Topic: Best "clean install" of current SME technology?

[hollymcr]

What's the "best" basic install of SME at the moment?

In the past, I've either started with the standard 6.0.1 ISO or the custom ISO that's been discussed around these parts. I then add anti-virus and spamassassin (tried various methods), then sometimes try one of the scripts for updating the RPMs. (Sorry to be vague but I've tried so many variations!) I usually end up with something which mostly works (but not entirely), but sometimes completely break things (and end up bouncing massive amounts of email).

So, where do most people start?

NB: I use a server (not server/gateway) install. Do most people use server/gateway mode?

[guest22]

Well... Use SME Server 6.0.1-01 to start with.

Then beofore installing anything else, make sure the box works like you want. Then check the contribs.org documentation feedback pages on the various contribs and how-to's BEFORE installing it/them.

Next to that, why not set up a test box and do a test run after installation of EACH contrib before you continue.

RequestedDeletion

[GaryChu]

I would also stress how important  it is to have good AND compatible hardware.  Known good hardware is analogous to a good foundation to a building.  Red Hat Hardware Compatibility List for RH 7.3 is a good start for SME 6.0.

[hollymcr]

Well... Use SME Server 6.0.1-01 to start with.

Sorry, that's what I've been using. I wasn't clear.

Then beofore installing anything else, make sure the box works like you want.

Depending on your meaning of "like you want" I do; I check that it behaves as I expect, at least, but as my main motivation at the moment for using SME is to catch spam and email viruses I need some contribs to do this.

Then check the contribs.org documentation feedback pages on the various contribs and how-to's BEFORE installing it/them.

Again, this is something I have done. Often I see others with similar problems but no resolution, which on a project as well established as SME I tend to assume means that the problem clearly isn't very common. For example, I bounced several hundred email on one occassion with the same problem as here. Given the prominence of spam and virus checking, I'm sure that many people are getting it to work without problem.

Next to that, why not set up a test box and do a test run after installation of EACH contrib before you continue.

I should have made it clearer that I've been playing with SME/E-Smith for years, starting with 4.x. With 6.x, and in particular 6.0.1-01, I've built and rebuilt several times with minor changes to the approach and wildly varying results, hence this question; what is a good starting point to get an anti-spam/virus SME server; I plan to use this as a starting point for several experiments with contribs from various sources.

Perhaps my assumption that a large proportion of SME users have their own base installation method (install this ISO, then this contrib and these updates, etc) was wrong.

NB: It would perhaps have made more sense to post here with specific problems rather than where I did start; I would have done so but I only had read access to the forums when I went through a week of hell a week or so ago when I tried so many minor variations on a basic theme and seemed always to gain something only at the expense of something else, and lost hundreds of emails in the processs (mostly a mixture of spam and mailing list emails, but frustrating all the same). So when I got forum access I thought I'd start by trying to "steal" someone-else's setup

I would also stress how important it is to have good AND compatible hardware.

Good point, and one I hadn't thought of. I'm 99% sure my problems are configuration not hardware but I'll do some research on this all the same.

[smeghead]

I having built lots of SME boxes (I guess 50+ going on 100 of varying versions) I have almost no probs with any builds (yeah, I know, I'm a smart arse ).

I use the custom 6.0.1-01 ISO as my base.

Firstly, if poss, don't multipop.  Setup your own domain on your box using either Zonedit to host the DNS or some DDNS provider if you have a dynamic IP.

The update script in the Wiki will do most of what you want and is kept reasonably up to date (by me for one).

Develop your own testing regimen that will allow you to determine if any server you build is working correctly.

Think through potential issues before the box is built/installed; pre-empt problems before they occur.

A case in point is to add all the users to the box before installing it live otherwise all mail that is received is dumped into the admin account or bounced.

HTH

[hollymcr]

Firstly, if poss, don't multipop. Setup your own domain on your box using either Zonedit to host the DNS or some DDNS provider if you have a dynamic IP.

I'll give this some thought. On first reading this I thought this would be no good, as I need multipop for most people I work with. Now that I think about it I'm not sure that I really do. It's a useful tool, though, especially since we usually run in server only mode.

The update script in the Wiki will do most of what you want and is kept reasonably up to date (by me for one).

I've been playing with this. I think I was using an old version before; the current version seems to have a lot more promise. So far failed to get it to work in a VMWare virtual machine though (mostly silly issues I can resolve but haven't had time yet). It would be really helpful if the scripts could be started from a set of pre-downloaded set of files, though; some of them use "wget -nc" but some of the largest files are not scripted that way (trivial to change but less so to maintain), and they even go on to delete the downloaded files on completion.

[.. snip comments about test regimes, pre-empting problems, adding users before installation ..]

All good advice, thanks for the help.