SmallBusinessServer

SmallBusinessServer - Brainstorming and Idea Aggregation from Net This Page serves as a useful summary and brainstorming session for the various pending ubuntu Small business Server implementation. This Page is a small summary of what is being discussed and suggested and provide a basic intro for the project.

The key pieces of Microsoft's implementation of Small Business Server (henceforth SBS) are

  • the Windows Server OS
  • IIS web server
  • Exchange mail server
  • Active Directory domain server.

Functions:

  • Web
  • Mail
  • Collaboration
  • Firewall
  • Database
  • Desktop Management

Disadvantages:

MS wants your directory and domain control on a web server also acting as your firewall.

Possible Ubuntu Implementations

Possible Additional Features:

  • Integration of Landscape (http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20070724-ars-at-ubuntu-live-canonical-releases-web-based-server-management-platform-for-support-subscribers.html)

  • Make Fedora Directory Server available
  • (from forum post http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=191858)This server is the best I'm aware of in the open source world. With features like multi-master replication (although limited to four servers I think) and AD synchronization this is a critical starting point of matching AD.

  • implement eDirectory- which as I understand beats out even AD because of it's superior replication abilities.
  • There needs to be an easy interface that basically creates an internal software repositories. This would allow testing and allow IT personal to create their own debs (which needs to be simplified) for internal package deployment.
  • Should be tied together and relatively simple to deploy.
  • Should be able to "force updates", it's to say the admin decides if something *must* be installed (forcing a client-side apt-get install on a large scale, via a simple interface)... I want to be able to force a basic setup upon users.
  • Should be Gui, or at least have gui alternatives for setup. Webadmin would be cool
  • Instead of implementing Exchange- have an intermediate option to integrate with gmail or Google Apps for Mail. ( lots of small business run it already!)

Other FOSS Solutions similar:

SME Server(http://www.smeserver.org)

Advantages:

  • Functions Can Be spread over several boxes (if needed)
  • Webadmin Control
  • Easy to Use

Disadvantages:

  • No windows client Patch Management (windows has auto update!)
  • No Active Directory Domain(implement a Samba Domain)]
  • No commercially Available Support
  • Some reports of Poor community support (not sure why!)

References:

SmallBusinessServer (last edited 2010-03-10 06:24:05 by ppp112-168)