Topic: Want to Learn from the Bests

[iwekani]

Hello Folks and warm greetings from the tropics!

I am so delighted to read about the SME server...The listed features seem to be the answers to our dream.
We are planning to put together a resilient and easy to maintain mail server for our office (20 employees).

With regards to all the issues posted on this board I will appreciate if you guys vould clarify a couple of questions. Note I am a Linux/IT dummy.

1- What version of SME do you recommend?
2- What precautions must we take to minimize various problems and hardships
3- How do you update packages....

In brief what I really need is a preparedness list as far as configuring the server will be concerned.

We have identified a P.4 1.6GHZ - 128mb ram - 40GB Hd machine that we will use to run the server.

We have 11 computers interconnected with 2 D-link switches (some office are far in the backyard so we preferred to have a backbone)

All suggestions are welcome. I am a newbie willing to learn...from the bests!

[jbaker]

Hello,

Good choice for the computer and in particular the server OS! For me version 5.6 seems to be the best. I have the fewest "suprises" with it.

I work for a company that has 18 locations with 2 to 50 users each. After discovering e-smith 4.something server several years ago it has mostly replaces all the Windows and Novell servers at those offices. (Only a few Windows 2000 servers left!)

Currently it's a mix of SME 5.5 and 5.6 with the newer 5.6 version slowly replacing the older version.

I tried 6.0 but it seemed to introduce some unknowns for me. Things like ibays and printers are harder to get working with Windows workstations under 6.0. At least they are for me. Also it seems there is not as much information and help for 6.0.

I look forward to the mainstreaming of the 6 series though!

Best of luck!
John

[wyron]

Well, I have to agree with jbaker about the server software. But remember to run the updates (I seem to remember five or six of them).
The hardware issue is a bit more complicated.
Running a mailserver for 20 users I wouldn't go for less than 60 Gbyte, and as a safety precaution I'd run two disks in a software RAID1 (which is an option when you configure your SME5.6 - just remember to hardware-install them as masters on the two IDE-busses, and leave a slave-port for your CD-drive).
Moreover, 128Mb RAM seems a little short of perfection to me. I'd prefer at least 512Mb.
Since your users would probably prefer their INBOXES to be safeguarded against data-loss, I'd also spend the money for a solid tape backup solution with lots of tapes.
Jus' my two cents . .

[stancol]

Every thing that's been sugested I agree with. I tried the 6.0 version but it didn't like all the extra packages I'd installed. I have several 5.6 boxes with between 8 and 20 users. One of those boxes has 125meg of RAM and it's always running 110-120 used. So you really should look at adding more RAM. You might want to build two boxes one for the production inviroment and one to test with. Espically since you mentioned that you were and IT newbie. That way you can learn on the test box without messing up peoples accounts. It's also a good idea to have a test machine when trying out new packages. Not everything installs as easy as the instructions say. Contribs.org is the best place I've found to get the best HowTo's and packages. If Contribs.org doesn't have wat you want they have a link to what you want.

[iwekani]

Thanks very much to Jbaker, Wyron and Stancol for your recommendations that beliee I am going to implement.

Stancol, when you have a test server is there a direct way to push what you have been testing to production? if so please enlighten me...(all)

I was thinking about having a collaboration/groupware package. what are your thoughts on that? which package will you recommend?

Finally, the domain name we will have will be something like "ourorganisationname.org.countrycode:.Is there a way to shorthen that?

Thanks in advance and like someone said in this forum, may you all be blessed with good Karma

[byte]

For your groupware you could try...

Darrell May's TWIGGI - http://mirror.contribs.org/smeserver/contribs/dmay/smeserver/6.x/contrib/Twiggi/

Phpprojekt - http://www.ibiblio.org/pub/Linux/distributions/smeserver/contribs/star/mitel/contrib/phpproject/

HTH

Byte

[Anonymous]

Thanks for your suggestions. I took a look at both Phpprojekt and Twiggi and the latter seems more appropriate...So, that makes it  - 1 issue

time for me to   a cold beer ...Cheers

[wyron]

Finally, the domain name we will have will be something like "ourorganisationname.org.countrycode:.Is there a way to shorthen that?

Don't do that !
Get a top-level domain within your country code (ourorganisationname.countrycode) instead.
You can always build virtual domains on top of your domain name, like specialorg.ourorganisationname.countrycode.
even if "org.countrycode" was available as a domain name (which it probably isn't), you wouldn't get much fun in having "ourorganisationname" as just a virtual domain.
"org.countrycode" (which would be your top level domain) doesn't really say much about your organisation, does it ?
Asus once tried it (asus.com.tw) but they soon reverted to "asuscom.tw", and I strongly advise you to do the same, in the format "ourorg.countrycode".

[iwekani]

Thanks Willy. I will check with the local registrar to see how that could be done. COme to think about it do I need a doamin name?

[iwekani]

Thanks Willy. I will check with the local registrar to see how that could be done. Come to think about it do I need a domain name?

[smeghead]

Hmm, I feel I must play devils advocate here (funny, I think I have been acussed of this before, several times!).  I have been rolling out quite a few 6.0 final boxes and must say they have proven to be very good.

I load up most of these with a broad range of extensions and have found solid support from the contributors in getting contribs that are version 6.0 ready.  I do not have extensive web needs so these aspects are mostly unknown to me (ie newer version of php, apache, horde, etc)

The security of 6.0 is excellent and the built-in VPN stuff generally fine (tho some have reported probs, and I am only using WXP Pro to connect).

The hardware support in 6.0 is more extensive due in part to the newer kernel; I have just upgraded my server to a P4 2.8/512MB/dual 100GB IDE on and Intel 865 chipset board and it detected all but the gigabit lan - install Darrell Mays e1000 rpms (thanks Darrell) and I have that as well, woohoo

As an aside get the 8MB cache IDE drives (Western Digital, Seagate, etc) and if going software RAID then get two from the same batch so the firmware matches.

HTH

[smeghead]

.. just remembered one thing, when the box came up after the initial install the cdrom could not be accessed; seems the symbolic link in the dev directory hooked /dev/hdd instead of /dev/scd0.  Redo the link and everyone is happy.

I will report this as a bug.

[wyron]

Come to think about it do I need a domain name?

Ah - that depends . . .
Will you be using your SME as a server/gateway, with access to the internet, and do you plan to build a website, accessible from the internet on it ?
Do you pklan to use it as a mailserver for incoming/outgoing traffic ?
If the answer to these questions is YES, then you definitely need a registered domain name,  as well as a fixed ip-address with your isp.
On the other hand, if you plan to use your SME as a private server-only, without access to or from the internet, you don't need to register a domain name officially. You still need one to bind your local network together, though. But there is no need to register it, since it will only affect your local users.

[iwekani]

Gracias!
We are plannig to use it as a gateway/server indeed! We just leased a line form the local telco, so we do not have an ISP per say!
We will be hosting our own mail server. Guys is there any thing I have to take in consideration here! I see so many posting about differents mail servers/clients and was wandering which one is the definite way to go! Given that most if not all machines have Win installed w/outlook I would like the users to leverage on that and use outlook on their desktop then eventually we will adopt a collaboration package such as Twiggi!
Thanks tio you all in ad vance and remember tha we are still at the planning stage and I welcome all advices. This will help me minimize foreseen and unseen problems!  

[wyron]

The best procedure I can suggest would be to download and thoroughly read the Administrators guide from the 'Documentation' section.
Especially chapter 3, configuration, is very enlightening.
Have fun and good luck !