Last week Kerio Technologies shipped Kerio Connect 7 a major new version of its cross-platform groupware server, formerly called Kerio Mail Server. The new version adds support for multiple servers working as a distributed domain cluster: multiple servers in a single domain. It also adds CardDAV address book synchronization for computers, support for new mobile devices, as well as other features.

Kerio Connect 7, which was formerly an Exchange Server alternative for small networks, expands into medium-sized, multi-office organizations. The servers in the domain share contacts in global address lists (GAL), and can see each others users, groups, and shared resources, such as conference rooms. Administrators manage the Kerio domain using a new web-based Administration Console.

Kerio Connect 7 can sync with the Snow Leopard client's Address Book. A Kerio spokesperson said that the CardDAV support goes beyond that of Snow Leopard Server's Address Book server, in that it enables users to change the GAL, more like Exchange Server than Address Book server.

Phones can now access the GAL. The previous version of the server had support for push syncing of contacts and calendars iPhones, Blackberries, and Windows Mobile 5 and 6 devices. Kerio Connect 7 adds support for Exchange ActiveSync, so that devices that can sync to Exchange Server can now sync to Kerio Connect 7. This includes the Palm Pre and Palm Pixi and Android OS phones, such as the Droid and Nexus.

Kerio Connect 7 runs on Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux, and supports clients of any platform. Kerio also offers a preconfigured virtual appliance version installed on a Linux guest OS, in a VMware virtual machine. Kerio Connect Server supports multiple clients on multiple platforms, including Outlook, Entourage, Apple's Address Book, iCal, and Apple Mail, and Kerio's own WebMail.

Kerio Connect 7 starts at $450 for 5 users, with additional user staring at $24.

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