Linux as mail/proxy server?

Hi guys and gals!

I'm planning have a couple of servers installed, one as a proxy the other as
a mail server. They may reach the outside world using a static ip adsl
connection, or through a 3Com ISDN Lan Modem.

Apart from the obvious M$ solutions, what would you propose?
- Linux,
- OpenBSD,
- sVr3.2 unix,
- OS/2, AS/400, CP/M? just kidding :-)
And, if Linux, what distribution and what tools? (p.e. Red Hat Linux /
Obtuse Smtpd Mail Srv / Squid Proxy Srv)

Setup should be as bullet-proof as possible. There are no plans for a
dedicated firewall :-(
As I'm not keen on paying a fortune for an Exchange, its client licences and
its increased hardware demands, I could also live with another (non
Microsoft) solution running on M$-WIndows 2K. In fact, the IBM sever it is
to run on came with a Lotus Notes server and some client licences. On the
other hand, should one wish to migrate from MS-NT 4.0 domain to MS-Win2K
active directory architecture, Exchange 2K will be much better
intergrated.What do you think?

I'm all ears. Shoot away!

TIA
Manos Petridis

On Sun, 2 Nov 2003 12:06:34 +0200, Manos Petridis <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
> Hi guys and gals!
>
> I'm planning have a couple of servers installed, one as a proxy the other as
> a mail server. They may reach the outside world using a static ip adsl
> connection, or through a 3Com ISDN Lan Modem.
>
> Apart from the obvious M$ solutions, what would you propose?
> - Linux,
> - OpenBSD,
> - sVr3.2 unix,
> - OS/2, AS/400, CP/M? just kidding :-)
> And, if Linux, what distribution and what tools? (p.e. Red Hat Linux /
> Obtuse Smtpd Mail Srv / Squid Proxy Srv)
>
> Setup should be as bullet-proof as possible. There are no plans for a
> dedicated firewall :-(

It will probably come down to what are you most familiar and comfortable
with?

Much of our networking was initially done by a college student who now has
his own consulting firm and only comes in on a consulting basis when we
need him (rarely). Our firewall/masq/smtp/pop3/squid, and apache for
intranet-only literature/drawings, is a single box running RedHat. It is
on private LAN, but one of our public DS-3 IPs is forwarded to it. Mail
for users who travel is forwarded to Exchange, but just so they can access
their mail with Outlook Web Access from anywhere (if not locally with
Outlook). Other inside-only users pop their mail from RedHat box any mail
client. ALL mail in/out is virus filtered by a sendmail milter in RedHat.

Remote offices connect to factory WAN with SonicWall VPN (sdsl or T1).
But we only use the VPN to access company mail, apache document retrieval,
or HP3000 main computer. Other internet access goes out directly from the
each SonicWall.

I personally run SuSE Linux at home for learning about apache virtual
hosting and sendmail/postfix.

--
David Efflandt

"Manos Petridis" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:bo2ks9$gdb$(E-Mail Removed)...

> I'm planning have a couple of servers installed, one as a proxy the other
as
> a mail server. They may reach the outside world using a static ip adsl
> connection, or through a 3Com ISDN Lan Modem.
>
> Apart from the obvious M$ solutions, what would you propose?

Any Linux distribution will have all the tools you need, but since you
have to ask, you should look at http://www.e-smith.org first. Their
highly customized Redhat distribution will come up working with a
simple web interface for all administration. You don't need to know
anything about Linux or configuring the programs. There is a free
unsupported download or a commercial version, depending on your
budget and how you feel about doing your own support.

---
Les Mikesell
(E-Mail Removed)

> Apart from the obvious M$ solutions, what would you propose?

You've posted on this on a linux newsgroup so you know what answer you're
going to get. My reasons to go with linux were a huge support community
("us"), also very good hardware support compared to other UNIXes.

I personally like slackware, because the setup is straightforward. You can
tell it what you want installed.

--
Jem Berkes
http://www.sysdesign.ca/