Topic: Considering first installation of SME Server

[alexius]

I am new to SME server and need some advice please:

I need to install a server for a 20 user network for a client. The requirement is to manage email uploads and downloads, manage windows updates - so that only 1 update needs to be done for all users(all the users use Windows), and the same for virus updates. The system must also provide automated backups for users. .
I also need to set the system up for remote diagnstics and support - since I will be supporting the system remotely
Any suggestions of the best way to achieve this. I have lots of experience with MS servers - but have never installed a Linux server before. How difficult will it be to achieve the results desired as above?
I am an IT professional of many years - but not an Linux expert! (although I use Ubuntu and Kubuntu and have been improving my skills on them).

[Stefano]

Hi, welcome here

I need to install a server for a 20 user network for a client.

any pIII server with 512 mb of ram can do it

The requirement is to manage email uploads and downloads,

works out of the box.. if you have to retrieve emails from external server, there's a contrib for it

manage windows updates - so that only 1 update needs to be done for all users(all the users use Windows), and the same for virus updates.

you'd achieve it with squid and a custom template.. read here

The system must also provide automated backups for users. .

there are many ways to achieve it.. roaming profiles or other.. search in the wiki howto

I also need to set the system up for remote diagnstics and support - since I will be supporting the system remotely

works out of the box, via pptpd vpn or (better) via ssh

Any suggestions of the best way to achieve this. I have lots of experience with MS servers - but have never installed a Linux server before. How difficult will it be to achieve the results desired as above?
I am an IT professional of many years - but not an Linux expert! (although I use Ubuntu and Kubuntu and have been improving my skills on them).

I suggest you to:
- forget ubuntu et similar.. SME is derived from CemtOS/Red Hat and has a different package system (rpm)
- read TWICE the documentation
- try, try, try and, finally, try and test.. use virtualization.. SME setup and managing is easy as 1,2,3, but if something goes wrong (nothing's perfect) you must know hot to diagnose the problem and how to solve it.. if you sell SME, you must know how to use and manage it.

finally, I suggest you to search the forums before posting any question because at 99% there already the answers..

Ciao
Stefano

[alexius]

Thanks for the detailed reply!
I have been searching these forums (and many others as well!). I finally decided to post the same question on an Ebox forum, Ubuntu Server and this forum.
It would seem from user responses that SME Server is very reliable and would meet my initial as well as future needs very well.
I intend to install it on a test server and get to know it very well as fast as possible. I need to do the install for my client within a week!

[Stefano]

I finally decided to post the same question on an Ebox forum, Ubuntu Server and this forum.

not to start a flame, but ebox is a (too) young project and with ubuntu you have to configure yoursel each service you need (i.e. modify conf files manually)

It would seem from user responses that SME Server is very reliable and would meet my initial as well as future needs very well.
I intend to install it on a test server and get to know it very well as fast as possible. I need to do the install for my client within a week!

well.. each day has 24 hours.. if you sleep 1 hour a day..
anyway.. SME's learning curve is... very fast.. but keep your testing server active and continue to test and try..

good luck
Stefano

p.s. consider to make a donation to the project if you sell SME as a solution..

[alexius]

Thanks Stefano

SME Server it will be - and the donation will follow - as soon as i can raise some cash from client!!

Thanks again!

[MSmith]

The only annoying thing about the almost total lack of a learning curve with SME Server is that it just runs, right out of the box, and you don't really learn anything about Linux because you don't *have* to fiddle with it!  But you can (and it sounds as though you will) fiddle to get it to cache your Windows update, so you'll learn something after all.  Welcome!  You'll find SME Server a stable and reliable asset.

[cactus]

and you don't really learn anything about Linux because you don't *have* to fiddle with it!  But you can (and it sounds as though you will) fiddle to get it to cache your Windows update, so you'll learn something after all.  Welcome!  You'll find SME Server a stable and reliable asset.

If you are going to fiddle with it you should know that the configuration files are templated and a lot iof the settings can be tweaked using SME Server's internal configuration database, on which you can read a lot in the SME Server Developers Guide which you can also find in the wiki.