Topic: Is this a live/active project, how well recommended is it?

[jptechnical]

Forgive the question... I am definitely not trying to be rude or accusatory.

I have been watching SME for a while, I see you have jumped up a full version since I last looked.

How many small businesses (~10-20 users) are using SME for their primary server? I have been an MS shop putting in SBS for a long time... but I have been able to change about 90% over to linux (thanks Ubuntu!) for my desktop and my servers. I have not deployed any linux SBS killers for a couple years, and then it was ClarkConnect (now max 10 mailboxes... sad). I just wanted to get a feel for how much SME is utilized and if it is actively being developed, bugchecked and maintained.

The main site has never been really well maintained that I have seen (latest news July 22 2007), but then again... my site has nearly a year old content too . But it gives me reason for pause.

So, if willing, chime in and tell me why you think SME would be a good fit for small sub 20 user networks for basic email and file sharing (PDC emulation). What obstacles have you see/overcome? I have about 2 weeks to make a decision for one client whose *really old* scsi backplane died... getting them a new server and considering backing off of SBS since they don't use anything but mail storage.

Thanks!

[mercyh]

This might help a little as far as install base.

http://smolt.contribs.org/

http://smolt.contribs.org/stats.html

[jptechnical]

I was looking through there, I love the architecture stats!

I guess what I am really looking for are some testimonials and real life implementations.

but... I love me some stats

Thanks for the quick reply.

This might help a little as far as install base.

http://smolt.contribs.org/

http://smolt.contribs.org/stats.html

[mercyh]

This page should give you an idea of how active/updated the documentation is.

http://wiki.contribs.org/Special:Recentchanges

The killer for us with Microsoft SBS is that we have been unable to come up with a good easy solution to replace MS Exchange. There has been much work and if you are willing to use something other then a client for shared calenders Egroupware is as close as we get. We seem to be a bit stalled out on making Outook sync appointments with SME.

The domain on SME is a samba domain so it does not have active directory. It would be more like an old NT domain.

IMHO if you are looking for a simple filesharing/e-mail/webserver solution SME is just as good as SBS it is also simpler and has better support..........

[jptechnical]

I am sick of exchange anyway... I would rather do imap and caldav (if I can get the latter working right... need more time). So the exchange issue is a non-issue. But... thank you SO MUCH for bringing it up! I want to hear it warts and all!

The killer for us with Microsoft SBS is that we have been unable to come up with a good easy solution to replace MS Exchange. There has been much work and if you are willing to use something other then a client for shared calenders Egroupware is as close as we get. We seem to be a bit stalled out on making Outook sync appointments with SME.

[CharlieBrady]

Forgive the question... I am definitely not trying to be rude or accusatory.

Just lazy, I guess.

[mercyh]

CharlieBrady,
Do we want new users or not?

[jptechnical]

You nailed it 

Just lazy, I guess.

Have you ever searched for how many RTFMs there are in your favorite board? It tells alot about the community, in this case, you are clean as a whistle . I think it is pretty promising that my first 2 posts were positive and informative.

I have been reading forums, lots of searches, but I have never been good at finding the right keywords to search for. If you have some existing posts with testimonials, or polls on how people are using SME or similar, I would love to pour over them... but I am not using the right keywords.

[mercyh]

jptechnical,

Just so you know the lay of the land. Charlie can probably take more credit for this distro then anyone. He is probably the leading expert on this distro. If you ever get in deep trouble he will probably be the one to bail you out.

[jptechnical]

I saw his post count. And I was commending Charlie for not using RTFM, in fact, there are very few of such posts. I meant that comment to be complimentary. I was typing while on the phone... it sounded more complimentary in my head. Sorry if it looked otherwise.

Great, I have already made the lead developer mad at me... I am screwed!

I have iso and I am firing up a VM later today.

Thanks for the responses. Don't blackball me Charlie... plz.

[mercyh]

jptechnical,

I don't see anything derogatory in your post. And I very much doubt that this

Great, I have already made the lead developer mad at me... I am screwed!

is the case.

[jptechnical]

Great... got a little nervous there.   

Thanks for the replies, I am confident this is an actively maintained project, I look forward to giving back where possible. I guess I better start testing so I can give my client a couple choices.

[Stefano]

I guess what I am really looking for are some testimonials and real life implementations.

one member of this community has, for sure, more than one thousand servers installed..

if you are looking for a PDC/file/print/web/mysql/mail(imap/pop3) server, you are in the right place
the base is rock solid (CentOS/RedHat), the implementation is great, the community is "alive and kicking" (Cit.)

you'd try to setup and configure.. SME is the classic "setup and forget" distro..

HTH
Ciao
Stefano

[mercyh]

another is working on this little project:
http://forums.contribs.org/index.php?topic=41425.0

[byte]

IMHO if you are looking for a simple filesharing/e-mail/webserver solution SME is just as good as SBS it is also simpler and has better support..........

A simple secure out of the box solution is the SME Server

[sal1504]

jptechnical

i skimmed thru this post and can tell you that my shop has over 150 servers up and running in small businesses (10 to 50 users). These servers are all currently running version SME Version 7.3 with backup with dar contrib and groupoffice 2.18 as a sub for MS Exchange (not the exactly the same but customers like it more). In one case i have 13 SMEServers setup on a wide area network in 11 locations through out Colorado.  I love being able to maintain these servers remotely. Some of my customers are 300 to 400 miles away and this is saving me a ton of money on gas. These servers are installed in several vertical markets, medical, legal, non-profit, education and correctional. I started my business using Novell in 1985, got certified with Microslop in 91 and converted to SME about 4 years ago. I have found that SME is far and away the best solution for my small business customers and will be using them as long as they exist. You will also find that the forum is one of the best on the web.

sal1504

[jptechnical]

Thanks for your input sal1504. I did novell way back in the day, but I am only 32, and have been running an independent shop for 5yrs and in the industry full time for over a decade. I do extensive remote support with UltraVNC-SC and maintain all the systems for a non-profit in another state, so I am all about the remote support. I will look into the groupoffice 2.18 and the dar contrib.

Speaking of contribs... where are they? I guess I haven't run across where I can actually get them yet. I thought I saw a package manager install something that could be a contrib in one of the forum posts I read, I know apt, I don't know yum (yet).

[crazybob]

Take a peek at this page http://wiki.contribs.org/Main_Page

Bob

[jptechnical]

Take a peek at this page http://wiki.contribs.org/Main_Page

Bob

Good lord... I am obviously blind... how many times have I been to that page and keep missing that link.

Thanks!!

[soprom]

Testimonies!

This web site is a testimony in itself. Browse the forums and see how many [RESOLVED] and 'thanks" there are...
Charlie and others don't like when we don't search before we ask. But they are there to provide guidance and hints when things get tough or simply difficult to understand for non-guru users (which most of us are).

SME-server goes farther than CC in many ways. There are threads about this comparison. Search keyword "clark".

Exchange replacement is possible with some tweaking and Toltec. I'm using it in a couple of setups. CC has this builtin with cyrus-imap. But for me, switching to CC also meant loosing too many options like very large support groups like contribs.org and ixus.fr...

CC looks better... SME rocks better...

I invite you to get acquainted with the distro by looking at the contributions and howtos in the wiki. The documentation is also excellent. The bug tracking is a pain for users but a religion for developers!!!

I would not expect "sales pitches" and products comparison from this forum. Maybe you'll have to make your own judgement based on your tests, skills and needs.

I have used ClarkConnect, Engarde, OpenSUSE servers... SME-Server is the best for many reasons (even if cyrus-imap must be added manually). Why don't you install it in a virtual machine to see how it runs?

Then come back here if you need help, or to tell us you liked it!!!

[jptechnical]

I have already setup a virtual network, joined and disjoined a couple of xp boxes to it and did some email testing. I am unable to do some email testing due to some dns issues I am working out (I am used to Debian, and haven't gotten my head around SME and networking yet). I am pleased with how simple it is to emulate Windows groups with group descriptions... works great!

I will see what I can find in comparisons with CC. I like the CC interface... but it sacrifices speed for prettiness. I like command line, I prefer apt-get install xyz over a gui package manager.

I will be pouring over the wiki and manuals this next week. I love a good howto.

[soprom]

I've seen many "newcomers" wanting to go to the console. Beware! If you find yourself at the console, you should think twice. Normal operation of the server does not require the use of the console. So the apt-get install xyz becomes yum install xyz, but you better know the repositories you need!

There is no gui package manager. It's there or it's not. Adding packages is done at the console. We prefer packages that are managed by the GUI.

If you still want/need the console, you should read about "templates" in the server. They are linking the server-manager to the conf files. So it's useless to edit conf files directly. Those changes won't survice long. Templates are like fragments of conf files that need to be reassembled to build a complete conf file.

Happy testings!!

[jptechnical]

Thanks for the forewarning, I will follow the howtos and forum posts closely. I *hate* getting off the upgrade path.

[Bud]

Hi jptechnical

I got my Novell CNE status in 1989 and my Micro$oft in 94. I Converted to SME in 2006. What a WAKEUP Call for me. If I knew what I know now 5 Years ago I would have been able to do a Huge amount More for my Clients. Micro$oft is Excellent at their Marketing and that's Just that - MARKETING, not Solutions Just MARKETING.

I just Luv Micro$oft now as my Clients are Sick and Tired of Paying, Paying, Paying etc. etc. and this Product Beats the Pants of Micro$oft like Nothing else. They are ALL on SME Server. It Just Works. LEARN SME YOU WILL NOT BE DISSAPOINTED.

The Support is Great and the Team more than Willing to Help.

To the SME Team all I can say is: Thanks Guys for a Great Product.

Long Live SME