Basic questions regarding installation of Kolab

[Alain Spineux]

On Wed, May 21, 2008 at 6:15 PM, Duffields <dhltd at telus.net> wrote:
> On Wednesday 21 May 2008 2:24:47 am you wrote:
>> On Mon, May 19, 2008 at 11:04 PM, Duffields <dhltd at telus.net> wrote:
>> > None of the books I bought to study Linux have any mention of Kolab in
>> > them so I am pretty much starting from a point of total ignorance to
>> > install Kolab.
>> >
>> > I used to think that I knew something about computers but I am obviously
>> > beyond my depth.  There are some fundamental questions that are not
>> > referred to in what I have read and I am not able to mentally tie the
>> > things I have read to the installation of Kolab.
>> >
>> > Sorry to be so dumb but could somebody point me to where I can get
>> > answers to such fundamental pre-installation questions as:
>> >
>> > 1. Is it necessary to install Ubuntu server (or any server) on the
>> > desktop computer that will be used both as a client and as the Kolab
>> > server, or is Kolab a complete server?
>>
>> Any unix like OS with a minimal install is enough. No graphical
>> interface is needed.
>> The only requirement is to install the C compiler, usually gcc and all
>> the minimal
>> dependencies.
>> Then yes Kolab provide all the mail functionalities by itself.
>>
>> > 2. The business of setting up my own DNS and connecting it to my mail
>> > provider (ISP) is perplexing.  My router provides DNS service. I think I
>> > know what DNS is and I think that Kolab will be a domain in itself and
>> > all requests from all the LAN computers will be handled by the router but
>> > perhaps I am wrong. I see Kolab as a repository of data as well as a file
>> > controlling/locking device that controls access to the data stored on the
>> > Kolab server.
>> >
>> > Since I do not have a www domain, I assume that Kolab just requests mail
>> > from my ISP mail accounts and then makes it available to each client on
>> > the LAN.
>>
>> You questions are very confuse (and not kolab's related). You look to be
>> completely lost in your network configuration.
>>
>> Here are some questions you need to answer before to configure your kolab.
>>
>> - Do you have a computer that can run 24/7 to receive your emails?
>        Yes
>> - Do you have an static internet public IP address ?
>        It is dynamic because I do not, at this time, require access from outside my
> office
Good answer!

But then you will use the existing pop3 mailbox on your internet provider.
An use fetchmail to download them.
You will have to create the same accounts and aliases as the one
existing on you ISP.
You will have to maintain both configuration (accountd and aliases in sync)

>>-  Do you need to read your emails from outside your office ?
>        No, see above
>> - Can your IP address receive email through port 25 ?

We dont care anymore!

>        Kontact can send/receive mail and I assume it uses port 25 as that seems to
> be a standard port for mail service.  So the answer is yes although I have
> not tested port 25 in any other way.

>> - Can you relay email from your server or do you need to set up a
>> relayhost/smarthost ?

You will configure your ISP mail relay, as you mail relay on your kolab server
and configure your local mail client (Kontact) to send email to your
kolab server

>        As I understand the question, I will not be relaying email.  I expect that
> Kontact on each of the computers will poll Kolab for new data but, not
> understanding Kolab, perhaps it relays the mail to each computer on the LAN.
>
> The only reason that I thought I needed Kolab was to have a local means to
> collect mail and allow my local computers to view that mail, view a central
> calendar and contact list.   I may someday want to have access to my office
> from the outside world but that is not an immediate concern.
>
> As I asked in my first posting, do I need Kolab  or is there a simpler method
> of sharing mail, calendars and contact lists?   It seemed to me that the
> answer at that time was yes.

Kolab looks to meet your requirements. Kolab is already integrated, has a simple
_AND_ documented instalation procedure, and Kolab as web admin interface.
What else ?

>
> I explained that I am new to Linux and that I have very little knowledge of
> networking and no knowledge of IMAP or LDAP servers.

Using Zimbra will to not solve your unawareness about all these !

>I certainly do not
> want to waste your valuable time dealing with my stupid questions but since I
> do not even know enough about the subject to even recognize a stupid
> question, I ask one more time...  Is Kolab suitable for my small office?

You can already install a kolab, configure all your kontact client,
try to exchange some email
between them. Then configure your relayhost/smarthost to be able to
sent to outside.
When your are happy, configure "fetchmail" to feed you email into
kolab for real.

>
> If the answer is "No" then is there any other method within Linux that anyone
> can suggest to share email calendar and contact files?

They are lot of possibilities.

>
> Mac
>>
>> > I am assuming that each computer on my network is considered a domain by
>> > Kolab.   I guess I am a bit confused by the fact that it appears that
>> > there will be at least two Domain Name Servers on the LAN and I have
>> > trouble visualizing how it all fits together?   Maybe I should not bother
>> > trying to understand what is happening and just get on with the
>> > installation, what?
>> >
>> > If there is any source of such on-line information suitable for ignorant
>> > newbies, I would appreciate knowing where to look for it.
>> >
>> > Thank you Allan and Paul for your help so far.
>> >
>> > Cheers
>> > Mac
>> >  1
>> >
>> > _______________________________________________
>> > Kolab-users mailing list
>> > Kolab-users at kolab.org
>> > https://kolab.org/mailman/listinfo/kolab-users
>
>
>



-- 
Alain Spineux
aspineux gmail com
May the sources be with you