Ten years ago, when high-speed connectivity meant a T1 line and cost over $1000 per month, having a local email server made sense. Most small businesses didn't have a high-speed Internet connection. Having the email server on the premises allowed internal email to flow quickly. Incoming and outgoing email seemed fast because it got to and from the on-premises server quickly. Who cared if it takes a few minutes from there? It "felt" fast.

Today, DSL is in the $25/mo range. Personalized email addresses AT YOUR COMPANY'S domain cost as little as $1 per address per month! It no longer makes sense to purchase and maintain a server locally.

Your Internet connection is fast enough that email messages are delivered to the end recipient immediately. Receiving is equally fast! This means that email can be immediate even though you don't have a box to point to in the office and say "that's where the email is."

Having your email server there is just costing you time and money. We will get into some of the specifics of problems and costs associated with your on-site server in future posts.

• Don't Run Your Own Email Server! (Part 1 of 5)
• Don't Run Your Own Email Server! (Part 2 of 5)
• Don't Run Your Own Email Server! (Part 3 of 5)
• Don't Run Your Own Email Server! (Part 4 of 5)
• Don't Run Your Own Email Server! (Part 5 of 5)