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Old 02-09-2010, 06:31 AM   #1
PhilippM
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Setting up a server for a small business


Hi folks,

I'm setting up a small server, mainly for storage, for a network with 3-5 clients and starting from scratch, choosing the hardware and the appropriate LINUX distribution.

I document my proceedings in a new blog, so if you are interested or would like to contribute, here's the pointer: http://sbsblog.philippmuenzel.de/

Cheers,
Phil
 
Old 02-09-2010, 08:43 AM   #2
unSpawn
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If you want questions I suggest you ask them at LQ. Way more eyeballs and knowledge overhere.
 
Old 02-10-2010, 07:10 AM   #3
PhilippM
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Of course I will ask _specific_ questions in the appropriate forum of LQ, when they arise.
By no means do I expect people to grep my blog for questions and post answers there

It's just that I want to share my experiences in this blog. And they will certainly be what arises from the answers and discussions to specific questions asked here.

Today, I updated on network topology and firewall considerations: http://sbsblog.philippmuenzel.de/

Phil
 
Old 02-10-2010, 07:14 AM   #4
catkin
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Quote:
Originally Posted by PhilippM View Post
I document my proceedings in a new blog, so if you are interested or would like to contribute, here's the pointer: http://sbsblog.philippmuenzel.de/
Thanks for sharing. Nice diagrams
 
Old 02-10-2010, 08:45 AM   #5
Blue_Ice
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Thumbs up

I am working on something like this as well. So I am going to follow your blog, although I am taking it a step further... I am also running DDNS (dhcpd+bind) and openldap+samba for centralized storage of accounts, which should be usable on both windows and linux...

Currently I am stuck on the linux authentication part.

Until now I have been installing everything on one server. When I am finished and have documented everything I am starting over again to have a clean install and virtualize all the servers.

What are you planning to use to virtualize your servers?

Good luck on your project,
Arjan.
 
Old 02-10-2010, 09:11 AM   #6
PhilippM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Blue_Ice View Post
I am also running DDNS (dhcpd+bind) and openldap+samba for centralized storage of accounts, which should be usable on both windows and linux...
I'm moderately familiar with samba but never fumbled with openLDAP. What exactly do you need openLDAP for?
EDIT: Disregard this question, I found your thread: http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...lients-782039/
I found that using scriptstart for Windows XP gave me everything I wanted, unfortunately it won't work with Win7: http://www.wikihow.com/Create-and-Ma...a-Linux-Server

Quote:
Originally Posted by Blue_Ice View Post
What are you planning to use to virtualize your servers?
I'm going for Debian 5.0 with a Xen-Kernel and Xen3.4 as the host system. The decision for the distros of the guest-systems is not yet final.

Phil

Last edited by PhilippM; 02-10-2010 at 10:39 AM.
 
Old 02-10-2010, 09:42 AM   #7
Blue_Ice
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Quote:
Originally Posted by PhilippM View Post
I'm moderately familiar with samba but never fumbled with openLDAP. What exactly do you need openLDAP for?
Well, I am using it for centralized information and account storage. When I started my project, I wanted to replace Active Directory. But besides that I wanted to be able to login on linux with same accounts. This is normally done with an ldap system. My choice was using OpenLDAP. When it is finished, a user should be able to log in to all computers that I granted them to access. What is great as well, is that you can use the same accounts in OpenLDAP to grant access to applications and network resources.
It becomes more maintainable. It is a bit more complicated to setup then scriptstart, I guess. But IMHO, you get more flexibility in return. In my network there are about 5 linux and 3 windows systems continuously present. Than there are frequently mobile devices connecting and occasionally computers from friends and relatives.

Arjan.
 
Old 02-11-2010, 08:08 AM   #8
Blue_Ice
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By the way, there is already a distro that claims to be a Small Business Server. It is called ClearOS. I have tried it, but after testing it for 2 hours I removed from my computer again. Don't know the exact reasons anymore though, probably for some sadistic reason. All I remember was that it was pretty easy to setup.
 
Old 02-11-2010, 08:31 AM   #9
PhilippM
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Yes, I also discovered clearOS and particularly like their web front-end that makes configuration from remote easy. I have not yet finally decided what to use as guest system, I will have to decide somewhere within centOS, clearOS and clarkConnect. Firewall distro will be Endian or IPFire.

I put up the hardware article today.
 
Old 02-11-2010, 08:44 AM   #10
Blue_Ice
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As I firewall I just configured my own iptables system, although I might switch to something else as it is pretty complicated and not my main goal at the moment.
 
Old 02-11-2010, 11:11 AM   #11
prasanta
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Just have a look at DeepRoot Linux. It has it's own deepOfix mailing solution which uses qmail and ldap. It has it's own frontend from wherein you can configure LDAP, manage user accounts also. It has a small front end for configuring firewall also using iptables. An ideal solution to meet your requirements.

http://deeproot.in/

--
Prasanta
 
Old 02-11-2010, 11:11 AM   #12
prasanta
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Just have a look at DeepRoot Linux. It has it's own deepOfix mailing solution which uses qmail and ldap. It has it's own frontend from wherein you can configure LDAP, manage user accounts also. It has a small front end for configuring firewall also using iptables. An ideal solution to meet your requirements.

http://deeproot.in/

--
Prasanta
 
Old 02-11-2010, 12:21 PM   #13
Blue_Ice
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Quote:
Originally Posted by prasanta View Post
Just have a look at DeepRoot Linux. It has it's own deepOfix mailing solution which uses qmail and ldap. It has it's own frontend from wherein you can configure LDAP, manage user accounts also. It has a small front end for configuring firewall also using iptables. An ideal solution to meet your requirements.

http://deeproot.in/
I was more thinking of Astaro... Specialized distribution for security.
 
Old 02-12-2010, 12:28 AM   #14
prasanta
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Thanks Blue_Ics for the information. I shall try that out also.

--
Prasanta
 
Old 03-04-2010, 03:25 PM   #15
Blue_Ice
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Hi Phil,

Any progress on your project?
I got mine up and running. Working on locking it down now and high availability with heartbeat and drbd.

Arjan
 
  


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