Anyone tried SME Server (www.e-smith.org)? I was looking through a list of features, and it looks like it would do everything I want it to do plus a little. Required: a. webserver b. internal network fileserver c. mail server d. remote managment (I have had to stick the computer in a closet with my router, for speed reasons) Extra: e. NT/2000/XP domain manager f. firewall/router g. it is Linux, so running stuff like distributed computing and game servers isn't out of the question (right?) h. bunches of other stuff that I will likely never use I would be running it on a P2 350 with 96 mb of ram and a 2gb hd (since it will engage in a hostal takeover of all hard drives, I would rather not throw Windows to the wind yet ) Has anyone used it for any of these functions/have any suggestions? Thanks!
I used it but only as a file/print server (I think the printing was very slow but this could have been because I was using usb) but not as a firewall/router. Remote admin is fine and easy I used to ssh onto it or use the web interface. I didn't use it in a domain but it can do it apparently. I also used it as ftp server too, I didn't play around with the email or webserver. I ran it on a P2 266mhz with 64MB of RAM then with 128MB. If you put in 2 hard drives it will even set up soft RAID mirroring if you want it to. I will re-install it once I get time but I used the case and memory in another machine otherwise it would be still running.
I just installed it and am now going to try and replace it with Gentoo. Not because it's not good, but I can't get my network running. That's probably more to do with me though, cause I couldn't get Mandrake to get it going either. If I could "choose" (if I know what the problem is with my network and I can get it going regardless of the distribution) I'll probably go with SME. It looks very lean and mean Anyway Yo-Duh 87, it installed all your requirements automatically (you only have to tell which of those you want to use and then provide your ip numbers). So I think you should definetly try it. ***off-topic: @joel112; you may or may not be right about clarkconnect being "a much better solution", but I think everyone's wishes/requirements are different, and it's therefore a little presumptuous to generalize like that... ***on-topic @Yo-Duh 87: Good luck m8 Sir George
Thanks. I looked at your suggestion, joel112, but it seems that a lot of features cost money, and my primary reason for using Linux is because I don't have to pay for it (I would rather spend money on hardware than software ). I have burned a instalation CD, and have read over some of the documentation. Looks good! Has anyone tried installing a normal app such as seti on a SME box? Does it work?
Hmm, after some more "no-go" tries with Gentoo I decided to give SME one more try. It still didn't work, so I decided to start from the bottom once again; check cables from router and switch to all pc's, then *but wait! there's a cable unplugged! Turns out I have been trying to get my network going with different distro's for over 8 hours while one of my cables was unplugged (yep, I had a lot of emotions going through me ) Well, it shouldn't surprise anyone that it didn't work, right? Anyway, SME now reports that it can contact Mitel's server (the makers of SME, in case you didin't know), so after this glorious victory over my own stupidity, I'm now going to celebrate with a glass of coca-cola and some old "Blackadder" episodes. I'll see about the configuration etc. tomorrow. Good luck with your install Yo-Duh_87! Sir George
I don't think it'll run "normal" apps like seti, unless you know how to change the modules it starts with. But that would knid of defeat the whole idea behind it. When it's done booting you just see a screen with a couple of options (configure server, test internet connection, shutdown/reboot, etc.) with no "normal" desktop or prompt. I also connected to it from my main WinXP machine (using Internet Explorer) and the menu there was a lot more pleasing to the eye. It kind of reminded me of my electronic banking program . So unless you know a way to change the bootsequence while still remaining the original functionality, you probably won't be able to run other apps. And if you knew how to do that, you probably would've built your own kernel/modules already... Sir George BTW, if you want, I could post some pictures tomorrow. Just let me know. Atm I'm too lazy to turn the server back on again
Well, it's going to be the first time placing piccies on a forum, so I hope I've done everything as I should (esp. the uploading to my homepage and then the linking...). Here goes. The screen on the server (sorry for the quality; I've only got a webcam ): And as seen via remote connect: Greetz, Sir George
Btw, if you're wondering about that pink thingy on top of my monitor, it's a clock: And yes, I'm getting to like placing piccies now Sir George
Thanks a heap, I am indeed going to try this (hopefuly soon ) Looks like a well designed interface, not at all what I expected (I would normaly expect the time to be put into the actual backend coding instead of looks, but they suprised me ) Apparently you can install "normal" Linux apps on SME, there is a huge list of user contributed how-tos. One on installing a game server is here. I am hoping to be able to run Jedi Knight 2 server on SME eventualy (more than likely need to run on a better computer, but this is a start ). Hopefuly I'll have time in the next few weeks now that stuff has sort of slowed down a bit (if I can just survive...)
Ok, I finaly got it installed, it was quite painless, actualy After getting the thing all configured, I accessed it remotely from another system, that works too. But, I can't access it from the internet! Using dyndns, I regestered a hostname, and set it all up in the configuration, but it is not working... I even tried putting the system in front of my router/firewall, to no avail. Any ideas? Thanks!
Also, has anyone found a good site for SME downloads/how-tos other than the e-smith site? I can't seem to find much stuff for it
Sorry Yo-DUH, Been away from my 'puter for a couple of days (don't know how I survided it ). Ehm, no I haven't found any other sites, but then again, I haven't looked yet . Am interested though, so if you do find any, plz. post them here? I'm pretty busy atm, but sometime this week I'm going to clear up (i.e. temporarily place my movies on a friend's HDD) one of my 120GB HDD's, change the filesystem from NTFS to EXT3, hook it up to my SME server and try to share my movies from there. Pretty excited about it, since I still feel very insecure about anything to do with Linux (more to with my lack of stability than Linux's ). Shall I post here about it, or would that be too much of a "thread theft"? Sir George
I don't mind Oh, figured out why the internet refuses to agnoledge the presence of my SME box, I had it set up to use 2 ethernet adapters, when I only have one I need to fix that and then try again Until I get the second adapter, I won't be able to use it as a network share, though
Erm you only need 2 cards if you are using it as a gateway/router otherwise you should be able to connect with one card.
