Switching to Zimbra -- in a weird way

[Caos]

I'm testing Zimbra to switch our old mail server, which is based on horde+apache+cyrus+postfix+ldap+mysql+spamassassin +etcetera etcetera

I know that Zimbra is supposed to be installed as a whole, but they want me to install ONLY the web interface (don't ask me why 'cause I don't know), and integrate it on the old configuration that already has horde+apache+cyrus+postfix+ldap+mysql+spamassassin +etcetera etcetera.

I know this would be a road full of pain and teardrops, but the question is: has anybody tried to do it? Is there any resonable chance of success?

[phoenix]

The answer is, you can't do that. The 'web ui' is part of the zimbra collaboration suite and is a complete package.

[dijichi2]

there is zero chance of this working without rewriting the entire interface - it talks to the backend using http/xml/rest/soap, rather than the traditional imp/cyrus way which uses imap.

[Caos]

Well, ok...
And is it possible to do it by using some packages from zimbra (such as apache-tomcat, for example) and some from the current installation (such as cyrus, for example, to preserve mail accounts)?

I ask these questions because if I can exhibit that this isn't a good idea, I'll be out of this "unpleasant" situation, where I'm supposed to do something stupid, holding the responsibility for hundreds of mail accounts.

Thanks for your previous answers, and thanks to anybody will help further....

[Klug]

Originally Posted by Caos

And is it possible to do it by using some packages from zimbra (such as apache-tomcat, for example) and some from the current installation (such as cyrus, for example, to preserve mail accounts)?

No it's not.

Originally Posted by Caos

I ask these questions because if I can exhibit that this isn't a good idea, I'll be out of this "unpleasant" situation, where I'm supposed to do something stupid, holding the responsibility for hundreds of mail accounts.

Do a search in the forum, you'll find testimonials of people migrating several hundreds (thousands ?) of mailboxes over several days (week) using imapsync.

[Caos]

Hey, what a quick answer! Thanks!

Originally Posted by Klug

No it's not.

Can I ask you why (if I don't ask too much)?
I must be able to explain this stuff to the guys who ordered me to install zimbra in this tricky way.

Originally Posted by Klug

Do a search in the forum, you'll find testimonials of people migrating several hundreds (thousands ?) of mailboxes over several days (week) using imapsync.

ok, thanks, i'll search!!

[Klug]

Originally Posted by Caos

Can I ask you why (if I don't ask too much)?
I must be able to explain this stuff to the guys who ordered me to install zimbra in this tricky way.

I'll try a "visual" explanation : Zimbra is a "all in one" solution.

Its heart is the "ZImbra Storage" engine (filesystem + mySQL) on which are plugged modules (LDAP to store users and configuration, using OpenLDAP), the different protocol servers (IMAP4, POP3, designed by/for Zimbra and developped in Java) and the WebUI (same as IMAP4/POP3). Plus the MTA (Postfix).

The only "external" modules are the antispam and antivirus (not mandatory but highly recommanded).

You can not take part of Zimbra (one of the protocol server or the WebUI) and use them with another part of software (cyrus IMAP server, as in your example). It's just not designed to work that way and won't work that way.

[Caos]

Originally Posted by Klug

I'll try a "visual" explanation : Zimbra is a "all in one" solution.

Its heart is the "ZImbra Storage" engine (filesystem + mySQL) on which are plugged modules (LDAP to store users and configuration, using OpenLDAP), the different protocol servers (IMAP4, POP3, designed by/for Zimbra and developped in Java) and the WebUI (same as IMAP4/POP3). Plus the MTA (Postfix).

The only "external" modules are the antispam and antivirus (not mandatory but highly recommanded).

You can not take part of Zimbra (one of the protocol server or the WebUI) and use them with another part of software (cyrus IMAP server, as in your example). It's just not designed to work that way and won't work that way.

ok, thanks...
One more question... cyrus is included in zimbra, what is it used for?

[phoenix]

It's used for SASL authentication for SMTP auth.