Zimbra as a MS SBS exchange!

[mrfloyd]

Hi,
im trying to find out can i install Zimbra in this scenario:
i want to use it as a mail server in small office (6-7 PCs)
to collect mail for those users/PCs from another mail server
to be incoming and outgoing mail server for those PCs

this is something like Microsoft SBS Exchange with POP3 connector, so is it possible to achieve that with Zimbra?
THX

[phoenix]

Originally Posted by mrfloyd

Hi,
im trying to find out can i install Zimbra in this scenario:
i want to use it as a mail server in small office (6-7 PCs)
to collect mail for those users/PCs from another mail server
to be incoming and outgoing mail server for those PCs

this is something like Microsoft SBS Exchange with POP3 connector, so is it possible to achieve that with Zimbra?
THX

Yes, is the answer to all your questions above.

[mrfloyd]

thx thx thx

[phoenix]

You're welcome. You'll also find lots of useful information about Zimbra configuration if you search around the forums and wiki.

[mmenaz]

I suggest you to do some tests in advance, and above all whatch what your future users use of Outlook or whatever client they have.
My experience is that with 5.x series could easely become a complete disaster, and with 6.0 could be feasable, I have to check if the new technology for Calendar alarms that should popup ZWC (Zimbra Web Clients) even if not in foreground.
There are many features that people take as granted since their usual (primitive) client do, that they then are very angry when disconver there aren't in zimbra and they did not told you were fundamental since they thought are "obvious".
For example, if you connect to POP3 through "External account" setting, there is no "auto polling" of mails, has to be done manually pressing a button.
There is no "recipe confirmation". You can hardly have multiple accounts available with single login (you can "mimic" with Parent/child relation, but is something that requires shell command intervantion by you). You can attach multiple files with a multiple selection (i.e. select the first file, press shift and click the last one) etc..
So, since ZWC does not replace usual client functionality, also in area that is consider important in normal workflow, you have to be sure you are installing to the right people for zimbra (seems there are many).
At least, this is my personal experience

[phoenix]

Originally Posted by mmenaz

For example, if you connect to POP3 through "External account" setting, there is no "auto polling" of mails,

Yes there is.

Originally Posted by mmenaz

has to be done manually pressing a button.

No it doesn't, if it's not working for you there are numerous posts on the forums that tell you how to activate that feature.

[mmenaz]

Yes, there is, my mistake, had to clarify that is not Web exposed, has to be done manually (zimbraDataSourcePollingInterval), and, even if I've tried many times, seems is not "inherited" from cos, so has to be done on account basis.
Btw, with 20-30 accounts and polling time about 15 min, I've still had a lot of errors in the log:
/opt/zimbra/log/mailbox.log:
2009-06-08 07:28:44,539 INFO [ScheduledTask-10] [name=info@mydomain.it;mid=44;ds=Info_Aruba;] datasource - Importing data for data source 'Info_Aruba'
… altro nel log
2009-06-08 07:29:44,555 INFO [ScheduledTask-10] [name=info@mydomain.it;mid=44;ds=Info_Aruba;] datasource - Import completed for data source 'Info_Aruba'
2009-06-08 07:29:44,555 WARN [ScheduledTask-10] [name=info@mydomain.it;mid=44;ds=Info_Aruba;] datasource - Scheduled DataSource import failed.
com.zimbra.common.service.ServiceException: system failure: Unable to connect to mail store: DataSource: { id=c1dadec0-8ed7-4d1b-8ee3-e28834c74472, type=pop3, isEnabled=true, name$
ExceptionId:ScheduledTask-10:1244446184555:0b7a7d7c8deb6335
Code:service.FAILURE
at com.zimbra.common.service.ServiceException.FAILURE (ServiceException.java:253)
at com.zimbra.cs.datasource.Pop3Import.connect(Pop3Im port.java:292)
[CUT]
Caused by: javax.mail.MessagingException: Connect failed;
nested exception is:
java.net.SocketTimeoutException: Read timed out
at com.sun.mail.pop3.POP3Store.protocolConnect(POP3St ore.java:148)
[CUT]

Seems that sometime fetching fails... don't understand why. Any idea?