Topic: Some fundamental queries about sme as dhcp server

[zenny]

I am new to SME stuffs, but I feel that it could be an ideal way to follow. Before I pose my questions, let me inform you what I would like to achieve.

I have already setup network (with gateway firewall). Also has the running web, mail and other servers. What I would like to achieve is to use SME server as also a dhcp server (with a single network card) for the local network. However, the SME server is just connected to local network as a workstation right now. In this scenario, my questions are:

1) What are the configuration changes that I need to make the SME as a DHCP server for the local network and provide private IP addresses to run LTSP server? How to create a virtual ethernet device which uses a single physical NIC?

2) What is the ideal way to migrate mail and domains from the old server to the SME one? Actually in the old server, there are several virtual ethernet devices created with several public IP address.

Actually I want to migrate entirely from the old system to SME server entirely. Any help and suggestions solicited. Thank you!

[zenny]

In order to make the above situation clear, I have attached what I would like to achieve in the diagram below. Instead of assigning static public IPs for each workstation, I would love to assign dhcp addresses from the SME server and run the workstations as ltsp thinclients.



                             ,d88boooo_,oooo
                         ,o888' YPP`'Y88P' Y8oo.
                      ,8PP"'"'        `'    `"`Yb
                      `8L     INTERNET         J8'
                       `Y8b __               ,8P'
                         Y8d8Yb    oo.    d88PP'
                          `"  Yb ,8F`8L_od8'
                               Y88P,o:""''
                                "' `8b
                                    8b
                                    d8
                             ........:........
                             | GATEWAY       |
                             |      FIREWALL |
                             L_______________|
                                     |
                            LOCAL NET|WORK SERVICES
       :''''''''':''''''''':'''''''''|''''''''':'''''':''''''''':
       |         |         |         |         |      |         |
       |         |         |         |         |      |     ,___|____
   ,'''''`.      |         |         |         |   ,''''''| |       |
   | OLD  |      |         |         |         |   | WIN  | |       |
   | Web  |      |         '                   '   |2003  | | SME   |
   |mail  |    ,''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''||server| |SERVER |
   |server|    | several workstations conneccted  |`------' |  TO   |
   '`''''''    " with separate public static IPs  '         |REPLACE|
               -----------------------------------          | OLD   |
                                                            |SERVER |
                                                            '`'''''''


Advise me if this is possible? I am also thinking of hosting the sme-trixbox also in the same machine alongwith hylafax. Please guide.

Zenny

[raem]

zenny

You can force sme to dynamically issue "fixed" IPs to workstations, by entering the local IP & mac address in the Hostname & Addresses panel in server manager.

dhcp is enabled in the console, login as admin & select Configure this server.
I can't recall if you can have a dhcp server running in server only mode, if teh options allow you to configure it, then it should run OK.

sme (as a gateway server) only supports one external IP address, but it does support multiple domains.

Is there any reason that sme cannot be your gateway server (& firewall). It will be simpler to set up all your network if sme is your gateway server, dhcp server & domain controller.

[zenny]

Thank you, RayMitchell for your response.

You can force sme to dynamically issue "fixed" IPs to workstations, by entering the local IP & mac address in the Hostname & Addresses panel in server manager.

Thanks for the info, I will try.

dhcp is enabled in the console, login as admin & select Configure this server.

Could not find 'Configure this server' or similar after login! However, I executed '/etc/init.d/dhcpd start' and the dhcp server starts. Maybe 'chkconfig dhcpd on' may make it run in the boot time.

sme (as a gateway server) only supports one external IP address, but it does support multiple domains.

But how can I host my own DNS server, if it only supports one external IP? Any idea?

Is there any reason that sme cannot be your gateway server (& firewall). It will be simpler to set up all your network if sme is your gateway server, dhcp server & domain controller.

Because I want to create a working parallel network system with SME, and test before I replace every old bits and pieces of server. And I have a quite a complicated network, setup by a company which does not exist anymore (and they didn't have a network topology, too, thus making me do hit and trial).

[Stefano]

Could not find 'Configure this server' or similar after login! However, I executed '/etc/init.d/dhcpd start' and the dhcp server starts. Maybe 'chkconfig dhcpd on' may make it run in the boot time.

login as admin.. You'd see the console

please read the documentation about starting/stopping and configuring SME's services

HTH
Ciao

Stefano

[zenny]

Dear Stefano:

ogin as admin.. You'd see the console

My admin panel (sme-7.2) has following options:

Collaboration
Users
Groups
Quotas
Pseudonyms
Information bays
Trixbox
Security
CRM
Flash Operator Panel
FreePBX
recording
Administration
Backup or restore
View log files
Mail log file analysis
Reboot or shutdown
Security
Remote access
Local networks
Port forwarding
Proxy settings
Configuration
Software installer
Date and time
Workgroup
Directory
Printers
Hostnames and addresses
Domains
E-mail
Antivirus (ClamAV)
Review configuration
Miscellaneous
Support and licensing
Create starter web site

please read the documentation about starting/stopping and configuring SME's services

I read the documentation, but none of the documents explains how to achieve as I have explained in the first two posts. Thanks!

[Stefano]

with "login as admin" I meant login via ssh or directly on your SME server as user admin

Ciao

Stefano

[SoftDux]

login to your machine via SSH, as root & type in console to see the sme console

[raem]

zenny

...how can I host my own DNS server, if it only supports one external IP? Any idea?

If you mean a DNS server for requests coming from external locations, then it is not recommended to do that on sme server unless you really know what you are doing, and if you are asking here then you don't really know what you are doing (with regard to that).

If you mean a DNS server for requests coming from your internal network, then sme server is already doing that by default (in gateway server mode or where configured in other modes).

If you want to configure & host multiple domains on your server, add them to the Domains panel in server manager.
Configure external DNS records for each of those domains to point to the single external IP that your server is configured with. When requests for each of those domains reaches your server, sme will direct them to the appropriate content location (as specified in the Domains panel). Email for different domains is also supported on sme, and can be redirected to other mail servers for some or all domains with db commands.

Because I want to ..........test before I replace every old bits and pieces of server.

I recommend you read all the manuals another two times as so far all your questions are covered there.

As far as switching over your network, then you need to "get to know" sme better, I suggest you setup a test server in gateway server mode and temporarily replace your existing server and then do some experimentation. You could alternatively attach it to your home network and do some testing of it's capabilities there.