What is Workmail and Its Benefits in AWS?
Amazon WorkMail was formerly known as Zocalo. It is a managed email and calendaring service that runs in Cloud. It provides security controls and is designed to work with your existing PC and Mac-based Outlook clients including the prepackaged Click-to-Run versions. It also works with mobile clients that speak the Exchange ActiveSync protocol.
Its migration tool allows to move mailboxes from on-premises email servers to the service, and works with any device that supports the Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync protocol, such as Apple’s iPad and iPhone, Google Android, and Windows Phone.
This includes Microsoft Outlook, native iOS and Android email applications along with the client application which supports the IMAP protocol, or directly through a web browser.
Benefits of AWS WorkMail
1. Ubiquitous Access
Users will synchronize their mailboxes with iOS, Android, Amazon fire, and Windows Phone devices. If you’re migrating from an on-premises Microsoft Exchange server.
Your users’ mobile devices will automatically hook up with Amazon WorkMail with no end-user reconfiguration needed, and no modification in user expertise. A feature-rich net consumer is additionally offered for users to access their email, calendar, and contacts.
2. Enterprise Grade Security
Amazon WorkMail automatically encrypts all of your data at rest with cryptography keys you management, using the AWS Key Management Service (KMS).
Amazon WorkMail additionally permits you to retain full management over data neighbourhood by selecting the AWS region wherever all of your data is kept.
3. Outlook Compatible
Amazon WorkMail provides native support for Microsoft Outlook on each Windows and Mac OS X. Therefore users will still use the e-mail consumer they’re already using while not having to put in any further software system, like plug-ins for Microsoft Outlook.
4. Managed Service
Amazon WorkMail makes it simple to manage the infrastructure of the company. In addition, email infrastructure and eliminates the necessity for up-front investments to license and provision on-premises email servers. There’s no advanced software system to put in or maintain.
Moreover, there is no hardware to manage. AWS WorkMail handles all of the patches, back-ups, and upgrades without any external help.
5. Active Directory Integration
AWS WorkMail firmly integrates together with your existing Microsoft Active Directory in order that users will access their mailbox using their existing information.
This makes it simple to manage users and teams with provided systems management tools, that include Active Directory Users and Computers.
6. Economical
Amazon WorkMail options easy, low, monthly per-user valuation and price $4 per user per month which has 50GB of storage per user.
System requirements
It supports all major mobile devices and operating systems which support Exchange ActiveSync protocol. Such devices include devices from Apple such as iPad, iPhone, and phones from Android as well as Windows.
MacOS users have the facility to synchronize or add their Amazon Workmail account into their Mail, Calendar or Contacts application.
If the user owns a valid Microsoft Outlook License, they can access the Workmail from one of the below versions of Microsoft Outlook:
- Outlook 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, and 2019
- Outlook 2010, 2013 Click-to-run
- Outlook for Mac 2011, 2016, and 2019
Note: Amazon Workmail can be used with IMAP clients as well.
Terminologies associated with Workmail
Following are the terminologies:
- Organization: A tenant which is set up to work with Workmail.
- Alias: A unique name (globally) that helps identify the organization of the user. It can be used to access the Workmail web application as wee: https://alias.awsapps.com/mail
- Domain: The address which is present after the symbol ‘@’ in an email address, ex- outlook.com. A domain name can be added that can be used to receive as well as deliver emails to other address in the user’s organization.
- Directory: A directory created by AWS Workmail automatically, when the AWS Workmail setup is used.
- Test mail domain: A domain which is configured automatically during the setup that is used for testing purposes. It is alias.awsapps.com and is the default domain if the customized domain hasn’t been configured.
- User: This is created in the AWS Directory service. If a user has been given access to a Workmail, they have their own mailbox that could be accessed.
- Group: A group, which can be used in the form of a distribution list or a security group with the Amazon Workmail. The only catch is they can’t have their own separate mail boxes.
- Resource: This could be an equipment, a resource or a meeting room, which can be booked by the users of Amazon Workmail.
How to Use Amazon WorkMail?
Step 1 − Sign in to AWS account and open the Amazon WorkMail console using the following link − https://console.aws.amazon.com/workmail/
Step 2 − Click the Get Started button.
Step 3 − Select the desired option and choose the Region from the top right side of the navigation bar.
Step 4 − Fill the required details and proceed to the next step to configure an account. Follow the instructions. Finally, the mailbox will look like as shown in the following screenshot.
Functions of Amazon WorkMail
- Enterprise Grad Security.
- Compatibility with Microsoft outlook.
- Journaling.
- Active Directory Integration.
- Administrative SDK.
- IMAP Protocol Support.
- Interoperability with Microsoft Exchange Server.
- Feature rich web client.
- Remote Management.
- Large storage for Mailboxes.
- Protection against Spam and viruses.
Conclusion
Hence, we studied the Amazon Workmail removes the burden of hardware and software maintenance as the complete functions are managed by the Workmail. WorkMail handles all of the patches, back-ups, and software upgrades.
AWS Console helps to manage the functions too and provides an overall better experience. Amazon has also collaborated with some of the email migration firms which make it easier to transfer the emails to AWS WorMail.
These solutions can be migrated from Microsoft Office 365, Microsoft Exchange Server, Google Apps for Work, IMAP and POP to email, meetings, contacts, and notes. If you have any query, feel free to ask in the comment box.
