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Microsoft Exchange for DB/2


Now that I'm inside, I have access to a new wealth of information. Today I got access to a draft for a press release: In a surprise move IBM and Microsoft announce today:

Microsoft Exchange for IBM DB/2

The IBM spokesman declared: " With our scalable and robust storage technology we finally can ensure that you never have to spend time in Exchange hell anymore. Also true Microsoft shops can finally benefit from IBM technology. The code name for the project is TBE = True Blue Exchange ".
When questioned about the move a long serving Microsoft engineer stated: "With all the pressure and monstrous code in Vista, Office 12 and Exchange 12 we remembered the good times when we were working with IBM on OS/2. Basically then we were playing Mimesweeper and Flight Simulator while the IBM coders did all the work. The only thing we did was to put the presentation manager GUI coordinates upside down to ensure the Lotus people would use up all their resources to recode 1-2-3 on OS/2 while another team was working on Windows 3.11. We wanted the good times back, so we handed over the complete API spec to the
IBM Almaden lab, of course not before they ensured us not to deliver it to the Europeans, since it is our policy to ignore court orders".
I was puzzled, so I contacted the Alpha team @ IBM Almaden. The lead architect confirmed : Microsoft Exchange for IBM DB/2 does exist.
With a big smile he added: " If you have a close look at the code, you will see, that it is actually a Domino 7.1 server in disguise. We had the messaging part, the DB/2 storage, the fault tolerance and the scalability. We just merged our Domino Access for Outlook into the Domino core and off we went."
I got my hand on some Alpha code. It is amazing. All MAPI calls work, Outlooks sees a native Exchange box, even active directory recognized an Exchange12_01042006 version. Once I've played more with the code I'll post my test results, so stay tuned.

Posted by on 31 March 2006 | Comments (5) | categories: Software

Comments

  1. posted by Alan Lepofsky on Saturday 01 April 2006 AD:
    You forgot to mention that the Outlook client for it runs only on Mac and Linux! Emoticon rolleyes.gif
  2. posted by Dave Harris on Monday 03 April 2006 AD:
    Brilliant Emoticon laugh.gif
  3. posted by Chris Linfoot on Monday 03 April 2006 AD:
    You sure that's a DB2 back end? I heard it needed an IMS database on a Z series server.
  4. posted by jonvon on Friday 07 April 2006 AD:
    hehe. nice work. Emoticon smile.gif
  5. posted by Steve Cogan on Tuesday 25 April 2006 AD:
    Surfed to this page from a strange route and had a double-take when I saw the headline. I'd been looking at Commonstore for DB2 today and thought I'd seen mention of Exchange somewhere... then thought - "April 1st" - bugger!