Topic: Contrib - https://wiki.koozali.org/OpenVPN_Bridge

[FreakWent]

Hi everyone!

I run an instance of SME 10 that I've carried along, backup/restore style across far too many versions of SME....

So this time I want to build a clean instance and copy over just the bits I want, leaving a lot of cruft and bitrot behind.

On my shiny new server:

[root]#cat /etc/*rel* | grep SME
SME Server release 11.0alpha1


So step one:

[root]#yum update
[...]
Complete!

Good, Step two:

[root]#yum --enablerepo=smecontribs install smeserver-openvpn-bridge
Last metadata expiration check: 2:22:04 ago on Mon 21 Apr 2025 12:20:04 AEST.
No match for argument: smeserver-openvpn-bridge
Error: Unable to find a match: smeserver-openvpn-bridge

Dammit.  What now?

[ReetP]

It's Alpha. Not ready for production. Still testing & fixing core stuff.

So we haven't built contribs yet.

By all means thrash it as it stands (a huge pile of updates post iso) but until we are happy with the basics we aren't doing much with contribs.

We"ll properly start with Beta.

How long? Depends on how much help we get....

Frustratingly, despite thousands of users and multiple appeals for help, it is still the same tiny group of 5 people trying to work on it - plus a few testing, in between busy lives. We do what we can.

If you had a Rocket account you could see the testing on server migration as we speak, and help (there are a lot of gotchas). You could learn how to help migrate & test contribs.......

You can DM me here to get access.

[Jean-Philippe Pialasse]

in sme11 we introduced a new mirror. If you want to give a try and test to trash it add
--enablerepo=smecontribs-testing


as said John, this is alpha. you will get a blocking update i. few days because of mysql. (blocking means you will need manual intervention to restore the function of mariadb)

starting beta version we will only do bugfixes and small functionnality improvement.   

[ReetP]

What he said...

And note you should be testing the new smanager, not server-manager which is deprecated and which will be removed probably pre-release.

[steveb]

So I came in here because I am pretty much tinkering with the same thing. I have a test box with dual NIC and the "WAN" is on my main network and the "LAN" provided by this is connected to a WAP. It works well, except I don't have access to the smanager or ssh from the WAN side. So I figured just set up openvpn and it will be happy days.

Following the wiki I went to install yum --enablerepo=smecontribs-testing install smeserver-openvpn-bridge but this kicks back "- nothing provides perl(Net::OpenVPN::Manage)". Kewl, this is still very much in the testing realm

So I am wondering how detrimental it might be to grab the one from SME10 (https://distro.ibiblio.org/smeserver/releases/10.1/smecontribs/x86_64/RPMS/perl-Net-OpenVPN-Manage-0.02-2.el7.sme.noarch.rpm) and whether this will install or function being an el7 package. Looking at the (latest) version that appears (https://metacpan.org/pod/Net::OpenVPN::Manage) this matches with the sme10.1 package. 

I am willing to just give it a go (worst worst comes I cream the box an reload, although I am trying more to make informed decisions and/or extract myself from the situation which teaches a greater lesson) although asking a question might save a bit of heartache.
Would this be beneficial to compile from the source, then how to make this into a package? 

Likewise the same deal with smeserver-phpki-ng is also looking for the phpki-ng package (in 10.1/contribs....)

Cheers,
Steve B

[Jean-Philippe Pialasse]

It works well, except I don't have access to the smanager or ssh from the WAN side. So I figured just set up openvpn and it will be happy days.

while an interesting exercice, this is not tue right tool to do it. like using a hammerjack to put a nail.  Simply set your real LAN ir the network that is on wan side of your test server in httpd-admin ValidFrom property.

So I am wondering how detrimental it might be to grab the one from SME10

as explained in my previous answer not the way of doing.  there is a build for sme11 in the new repo smecontribs-testing.  just need to enable it.

[steveb]

Granted yes there probably is a "better" way. I'm not familiar with everything associated with the permissions and configuration parameters.

Rightly or wrongly I'm endeavouring to build up a replica of my currently operating Server Gateway that I can swap in for short periods of time to make sure it is working as expected.

Is not testing this alpha/beta all about setting up interesting exercises?
Maybe trying to run the openvpn contrib on sme11 DOESN'T work (as expected) and here is an opportunity to contribute to the fix it. I am also trying not to deviate from the stock install, where I can, to minimise variables in play.   

The smeserver-openVPN contrib as I stated requires the perl-Net-OpenVPN-Manage package which is NOT currently in either ../testing/11/smecontribs/x86_64/Packages/ or ../testing/11/smecontribs-testing/x86_64/Packages/  hence the reason for querying. Enabling by including the --enablerepo=smecontribs-testing so YES I am.

Likewise for smeserver-phpki-ng, all of the packages required are NOT in the ../11/smecontribs-testing directory, at least on the mirror that is being served to me, today (I just went and checked).

I can (and probably will) set the http-admin ValidFrom at some point to allow admin access from the LAN and maybe disable when I put in place of my current S/G. Just to make it simpler.

Also for the record and before you ask, all packages are updated, regularly.

Just trying to help in the effort to get SME11 up, if this is not helping that cause then I'm sorry.

Anyway...  That is that then.

[ReetP]

Granted yes there probably is a "better" way. I'm not familiar with everything associated with the permissions and configuration parameters.

Is not testing this alpha/beta all about setting up interesting exercises?

If you are going to play with Alpha - and it is not Beta yet - level code then you really should know more about it. You will come unstuck fast which then diverts us from fixing things.

If you want to contribute and work on Alpha I have posted many times on how to join in.

The reality is this sort of thing helps no one.

Rightly or wrongly I'm endeavouring to build up a replica of my currently operating Server Gateway that I can swap in for short periods of time to make sure it is working as expected.

Doing that will get you in an utter mess - trying to sync the servers will be a nightmare and you are likely to lose data.

You should run it on a separate machine in a separate environment. We use generally Proxmox. Or get a cheap VPS at say digital ocean or vultr etc.

Maybe trying to run the openvpn contrib on sme11 DOESN'T work (as expected) and here is an opportunity to contribute to the fix it. I am also trying not to deviate from the stock install, where I can, to minimise variables in play.   

Some packages are there but we are still too busy working on Alpha to fix them. See other posts on this. There is a time and place for this, and that isn't now.

Unless you know what you are doing then you won't be able to fix it properly and you will want us to drop everything to help you, so it isn't helping anyone.

The smeserver-openVPN contrib as I stated requires the perl-Net-OpenVPN-Manage package which is NOT currently in either ../testing/11/smecontribs/x86_64/Packages/ or ../testing/11/smecontribs-testing/x86_64/Packages/  hence the reason for querying. Enabling by including the --enablerepo=smecontribs-testing so YES I am.

Because it is probably broken and we haven't got round to fixing it it, yet. We just threw packages in the repo and left them to be fixed later. It may have old requires, or need new ones. I have no idea right now.

Note. There are a couple of us who write code, and a few who test, That's it. We have other priorities.

Likewise for smeserver-phpki-ng, all of the packages required are NOT in the ../11/smecontribs-testing directory, at least on the mirror that is being served to me, today (I just went and checked).

See above. I don't have time to fix it.

I can (and probably will) set the http-admin ValidFrom at some point to allow admin access from the LAN and maybe disable when I put in place of my current S/G. Just to make it simpler.

Bearing in mind JP is THE main man with code, I really suggest you take his advice.

Just trying to help in the effort to get SME11 up, if this is not helping that cause then I'm sorry.

I have written countless times how people can help (though very very few do). I am not going to do it again.

Random thrashing about doesn't help anyone.

Accounts on Rocket to get some assistance and guidance, discuss what you are doing, proper bug reports & verification and a mehtodical approach will.

I am not trying to be harsh - just matter of fact. In the time it took to answer this comprehensively I could have rewritten 3 or 4 templates that I am updating in smanager so you get a modern responsive manager.......

Please, follow the advice given here and elsewhere. We'd REALLY love you to help, but there is a way to do it properly to save us all time.

Thanks.