Guest's picture

it would be great if there was a mail server appliance that smaller organisations (which don't want to pay for or deal with the complexities of M$Exchange) could get.  We'd be happy to pay something reasonable for one if we knew that set up and maintenance were reasonably simple ..

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Liraz Siri's picture

We are working on a suite of appliances that should cover basic SMB IT needs with the same easy setup as our other appliances. That includes mail, network file storage, print, name services, etc. We'd like to do that at a level of quality that can match proprietary offerings but with all of the advantages of a free, open source offering.

If you have any more ideas for how to serve SMB users, do share.

faustcoder's picture

I have it almost ready! It will use a combination of likewise-open to auth to AD and Citadel for groupware! Look for it soon.
homer15's picture

this is very exciting. any eta? if not, "soon" is good enough for me.
Ian Goddard's picture

For a simple mailserver I don't think groupware is required.

Looking at the what packages are available there doesn't seem to be one that does everything.  The usual approach seems to be to pick best of breed.  This is OK but it then becomes a tough excercise in system integration and that seems to be a big enough problem without throwing groupware into the mix.  There would be a number of possible requirements:

1.  Getting the mail.  Whatever the method there might be a need to consolidate multiple external IDs to a local user ID. e.g. if I buy from some web vendor I set up an address just for them to email me; this is then forwarded to my regular local mail account but after the transaction I close down their address so if they try to spam me it will bounce.

1.1 Retrieving mail from an ISP's POP3 or IMAP server.  Server might be singledrop or multidrop.  Candidates include Fetchmail, Retchcmail and Getmail.

1.2 Providing an SMTP server on the internet.  Candidates include Postfix, Exim, Sendmail and Courier.

1.2.1 Server with a FQDN

1.2.2 Server hidden behind a NAT.  Postfix configuration instructions are unclear as to whether this needs special handling.

2. Storing the mail.

2.1 Real user mail boxes. Candidates include mbox & maildir.

2.2 Virtual users. Candidates include physical mailboxes as per 2.1 (but not in $HOME) and databases.

3. Delivering the mail.

3.1 Just logging in & reading the mailbox direct.  Probably inadequate.

3.2 POP3 or IMAP server. Candidates include Dovecot & Courier.

3.3 Webmail. Candidates include Squrrelmail & Roundcube.

3.4 Full-blown groupware.  See comment above but I see that TKL Zimbra server manifest includes Fetchmail so possibly the two servers could be hosted on separate VMs and work together with Zimbra using Fetchmail to grab from the mail server.

4. Sending mail.  Need to be careful not to create an open relay.

4.1 Not provided, user mail client sends directly to ISP's outbound server.

4.2 User mail client sends to mail server which relays to ISP's outbound server. Candidates as in 1.2 above.

4.3 Mail server includes own MTA.  Candidates as in 1.2 above.

5. Security.

5.1 Authentication.

5.2 Spam & AV filtering. Spamassassin & ClamAV seem to be the standard way to go for these but then they have to be integrated.  Candidates for integration are Amavis and Procmail.  There are also policy issues such as use of blacklists, greylists & whitelists to be considered.

6. Management.

6.1 Low level configuration.  All packages have some sort of config files but some can also be configured by other means such as SQL databases.  Which to choose? Choice may interact with database option for 2.2, also with 6.2

6.2 Configuration wizard.  Depending on the choices in 1 to 5 various packages need to be enabled or disabled and those enabled need to have a coherent set of config files to enable them to work together properly.  Sysadmin needs to be able to set up the overall structure and possibly users need to be able to set up their requirements, e.g. consolidation of external IDs as in 1.

Ian

faustcoder's picture

I'm doing various tests with different groupware suites. Hopefully one (or maybe two?) of them will make the cut. I like Citadel due to its simplicity and very active development. So I guess you can take this as a "soon". In the meantime check out the turnkey wiki for more info. And please feel free to give any feedback, we could always use it!
Anon's picture

Zimbra, Zarafa & eGroupWare seem to be gaining ground as turnkey alternatives to exchange, which is what I'd expect is what many users @ admins will come to expect.

With the exception of the ActiveSync (& possibly BlackBerry) protocols, which are propietary extras, the rest seem pretty well geared to go "mainstream"

If I'm not mistaken, these groupware systems require some form of direcory service, like LDAP, to enfore group policy contol, which may complicate configuration

All of this is even before we get to CRM systems, like SalesForce & SugarCRM

== FLOSS'er ==

clchildress's picture

It's absolutely grin-inducing that there is a turnkey solution being developed like this!  Thank you so much for giving us a great SMB Exchange alternative.

@freakalad: I haven't checked out the other groupware solutions but In my own personal experience, I have learned to dislike eGroupware very, very much.  My group switched from it after a few nightmarish events with lost data and corrupt sessions.  From what I have seen and experienced, it is very buggy with sloppily combined elements that sometimes work and sometimes don't.  It is slow, and the included wiki is lacking in features and stability.  Just putting in my $0.02!

Once again, thank you to the turnkey team for all your hard work developing a turn-key email and groupware solution.  Installation and configuration of these components can be a big hurdle to linux system administration and it will be great to see a free turn-key solution available as an option.

Anon's picture

Yea. These turnkey's are absolutely fantastic & make life a LOT easier!

Thanks a bunch, guys

Cut-down, standard, secure deployments with very small footprints. Hard to beat!

re eGroupWare: I hear what you're saying & absolutely agree. I was not impressed woth eGroupWare AT ALL, but it's gained widespread use as an exchange alternative. I only put it in as reference, but I doubt that it'll find a home here, since these TK's are build to be extremely stable & robust, which, in my opinion, eGW is not.

== FLOSS'er ==

Maxim's picture

I use Zimbra as PDC. (http://wiki.zimbra.com/index.php?title=UNIX_and_Windows_Accounts_in_Zimb...)

It is a mail server + collaboration + PDC + file server.

Jeremy Davis's picture

I like that idea! I might have a look at that! Thanks for the heads up!

Charles Hutchinson's picture

A SMB appliance would be most appreciated in churches and other ministry offices.  I am currently working with a number of ministries to get their front offices on open source solutions and out from under MS licensing. It would be a BOON if there were a turnkey app for:

- mail

- domain controller

- print

- open collaboration (currently testing google wave which, by its concept, is confusing for people)

- file storage/sharing

- anti virus

- unattended (automated) PC backup

Also, I am able and available to assist with whatever my tech skills can provide to this endeavor.

Hutch

Charles Hutchinson's picture

A SMB appliance would be most appreciated in churches and other ministry offices.  I am currently working with a number of ministries to get their front offices on open source solutions and out from under MS licensing. It would be a BOON if there were a turnkey app for:

- mail

- domain controller

- print

- open collaboration (currently testing google wave which, by its concept, is confusing for people)

- file storage/sharing

- anti virus

- unattended (automated) PC backup

Just my thoughts.

Hutch

Jeremy Davis's picture

While I can't speak for TKL Devs, from discussions that have been had I think that a TKL all-in-one appliance that does what you want is highly unlikely.

That leaves you with a couple of options:

  • Build your own using a TKL appliance already available (TKL Zimbra would possibly be a good choice) and add the extra functionality you want on top of that. As a few others have expressed interest in something similar, it would be good to document the development so others can recreate your appliance (even if TKL choose not to take that path).
  • Create a hardware based virtual server farm using something like Proxmox (my favourite) or VMware ESXi as the base then installing individual TKL appliances to serve each purpose (see more about that idea in my post here).
Neil Bird's picture

I am 1 who would love a SMB package solution for ministry and other small office/not-profit.

I also work with aboriginal groups and the setup of simplified turnkey solutions is quite advantageous as they could remain consistent from office to office.

I understand and like the virtual server solution, however this is not ideal with scattered groups.  A well integrated smb solution would be nice.  A solution based off Zimbra would be nice with file server and PDC. 

I have not had a chance to fully test the Zimbra solution, is it not suitable as a mail server?

... willing to test builds if needed.  As long as I can figure out why I can't seem to install the Turnkey solutions on my dell test box with IDE raid...

 

PS I love the concepts and effort.   This is a fine and well needed product for those of us stuck in M$ land.

Neil Bird's picture

... how to test the beta.

Have I said yet how I appreciate Turnkey and the community yet?

WooHoo!

Jeremy Davis's picture

But there is a Zimbra appliance. If that's not what you have in mind what would you suggest?

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