Topic: New features wish list

[Rod Egan]

Just installed v4.0b6 ( previously evaluated v3.1 ).

Wish list.
1/ Tape backup support. ( Because there is no dev support on e-smith installs you need to use another machine to compile s/w like ftape and then xfer package to the e-smith server ). If you are a Linux newbie this can be rather time consuming. e-smith makes creating a network server a trivial task but servers need to be backed up!

2/ NTP addition is very good, I haven't checked config to see if it supports NTP server mode for local network ( ie e-smith server is NTP client from the internet and local machines are NTP clients to the e-smith server ).

3/ e-smith package that you could add to an exisiting Linux install to make an easily configurable Linux package but with all of the Linux packages available for the newbie to learn about and develop with.

4/ Improved ipchains config to simplify setup as a firewall as well as a gateway.


Overall, excellent package, simple to install and configure.

[Charlie Brady]

Rod Egan wrote:

> Just installed v4.0b6 ( previously evaluated v3.1 ).
>
> Wish list. 1/ Tape backup support. ( Because there is no dev
> support on e-smith installs you need to use another machine to
> compile s/w like ftape and then xfer package to the e-smith
> server ). If you are a Linux newbie this can be rather time
> consuming. e-smith makes creating a network server a trivial
> task but servers need to be backed up!

Indeed, I believe that it does. I hope to make some RPMs soon to enable use of "flexbackup" to backup to a tape drive. Keep an eye on http://e-smith.gormand.com.au/.

> 2/ NTP addition is very good, I haven't checked config to see
> if it supports NTP server mode for local network ( ie e-smith
> server is NTP client from the internet and local machines are
> NTP clients to the e-smith server ).

That certainly sounds like a good idea - I haven't checked whether it supports this already. Note that most local machines will be Windows machines, and the e-smith server supports the "net time \server set" DOS/Windows command.

> 3/ e-smith package that you could add to an exisiting Linux
> install to make an easily configurable Linux package but with
> all of the Linux packages available for the newbie to learn
> about and develop with.

I don't really think this is a good idea. The e-smith package depends on having a complete idea of the configuration. As soon as you have the "normal" assess to configuration, e.g. the passwd command, then the e-smith system won't work as expected.
Setting up a dual boot system with a second disk drive would be a better way of acheiving the same goal.

> 4/ Improved ipchains config to simplify setup as a firewall as
> well as a gateway.

Yes, that is something I'd like to see as well.

> Overall, excellent package, simple to install and configure.

We're pleased you think so. I hope it does a good job for you.

regards

Charlie

[Rod Egan]

Isn't flexbackup a higher level package that still needs the actual lowlevel tapedriver?
I can see that this could open up a can of worms trying to support various types of tape drives.

Good idea about the nettime command ( I wasn't aware of this, and have spent a fair amount of time with ntp ).

Ditto with the dual boot ( didn't think of that! ).
Thanks

Also UPS support for the server would be nice.

I know most of these things are fairly easy ( after I have RTFM ) but they would make the e-smith server / gateway product into a pretty powerful and complete NT replacement box.
Rgds
Rod

[Charlie Brady]

Rod Egan wrote:

> Isn't flexbackup a higher level package that still needs the
> actual lowlevel tapedriver?

It needs some support packages: perl and dump and gzip as a minimum, and it needs a tape device.

> I can see that this could open up
> a can of worms trying to support various types of tape drives.

The server already includes support for all SCSI tape drives.

> I know most of these things are fairly easy ( after I have
> RTFM ) but they would make the e-smith server / gateway
> product into a pretty powerful and complete NT replacement
> box.

I'm glad you think so. They are all fairly easy, but they all take time - when the resources become available I'm sure you will see some of these features.

regards

Charlie