Looking for a good email Server

[drdre]

Ok.. i got a little problem here...

my office has about 15 people and i am looking at a simple email server solution. I can go the route of a postfix and dovecot setup.. but at present i am looking for something alot simple to admin and implement. Zimbra was suggested to me by a friend.

I was wondering how easy it is to use the open source edition ? my company can not afford the Standard nor the enterprise editions..

is the open source edition limited to a certain amount of users ?

My box will be a Centos5 box.. any recommendation will we greatly appreciated.

[mmorse]

Well then you've hit the right place!

The open source edition isn't limited to number of users-a chart of the network edition enhancements is here:
/products/product_editions.html
a more detailed list is here: /pdf/Zimbra Collaboration Suite Feature List.pdf

Centos5 isn't a official build-but it's close enough to RedHat that most people get it working.
For instance: /forums/installation/8726-centos-5-install-guide.html

Get it here: /community/downloads.html

I don't work for zimbra-just saying this because then you'll ask less questions like "Is this possible to implement into zimbra?" that we just answer "It's already possible in the NE."
If you can install any of the supported oses I encourage you to try out the NE 60day trial: (which can convert to the open source edition when the trial is up)
/products/download_network.html

[drdre]

Ok guys... i am ready to get my hands dirty with zimbra.. But i got a few questions..

firstly should i setup zimbra in a DMZ since i want to be able to access it externally ? (i am not a linux guru yet.. getting there step by step .. so i asking all the questions i need to ask.. sorry if they sound dumb)..

If i am setting it up in a DMZ .. what should i have as the FQDN hostname ? especially since i want it to be downloading my external email from Index of / and also handle sending of emails internally ?

thats all the questions I have for now.. i would really appreciated any advise.


my box by the way is a Cents5 box .. AMD dual core 2 gbs ram... running a software raid 5 array.

[mmorse]

Nope, you dont' need a dmz.
Ports - ZimbraWiki (though you can play with/with not opening up 7071-admin console or 22-ssh external access, if you don't plan to use pop don't open those ports etc)

Read the quick install guide: http://www.zimbra.com/products/documentation.html


Call it mail.domain.com or something-and when your ready make it the authorative mx record for your domain.
Your gonna become real familiar with your DNS and MX records

How is your internal dns currently managed? You said a small company-so I don't know if your a tech company, or just 15 people on a broadband link with DCHP.
(If you don't have any, consider bind)
You hosted at site5?

[mmorse]

FYI- I merged your approx 7 threads and deleted lots of duplicate posts.
If you hit back and post again it'll flag one of those for 'approval' (hit edit instead)
And if a perticular term gets flagged in the message-it'll tell you something to the effect of 'your post will be flagged for moderation, and should appear shortly' etc

[drdre]

ok. .we are a small company.. 15 people...

I haev a endian firewall box giving out internal ip addresses and handling dns for the internal pcs.

I plan on adding another nic to the endian box to create a dmz to put the Zimbra box in..

[mmorse]

Do you actually assign dns records for your domain there (ie manage your a & mx records) or does it just route the dns queries?

Split DNS - ZimbraWiki

Once again, you really don't need to go with a full dmz (I wouldn't) but everyone's requirements & setup is different; to each his own of course!
For instance-can you assign public ip addresses behind the firewall?

If you plan on a gradual migration (as apposed to downtime & switch): Split Domain - ZimbraWiki

[drdre]

i believe it routes the dns queries.

Would it be save to have my zimbra box on my normal network and allow access to it from the internet ?

[mmorse]

I don't know your perticular firewall software/how you can separate vlans/ip ranges etc etc.

If you put it behind the firewall-You'll be doing what's known as Split DNS - ZimbraWiki then. (and bind is immensily popular for that)

If you rely on an externally managed dns only and just give the box a public ip-if your dns resolution goes down-you ain't gonna be sending mail-even locally. (However you aren't going to be surfing the web or any other transactions either so you'll probably have bigger fish to fry.)

Maybe to get yourself started you do a dmz with a public ip address, then once you work out the setup, play with zimbra, understand your dns, etc - then move it to a split dns config.

Where do you go right now to manage your dns records-site5?

[drdre]

At present from our local isp ..

The domain name is up, but we havent started using the email addresses yet..

when we start to .. it will be records-site5 doing the dns.