First review questions - GAL, backups, and postgres

[pwd]

I am begining to look at Zimbra to upgrade our mail system here and based on my first review of the docs, source and on-line demo the system looks very good but of course I have a few questions.

First I did not see any info on setting up the internal global address list or editing it, giving privlages to spcific users to add to the GAL or to copy contacts from there list to the GAL, at what point in the development is this planed? Also I could not find any details on the LDAP GAL layout that the internal GAL will have (it is in the source of course but I have not found it yet).

In the admin. manual wrt backups the instructions are to shut down the server to do the backup, I don't understand this requirment, all of the storage systems should be able to handle backups without shutdown (hot), why is it necessary to do a cold backup?

We currently use postgresql for all of our DBMS needs are they any plans to allow other database system then Mysql to be used; in my first quick review of the source I did not see any show stoppers on this, I would think that other DBMS support would be of higher value that for example Windows server support.

I noticed that you suguest that the server disks be set up with a single partition for everything execpt for /boot, and that you use /opt for both the code and the data stores, is is posible to set up so that the software is in say /opt/zimbra and the storage of user data is in /var/zimbra?

I assume that outlook MAPI Calendar and Contact sync is part of the "Network" version in release one. what is the plan for SyncML and Firebird/Eolution Cal/Cont sync. Also will it be posible to "mark" items in the GAL to be synced with a user's off line devices?

[KevinH]

Originally Posted by pwd

I am begining to look at Zimbra to upgrade our mail system here and based on my first review of the docs, source and on-line demo the system looks very good but of course I have a few questions.

First I did not see any info on setting up the internal global address list or editing it, giving privlages to spcific users to add to the GAL or to copy contacts from there list to the GAL, at what point in the development is this planed? Also I could not find any details on the LDAP GAL layout that the internal GAL will have (it is in the source of course but I have not found it yet).

The internal GAL is simply the user accounts. So by adding a new account you add them to the GAL. The layout in LDAP is the same as the Zimbra user accounts.

Originally Posted by pwd

In the admin. manual wrt backups the instructions are to shut down the server to do the backup, I don't understand this requirment, all of the storage systems should be able to handle backups without shutdown (hot), why is it necessary to do a cold backup?

The Network Edition allows you to take hot backups and also do single mailbox restrore from those backups.

Originally Posted by pwd

We currently use postgresql for all of our DBMS needs are they any plans to allow other database system then Mysql to be used; in my first quick review of the source I did not see any show stoppers on this, I would think that other DBMS support would be of higher value that for example Windows server support.

We don't have plans to use other databases, although we do plan to better abstract the DB layer so other DB's can be tested by the community. Your review is correct in that we use very few if any MySQL only features so it should be trivial to support other DB's once we better abstract it.

Originally Posted by pwd

I noticed that you suguest that the server disks be set up with a single partition for everything execpt for /boot, and that you use /opt for both the code and the data stores, is is posible to set up so that the software is in say /opt/zimbra and the storage of user data is in /var/zimbra?

If you'd like to do this we suggest creating mount points for each subdir under /opt/zimbra. This way you get fine control of the data, code and log dirs.

Originally Posted by pwd

I assume that outlook MAPI Calendar and Contact sync is part of the "Network" version in release one.

The Outlook MAPI connector will not be in the first Network Edition release but it should follow soon after. If you have specfic needs wrt timing I'd suggest you email sales _at_ zimbra.com

Originally Posted by pwd

what is the plan for SyncML and Firebird/Eolution Cal/Cont sync.

SyncML is on the road map. We also will look at Firebird/Sunbird/Evolution connector's if someone in the community doesn't beat us to it.

Originally Posted by pwd

Also will it be posible to "mark" items in the GAL to be synced with a user's off line devices?

Yes. This is planned.

[pwd]

OK I did not understand what the GAL was; what I was looking for was a common "company contact list" so, for example, I can load all of the customers and there contact info so that can be shared between everyone here. Is this something that you have planed and if so what are you going to call it.

Also have you published your roadmap somewhere?

[KevinH]

One way you can do this today would be to have an external GAL by setting up a small LDAP server with all these shared contacts.

Take a look at this thread for some idea of what's coming next.

http://www.zimbra.com/forums/showthr...=1214#post1214