by automating manual day-to-day IT management with unique self-managing and self-configuring server autonomics.
  * Provides the reliability and security you deserve with a small footprint Linux-based server, while being extremely easy to use.
  * Protects and stores your electronic data with frequent, automated, highly reliable backups. Eliminates the necessity to buy expensive third-party backup software.
  * Quickly executes a full system recovery in the event of a disaster.
  * Facilitates the creation and sharing of information, e-mail, and calendars using IBM Lotus Notes and Domino software.
  * Helps save cost with IBM Lotus Symphony office productivity tools that enable you to work on spreadsheets, presentations, and documents without purchasing expensive office software and upgrades.
  * Protects your business with integrated firewall, antivirus and antispam software.
  * Helps increase productivity with optional business applications that quickly automate critical activities in sales, marketing, and human resources.
Planned availability dates:
May 30, 2008 (electronic software delivery and documentation online).
July 30, 2008 (media).Availability of Programs with encryption algorithm in France is subject to French government approval.
So, it goes gold on Friday. Â Excellent news!
