Topic: SME 8, LDAP AUTH et al.

[steever]

Hi - I posted this on the bugtracker and was directed to post it here instead (usually the other way round!  ) ...

Hi.  I have a couple of questions re LDAP authentication.  I am hoping that one
of you can clear them up ...

1. Will SME 8 support LDAP authentication out of the box?
2. What are the actual settings for the LDAP server?  I'd like to start work
attempting to auth Linux and Mac against SME, but I need to know the settings
to use.
3. How does this work relate to the work that is being done to expand SME's
capabilities as a BDC, domain member server, etc by Greg Zartman?

Thank you so much guys for trying so hard to get this to work - but think of
the benefits, a fully point and click non-microsoft network!

Charlie's responses was ...

1. Nobody is currently working to integrate LDAP authentication capability with
SME8.

Points to consider:

• It seems to me that the development guys have put a large amount of work into getting ldap authentication working on SME 7.  I wonder why this would not be included by default in SME 8 - it seems like the logical step.
• Now the "bug" has closed, can some in development give someone in documentation the details so that it can be put on the wiki for everyone to enjoy?
• Greg's work on dragging our samba implementation into the 21st century is great.  I see no reason why these improvements should not make it into SME 8, making it a real winner.

It would also be good if we could have a wiki page stating the planned improvements for SME 8 aka road map.

Steve

[janet]

steever

You seem to overlook the comment that nobody is doing it, and somehow expect it to happen just because it should.
If nobody is doing it, then it won't happen.

All good suggestions & new feature requests still need developers to do the work of creating the code & implementing the function.
Keep in mind that the majority of development work on sme server is voluntary, so a volunteer (or volunteers) are needed to come forward to "do the work".

If no-one volunteers, then it won't happen.

If you really want the feature, and no-one is "doing it", then feel free to sponsor a developer (with cash) to create the functionality.

The implementation of LDAP authentication is a not a small task.

[steever]

Thanks Mary ...

You seem to overlook the comment that nobody is doing it, and somehow expect it to happen just because it should.
If nobody is doing it, then it won't happen.

Hasn't it already been done?  The developers' hard work will be wasted if it is not put into SME 8. 

All good suggestions & new feature requests still need developers to do the work of creating the code & implementing the function.
Keep in mind that the majority of development work on sme server is voluntary, so a volunteer (or volunteers) are needed to come forward to "do the work".

Agreed.  I can't code so my little bit of help is to document stuff - I'd love to get a wiki page on ldap auth going, but I don't have any information about it because the developers haven't had time to give us any - and to try to connect Linux and Macs to the server.

The suggestions I make are not really things I want or need, they are suggestions that might make SME an even better server distro.  Everytime I think of an improvement, I'm told "sponsor a dev" - I don't have money, just ideas.  I help other ways by answering forum questions and writing documentation.  Maybe instead of individual mom and pop users like me being asked to sponsor, we could take a look at the donation money that's coming in and, as a community, decide where it should go.  That's hard though without a leadership team.  None of this my fault, your fault or the developers' fault.

So, what's in SME 8?  Don't know, not written down anywhere ...
Who decides the feature set?  Don't know, not written down anywhere ...
How do we influence the feature set?  Offer cash to someone ...

I'd like to have a say, but the only way to get one, it appears, is pay someone.  With my finances, any offer of cash that I can afford is more likely to be insulting to the developer rather than helpful.

[CharlieBrady]

So, what's in SME 8?  Don't know, not written down anywhere ...

It's a port from CentOS4 to CentOS5. I'm quite sure that's written down as well.

[janet]

steever

Hasn't it already been done?

 

I was referring to sme8 implementation, so the answer is No, as indicated by Charlie.

I'd love to get a wiki page on ldap auth going...

Perhaps you should be contacting the author of the work that was done for sme7, search bugzilla.
My general understanding is that it is still a work in progress for sme7, with issues still to be resolved, but I have not looked at it for some time now to see what stage development is at (for sme7).


I undertstand your comments/sentiment, but it still requires someone to volunteer (or be paid) to do the coding/testing. If I recall correctly, the LDAP work that was done was by a private company sponsoring an intern (or similar).
You cannot expect Charlie or Gordon or Shad or other developers to take responsibility for every great  request that non coders or users desire. They mostly do work for free in relation to sme server and are busy enough creating what they already do give to us. Just upgrading the base Linux version and creating a stable sme8 release (roughly equivalent to sme7) is a major undertaking, without even considereing new features.

As has often been said, other developers are welcome to contribute well developed code to the key developers and if it has merit they will consider it for inclusion in future releases.

So, what's in SME 8?  Don't know, not written down anywhere ...

Download and install the beta release and find out.
http://wiki.contribs.org/SME_Server_8

http://bugs.contribs.org/show_bug.cgi?id=3640

Contribute ideas or bugs via bugzilla.
Obviously if you want a major NFR then you will need to seriously contribute in some way, and if you are not a coder than cash is the answer.
 
If you want more to be written down about sme8 and what's in it etc, then add to the existing wiki page, or create additional pages yourself and start writing, ie for example based on your testing of the sme8 beta feature set.

The cash donations/contributions made by people that you may see referred to in these forums, is only used to fund ongoing costs of maintaining contribs.org, none of it goes to developers.

[steever]

Hi Charlie, thanks, yes it's a port from CENTOS 4 to CENTOS 5.  So, there are updates in a number of areas ...

1. PHP?  Which version?
2. MySQL? Which version?
3. Samba? Which version?
4. Other things, eg. horde? etc
5. Any of the NFRs that you've taken on board?

I know you're busy but can you give a little information, maybe on the wiki page for SME 8, about the changes?  Thanks.

Thanks, Mary.  I'll take all of that on board.

Steve

[janet]

steever

Your package version questions will all be answered by looking at the sme8 beta CD, rather than asking for Charlies valuable time to answer those.
The packages in Centos5 will be the version used in sme8.

As far as NFRs in sme8 are concerned, do an install & test/play.

[steever]

OK, Mary, I'll give it a try.  Though I'm not sure how to go about it.  I think, however, that documenting a road map is not a waste of time.  I am interested/excited in knowing where the devs are taking SME - I'd like to know what their plans are for the future.  The move from SME 6 to SME 7 was fantastic in terms of stability and features.  Can anyone furnish the rest of the community with a vision for our future?  Even a couple of sentences would be fine.

Maybe I'm asking too much.

Steve

[janet]

steever link

Perhaps you should contact Gavin Weight & co-ordinate your documentation efforts with the testing team efforts.