VMware releases Zimbra 7 collaboration update

VMware has updated its Zimbra platform, offering improved collaboration and sharing features, as well as new options for management on the administrator and end-user levels.

The company said that Zimbra 7 includes 230 new features, including redesigns to the calendar, scheduling and inbox tools.

The Zimbra Briefcase feature will help users better collaborate on documents by allowing them to share and store files and 'check in' and 'check out' documents, the firm said.

Administrators will also find new controls in Zimbra 7 giving the ability to create and manage distribution list restrictions. VMware believes that spam loads can be dramatically reduced by setting parameters on access to distribution lists.

The update also marks a change in VMware's distribution strategy for Zimbra. The company said that it will change the way it offers Zimbra Desktop, Collaboration Server and Collaboration Appliance in order to keep up with a growing variety of devices and platforms.

"We are committed to releasing future offerings of VMware Zimbra concurrently as a single platform," VMware said in a blog post.

"We believe that this commitment to a single platform provides huge benefits to VMware Zimbra end-users and administrators."

The update comes roughly one year after VMware purchased the Zimbra service from Yahoo as a complement to its virtualisation and cloud-based IT platforms.