New Zimbra install in OpenVZ container... DNS config required?

[batfastad]

Hi everyone

I'm looking to install Zimbra in an OpenVZ container... either running Centos 5.3 or Ubuntu 8.04 templates

I was reading through this wiki article: Ubuntu 8.04 LTS Server (Hardy Heron) Install Guide - Zimbra :: Wiki

We're on a regular broadband connection behind an IPCop firewall router box.
With exchange we currently relay all outgoing mail to a remote postfix relay VPS we rent.

Since we're using a smart host/relay, does that mean I don't need to go through the DNS config steps?

Obviously to get Zimbra receiving mail properly we need A/MX records for our domain pointing to our static IP and forward port 25 to the Zimbra local IP. And add an A record for the Zimbra machine in our local DNS.

But I'm assuming I don't need to do all the bind config etc?

Cheers, B

[phoenix]

Originally Posted by batfastad

But I'm assuming I don't need to do all the bind config etc?

That's a mistaken assumption, Zimbra (postfix) needs to resolve it's address via DNS and if you're behind a NAT router, a firewall or on any sort of private IP then you'll need a Split DNS set-up.

[batfastad]

Ok great. Thought I better check.
So that wiki page does apply to installing behind a NAT router, as well as from a public IP?

I was reading through the quick start guide and the explanation on this page (http://www.zimbra.com/docs/os/latest...5.html#1059870) is what confused me.

Cheers, B

[phoenix]

The page doesn't cover the scenario I mentioned above, you obviously need publlic DNS records to receive mail and that's what it's talking about - the split DNS is an extra wrinkle for those behind the router etc.

[batfastad]

Gotcha

1) So this is the DNS guide I need to follow?
http://wiki.zimbra.com/index.php?title=Split_DNS

2) Are there any CentOS installation guides around with more specific instructions?
This one is pretty old... Centos 5 Install Guide

3) The section of the guide for Modifying Operating System Configurations here... http://www.zimbra.com/docs/os/latest...4.html#1055793

Cheers, B

[phoenix]

Originally Posted by batfastad

Gotcha

1) So this is the DNS guide I need to follow?
Split DNS - Zimbra :: Wiki

Yes, that's the one or you could also search the forums for a thread named "DNS in a nutshell".

Originally Posted by batfastad

2) Are there any CentOS installation guides around with more specific instructions?
This one is pretty old... Centos 5 Install Guide

There isn't really much to do with RHEL, just install the operating system and install the openssl package and compat-libstd++ packages mentioned in the thread you've mentioned. Then run the Zimbra installer and if there's any further missing dependencies it will tell you.

Originally Posted by batfastad

3) The section of the guide for Modifying Operating System Configurations here... Modifying Operating System Configurations

The important thing is to get the hosts file correct and the DNS A & MX records pointing to your LAN IP and configured for your domain.com and not mail.domain.com (or whatever the FQDN is for your server). There are several posts by me describbing what you can do to check the dns, have a look at them and see if they give the correct results.

[batfastad]

Brilliant! Thanks for the excellent help

Think I'll go with CentOS even though I know more Ubuntu. I want to try and keep my Zimbra installation as clean and standard as possible to avoid any problems. Having me edit too many config files could end in disaster

Originally Posted by phoenix

The important thing is to get the hosts file correct and the DNS A & MX records pointing to your LAN IP and configured for your domain.com and not mail.domain.com (or whatever the FQDN is for your server). There are several posts by me describbing what you can do to check the dns, have a look at them and see if they give the correct results.

So get my hosts file sorted... that's fine, done that plenty of times.
And you mean setup my domain's DNS A/MX records for domain.com on our hosting provider to point to our static public IP... correct?
(not records on our local DNS server)

Cheers, B

[phoenix]

Originally Posted by batfastad

So get my hosts file sorted... that's fine, done that plenty of times.
And you mean setup my domain's DNS A/MX records for domain.com on our hosting provider to point to our static public IP... correct?

No, I meant your LAN DNS records. There's no reason not to have the same domain name behind the NAT as you have in the public records - my point was to emphasise that you use domain.com (whatevere you decide to call the LAN domain) not the FQDN of the server.

[batfastad]

Ah right, sorry. Reading that Ubuntu installation page in the Wiki has messed up my mind

Our LAN DNS server is just an IPCop box, I think it only runs a basic DNS Proxy service linked to its DHCP functions.
There's an "Add Hosts" section in that where I add "subdomains" when I want internal users to access an internal server by FQDN rather than IP address.

Or do you mean the DNS service (bind) on the Zimbra machine?

Or should I be running another full DNS server instead of IPCop?

[phoenix]

Originally Posted by batfastad

Or do you mean the DNS service (bind) on the Zimbra machine?

Yes, I mean the BIND service that you'll be running.

Originally Posted by batfastad

Or should I be running another full DNS server instead of IPCop?

If the IPcop is just a caching nameserver then you'll need a version of BIND that will resolve the IP of the Zimbra server - it's your choice how you achieve that.