ZD for enterprise use

[Tekniko]

Hi,
We are evaluating changing Thunderbird for ZD for 40 PCs and 50 Macs.

ZD seems a good system and it will be good that it integrates with with the Zimbra Mail server we have.

There are a couple of issues though, that would stop us from considering the ZD implementation. I see there is a beta version of ZD2 and would like to know if the following is possible.

1. With Thunderbird, we place the data files on the network. In that way, any time we do a network backup, all the email files get backed up. Is it possible with ZD to select where the data files are stored? ( Both thunderbird and outlook allow this even for multiple users on the same machine). Although it increases network traffic, we find that it is more secure to store the data on the network rather than locally.

2. The FAQ says that before you take a backup of the data files, the ZD service needs to be stopped. Is this still the case? If so, this is a major oversight i feel as in a large installation you cannot afford to go machine by machine stopping the service and doing individual backups. This should be part of the software and not left for third parties to create a zimlet for.

Are these 2 requests something that is being conidered by the zimbra development team?

Please let me know the answers and your views.

Thank you

[sposetti]

Hi Tekniko,

Please file both of these items as an Enhancement Request in our public Bugzilla system.

https://bugzilla.zimbra.com/enter_bug.cgi?product=ZD

Thank you.

[Tekniko]

Hi Sposetti,

Thanks for your reply.

Its a pity that these functions are not currently available as it would make them easier to use in an enterprise environment and would allow Zd to really compete with outlook.

Thanks

[dkbk]

I'm just thinking aloud here but wouldn't changing the Zimbra directory the instal program creates in each user's document folder to a symbolic link linking to a user specific network location on the server be a way to achieve the OP's request ?

That would also allow to backup all local data at night through a script when all workstations are closed would it not ?

I've never personally attempted this but this should work in theory.

[Tekniko]

Originally Posted by dkbk

I'm just thinking aloud here but wouldn't changing the Zimbra directory the instal program creates in each user's document folder to a symbolic link linking to a user specific network location on the server be a way to achieve the OP's request ?

That would also allow to backup all local data at night through a script when all workstations are closed would it not ?

I've never personally attempted this but this should work in theory.

I don't think you can specify the location of the data files during the installation. It may be possible that using a symlink after the installtion would do the trick at least on the Mac machines. Not sure if something similar is possible on the windows machines.

It would just be ideal if this was part of the ZD install as standard.

[dkbk]

Originally Posted by Tekniko

I don't think you can specify the location of the data files during the installation. It may be possible that using a symlink after the installtion would do the trick at least on the Mac machines. Not sure if something similar is possible on the windows machines.

It would just be ideal if this was part of the ZD install as standard.

I had the same question as you before my previous post as I never saw symbolic links used in Windows before, only Linux but it does appear its possible : NTFS symbolic link - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Vista and Win 7 only though as its a NTFS revision feature.

Also, as I understand it for ZD2, files are created at first launch so if you launch the program, close it and zdesktop.exe and create the link, it should recreate the files on the new destination as a new install.

Maybe a dev can correct me here.

As for data path, I know you can manually change it in Outlook but you can't complain about free but the option for RFE exists because of that so maybe it'll make it in eventually if there's demand for it.