Topic: Understanding And Administrating Your SME Server?

[Black]

I dont know about others on here but there seems to be a BIG gap as far as "Who Knows" and "Who Doesn't" About the SME Server.Specificly I fall into the catagory of "Who Doesn't"

I know how to make a ISO, I installed it yep. I configured my 2 network cards and got everything running so I can have a Server/Gateway.I got email/webmail going. I F^&$ng love this distro!

But I have know Idea how it works or how to administrate it!Yea I know it uses the template system and I think I know what that means but I have yet been able to install something via this "expand" template option.

I can see the log files but dont know what they mean. I know someones trying to connect to a port and that gets logged even if it was denied my system saves it and eats HDD space and I dont know how to delete them.

My email program is sending messages using MY user name and it's fucking spam! but their using MY email name? they have attachments that are viruses also...how is this done? and who is doing it?

When I come to the site and read the manuals they dont make any sense. I open a putty connection to my SME and follow the commands and they dont match what i'm seeing in my SME console. (Especially the TEMPLATES) Directory.

I log in to this site and it's almost impossible to find the latest version. Everything on this site is layed out like a programmer does it and it goes on and on and on, link after link after link.

Head over to the forums and thats hit or miss because of the Division of Skill level. Some people "Get It" while others "Dont" I dont mind going to a translating a french site to find a contrib but why cant I find it on THIS Site?

Am I just stupid or is there a manual that explains it more clearly than what I got?

Thanks

[boss_hog]

Hey Black,
I can understand your frustration.
What I would remind you of is this: very powerful community here at contribs.org.
A lot of nice people with varying degrees of expertise.
Use this to your advantage! Post logfiles for people to see, ask targeted questions, people will respond.
I am not a programmer myself which is why I can understand the "mood".
The E-Smith/SME/Contribs/Mitel is one of THE best packages I have ever worked with. It is powerful and secure "out of the box", that even a life-long noob like myself can make it work well.
Good Luck
Joe

[Black]

Agreed but if you open the manual and start typing around and it doesn't match isn't there a problem..?

[cc_skavenger]

Ok, how about asking about whatever you are trying to do or have a question about.  Some people will be snobbish and say search, while others will try to lead you to and/or provide help.  The templating system is easy once you get the concept.  It took me a couple of years to get it, so most of us get your frustration.

I will try to explain the template system.  The template fragments that reside in /etc/e-smith/templates/* are used to create the associated files.  For example, /etc/e-smith/templates/etc/squid/squid.conf/* are the files used to create the /etc/squid/squid.conf file.  Lets say you want to add an option to squid.  You would look in /etc/e-smith/templates/etc/squid/squid.conf/ and look at the files in the directory and figure out where you need to add the option.  You would pick a number to go in between the files that are there.  You would then add a file (aka. a custom-template fragment) in the directory (you have to create this directory) /etc/e-smith/templates-custom/etc/squid/squid.conf.  In this directory, you create the file and addin whatever option you want to add.  Save the file, and then expand the template with the command /sbin/e-smith/expand-template /etc/squid/squid.conf.  Edit the file you just expanded, vi or pico /etc/squid/squid.conf and make sure that the option you added in is there.  You would then restart the service, /etc/rc.d/init.d/squid restart.

Thats it.  It really is easy once you get how things are laid out.

HTH

[pfloor]

...Save the file, and then expand the template with the command /sbin/e-smith/expand-template /etc/squid/squid.conf.  Edit the file you just expanded, vi or pico /etc/squid/squid.conf and make sure that the option you added in is there.  You would then restart the service, /etc/rc.d/init.d/squid restart.

Thats it.  It really is easy once you get how things are laid out.

HTH

Let's clearify this a bit...

You would "View" the config file you just expanded to make sure the changes/options are there.  Never "Edit" any config files or any of the templates in the regular template directory, only edit your custom-templates.

I wanted to clearify this because at first this was the hardest part of the system for me to understand.

Just remember, the templates control the config files and the custom-templates in turn control/override the templates.  If you make a change directly in a config file, it will most likely get changed back by it's template(s) and/or custom-template(s).

Paul

[raem]

Black

It sounds like you want all the answers immediately in one comprehensive document. That doesn't exist, and if it did it would take a mammoth effort to create it. Even contribs.org content has taken 18 months to put togaether.
You will find out most of what you want to know by reading & searching & asking.

Have you read the FAQ's, a lot of useful tips there.
http://no.longer.valid/phpwiki/index.php?SME%20Server%20FAQs

Also see the quite good Help file at dungog.net
http://www.dungog.net/sme/help/SMEhelp/SME%20server.html

Reading HOWTos is also a good source of seeing how things work, and using templates and the practical principles involved.
See some of mine and any body elses in the contribs folders and other sites.
http://mirror.contribs.org/smeserver/contribs/rmitchell/smeserver/howto/

http://mirror.contribs.org/smeserver/contribs/
Use the search tool on the above page (tick the box for "Use regular expression" for improved results).

Also see
http://www.tech-geeks.org/geeklog/
and many other sites that support smeserver.

Is that enough for now, how much material do you want to read this weekend ?

As one of the other posters suggested, narrow down your question(s) to a specific issue.
Post what you did, what you expected, what the system did or didn't do including error messages and log files, and ask how to fix it or change it.

One question at a time rather than, "Hey how do I do it all, I've read everything and it doesn't make sense". That question is simply too big to answer.

[Black]

I understand that , That's why I started posting questions to specific issues on the board.

Thanks

[raem]

Black

> My email program is sending messages using MY user name .....

Anyone can pretend to be you and use your email address to send messages, That is a very big inherent weakness of Internet email system.
Viruses do this by getting your email address from other peoples computers that they infect, and then they send messages to you as well as sendng messages to others that pretend to come from you. Simple, and there is very little you can do about it, as it is not under your control, it's happening eleswhere on other peoples systems, not on yours.

Now if you do have a virus on your system ie on a workstation or PC, you need to remove that virus, as it is probably very busy sending spam and infected messages to other people.




> I log in to this site and it's almost impossible
> to find the latest version.

Without being rude, are you blind or simply not looking ?

Go to www.contribs.org, click on Downloads link in top left corner, scroll down page a bit and click on releases, click on the release version you require

Took me about 5 seconds !


>...to find a contrib but why cant I find it on THIS Site?

Already previously answered, look in the contribs area by clicking on the Contribs link, scroll to the bottom of the page and click on contribs again
or
use this link
http://mirror.contribs.org/smeserver/contribs/


I think you are being a bit lazy, this took me 3 seconds !

[Black]

Point taken and I'm aleady on it looking at different contribs etc..


Thanks

[raem]

Black

> I know someones trying to connect to a port and
> that gets logged even if it was denied my system
> saves it and eats HDD space and I dont know how to > delete them.


From the published FAQ for Security:
http://no.longer.valid/phpwiki/index.php/SecurityFAQ

* How can I see all the network packets refused or filtered by SME's firewall?
By default, there is no report on the refused packets. However, there are three levels of logging available for SME. To activate the level desired, enter the command:

'/sbin/e-smith/db configuration setprop masq Logging xxxx'
where 'xxxx' is one of the following 3 strings -
all - all the blocked packages are brought back
most - all the blocked packages are brought back, excluded packages SMB and RIP
none - (default option) no blocked package is brought back


Then run the update:
'/sbin/e-smith/signal-event remoteaccess-update'

Now a log of blocked packets is visible in server-manager - View Log Files. Note that this log also receives entries from other processes.


Note that on current versions of sme server ie 6.x and above, the default setting for logging is "all", so you need to reset to "most" or "none" as required.

If you had of read this you would have already answered your own question !!

[raem]

Black

>...I know it uses the template system and I think I > know what that means but I have yet been able to
> install something via this "expand" template option.


You don't really install things using the template system, they are for setting configuration parameters generally for installed applications (rpms).

You install things by installing rpms (usually). After installing you can override the settings by making changes to the custom templates.

You can also change the default configuration of your sme server by making changes to custom templates where the ability to make those changes is not in server manager.

To install something you would do:

rpm -Uvh packagename.rpm

Again read some of the HOWTOs for further practical tips about all this stuff.

[bugme]

I know how you feel.

I have installed and configured sme server since v5.5.
i have a handful of clients, running on sme 24x7 as their primary mail, and file servers.

I can barely install spamassassin and clamav from dungog and swerts-knudsen. they ask for donations, and its well worth it. especially compared to microsoft small business server, which i've deployed in the past, and have not since 2000.

I use the server-manager web interface. i can run some sh shell scripts to do installs, but not much more.

The best, is to ask, one problem/question at a time in the forums, and then to implement them. They usually provide good answers, and links to instructions, so its hard to go wrong.

I'll let you in on a industry secret. A medical industry secret.

I have ties to a medical facility. I work with a lot of doctors. One thing doctors dont appreciate, is when a patient comes in, with a gigantic problem list, from headaches, to bed wetting, to acne.

Yes, a professional doctor should address every concern you may have, but realistically, they are human, and they too, can get overwhelmed, and annoyed.

Thus, what you want to do, is to PRIORITIZE.
You want to come in with just the top 2 or 3 ailments you have now. and save the rest for some other time. or google them and find the solution yourself. you will be surprised at how effective and how good the rapport with your doc will be. This is in the USA, where our medical insurance system dictates it to be this way...

That's the reality dude. And apply it to SME as well.