TelNetSystems
Technical User
I work with small businesses of 2 to 100 employees, and I want to configure a Linux based "general purpose" server for these people. I have used and worked with Microsoft Small Business Server to fill this need in the past, but I want to migrate to Linux. I have very little Unix/Linux experience, so this is going to be a very steep learning curve for me. I am realizing that many of the functions which were incorporated into the NT Server OS or massive software packages like Exchange are going to be composed of several smaller component applications in Linux, and I will have to choose one of several competing programs for each of these mini-applications. I would like to ask for your help in identifying the various applications I will need and narrowing the options down to the top two or three choices for each.
The primary considerations I have are these: I want to work within freeware applications as much as possible. Since I am new to Linux and Linux apps, ease of installation, configuration, and maintenace are of prime importance. I also want to stick with fairly common applications as much as possible, so I can easily find help when necessary. I am not terribly concerned with running the fastest or most powerfull applications if that means configuration and maintenace will be more difficult.
Some of the things I definitely want the system to be able to do: I expect most of these systems to be connected to cable or DSL (though a few may be dial-on-demand), some with fixed IPs and some with dynamic IPs. A web hosting provider will host their websites and provide a "catch all" or "domain" pop3 mailbox. I would like to set email up to send and recieve via SMTP, with the hosting provider's pop3 mailbox as a backup for inbound email. Windows clients will access the email via IMAP or webmail. I would like the Linux server to provide security/account authentication for Windows 2000/XP clients if possible, and host a shared company directory as well as individual user directories. Email and shared directories will need to automatically backup to a backup disk and DDS tape. I will need internet connection sharing and firewalling for the cable/DSL/dial connection, and would like to configure dial-on-demand as a failover for the cable/dsl connection. I also want to provide an intranet web server. Antivirus seems important for email and shared files.
Here is what I am thinking about at right now.
Red Hat 9 - for base distribution
getmail - for checking the pop3 account
postfix - for SMTP
Courier IMAP - for IMAP access
squirrelmail - for web based email access
apache - for the web server
Panda - for the antivirus
Samba - for Windows file and print shares
I don't know if these are the best choices, and I have no idea what to do for a dynamic DNS client, backup program, internet connection sharing, firewall, or other applications I am sure I will need but just don't know yet. I could also use any recommendations for applications that help configure and manage these applications.
Please feel free to contribute any thoughts or recommendations. Hopefully you will help guide me in the right directions from the beginning.
David Hall
The primary considerations I have are these: I want to work within freeware applications as much as possible. Since I am new to Linux and Linux apps, ease of installation, configuration, and maintenace are of prime importance. I also want to stick with fairly common applications as much as possible, so I can easily find help when necessary. I am not terribly concerned with running the fastest or most powerfull applications if that means configuration and maintenace will be more difficult.
Some of the things I definitely want the system to be able to do: I expect most of these systems to be connected to cable or DSL (though a few may be dial-on-demand), some with fixed IPs and some with dynamic IPs. A web hosting provider will host their websites and provide a "catch all" or "domain" pop3 mailbox. I would like to set email up to send and recieve via SMTP, with the hosting provider's pop3 mailbox as a backup for inbound email. Windows clients will access the email via IMAP or webmail. I would like the Linux server to provide security/account authentication for Windows 2000/XP clients if possible, and host a shared company directory as well as individual user directories. Email and shared directories will need to automatically backup to a backup disk and DDS tape. I will need internet connection sharing and firewalling for the cable/DSL/dial connection, and would like to configure dial-on-demand as a failover for the cable/dsl connection. I also want to provide an intranet web server. Antivirus seems important for email and shared files.
Here is what I am thinking about at right now.
Red Hat 9 - for base distribution
getmail - for checking the pop3 account
postfix - for SMTP
Courier IMAP - for IMAP access
squirrelmail - for web based email access
apache - for the web server
Panda - for the antivirus
Samba - for Windows file and print shares
I don't know if these are the best choices, and I have no idea what to do for a dynamic DNS client, backup program, internet connection sharing, firewall, or other applications I am sure I will need but just don't know yet. I could also use any recommendations for applications that help configure and manage these applications.
Please feel free to contribute any thoughts or recommendations. Hopefully you will help guide me in the right directions from the beginning.
David Hall
