[olug] Looking for Advice/Comments

[Jeff Hinrichs]

> > I was evaluating Bynari's InsightServer (was TradeServer), however do
> > to problems I encountered with their installation I am going about it
> > myself.
>
> Would you like to elaborate on those problems?
>
Bynari installs Apache, Cyrus-imapd, SASL, OpenLDAP, ProFTPd.  It requires
that you uninstall/deactivate any clashing services prior to the install.
So far, not so bad.  There is an InsightServer exe that fires up the
services.  It checks for port availability first.

The major problem is that the Bynari web site says "Secure web interface."
Problem, #1: Their apache binary doesn't have support for SSL compiled in,
nor does it have support for loadable modules.  I'd have to recompile to get
the options (I've got to go fetch the source cause I don't see it in the
dist they supply).  Problem #1a: There isn't an web email interface as
specified by their marketing department-web site.  They recommend
SquirrelMail which looks to be an outstanding product (open and free).  No
big deal for me to install, except for the fact that Insight doesn't have
support for PHP compiled nor loadable modules.  So now, here I am having to
go get sources, compile and set things up pretty different from their
standard install.

Problem #2: The version of Cyrus they use is the 1.6.x stable which doesn't
have sieve support compiled in.  I'd need to download sieve, compile then
configure/compile the imapd sources for sieve support.  However the 2.0.x
release have sieve as a part of them.  Again, I'm running around tracking
down source.  Sieve, in my research, is necessary to keep user accounts off
of the system (good thing) and I need to be able to route mail based on
rules.  We have shared public folders on exchange.  I take each incoming
message go to the shared folder and a copy goes to a restricted access
folder to handle those times when someone says, ooooops! I deleted a mail
from the folder but hadn't read/acted on it yet.  Can you get me a copy?  I
could do this in the Bynari way but it would take 3 email addresses and a
shell account.  1 for the mail with a .forward to copy to the open access
and restricted access folders.  Since I need a .forward file, I am stuck
making a shell account.  (Getting very ugly)  So you can see why I want
sieve.  Also, everyone would need a shell account for their vacation
messages.  (very ugly)

On to shared calendars.  They include ProFTPd (respectable FTP daemon but
still FTP) with limited access for uploading vcalendars.  I couldn't get
that to work anonymously although it was suppose to work that way.  I would
rather POST via a web page and some intelligent scripting (PHP) for uploads.
FTP/Telnet scares the bejeekers out of me. (I only use pscp and ssh, if
possible)

So as you can see, the system would end up so highly modified that there is
no benefit to me using the InsightServer as it stands.  It was built using
standard packages which is cool and a good idea for us time pressed types.
But the functionality was too limiting.  I was going to have to do a lot of
the work myself anyway.

Also, by doing it myself via RPMs, I can use the RedHat network to keep the
programs up to date more easily.

Bynari has been getting some good press lately since Winnebago is moving to
InsightServer on the IBM AS/400.  They are showing the cost as being less
than 1/3 of what Exchange would have cost.  Problem is they have moved sales
out to consultants/3rd parties.  I was working with a guy/company out of
Spencer, IA.  So, I'd email him my question then he'd email it to Bynari and
then back down the pipe.  It was slow and excruciating.  He seemed very
knowledgeable and helpful but also very busy.  So why should I fork out $$
to Bynari for what I was going to have to do myself anyway?  They do have a
straight forward setup for the progs and a nice/plain web interface(cgi) for
setting up accounts in Cyrus and LDAP.  (I believe that they were
authenticating SASL via LDAP.)

-Jeff



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