From owner-freebsd-isp Thu Apr 11 4:22:57 2002 Delivered-To: freebsd-isp@freebsd.org Received: from ns2.wananchi.com (ns2.wananchi.com [62.8.64.4]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id A4BA637B41A for ; Thu, 11 Apr 2002 04:22:44 -0700 (PDT) Received: from wash by ns2.wananchi.com with local (Exim 3.35 #1 (FreeBSD)) id 16vce6-0004c0-00 for ; Thu, 11 Apr 2002 14:21:42 +0300 Date: Thu, 11 Apr 2002 14:21:42 +0300 From: Odhiambo Washington To: freebsd-isp@freebsd.org Subject: CUSTOM BUILT SERVERS Message-ID: <20020411112142.GE90954@ns2.wananchi.com> Mail-Followup-To: Odhiambo Washington , freebsd-isp@freebsd.org Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Disposition: inline User-Agent: Mutt/1.3.25i X-Disclaimer: Any views expressed in this message,where not explicitly attributed otherwise, are mine alone!. X-Fortune: If little green men land in your back yard, hide any little green women you've got in the house. -- Mike Harding, "The Armchair Anarchist's Almanac" X-Operating-System: FreeBSD 4.5-STABLE i386 X-Best-Window-Manager: XFCE X-Designation: Systems Administrator, Wananchi Online Ltd. X-Location: Nairobi, KE, East Africa. X-Uptime: 2:02PM up 32 days, 21:53, 2 users, load averages: 0.14, 0.16, 0.19 Sender: owner-freebsd-isp@FreeBSD.ORG Precedence: bulk List-ID: List-Archive: (Web Archive) List-Help: (List Instructions) List-Subscribe: List-Unsubscribe: X-Loop: FreeBSD.org Hiya, I work for an ISP and one of the needs that we see arising is the need to have a good number of staff being able to at least act as operators for our core systems. I'm looking at a situation where e-mail accounts can be added by Customer Service Staff, the small things can be done by them and so I can dedicate my time on other things, like R&D. The Sysadmin should only come in when there is a major issue. Currently I run a few FreeBSD boxes here and 2 RedHed boxes, each with some applications to handle. We're stuck with Redhat boxes because of Oracle/EXTENT RBS (I'm sure some of you know about RBS). The FreeBSD boxes are my darlings - HTTP,DNS, POP, SMTP, Proxy, etc. I'm currently having a secanrio where I have a couple hundred virtual domains which I serve using Apache (Webmail), TPOP3D (POP3), EXIM and MySQL. It's a whole bandwagon of apps but it works for me. Now OTOH I have these Customer Service staff whom I want to be able to operate these services. You know what that means also in terms of security! My boss wants me to do at least 4 hrs a day R&D so I have to shed off some ofmy work. Many of you out there must have come across these custom server. I am also willing to pay for it. I am ready to discuss this with anyone. The important thing is this is something that should take me thro at least the next 2 years before I consider a change/upgrade. The basic specs: 1. Runs on BSD (FreeBSD most preferred) 2. Has support for virtual domains 3. Robust support for aliasing 4. GUI/Web Interface that will allow a mere 'operator' to manage it 5. Gives webmail access to both 'real' and 'virtual' users 6. Allows strict relay controlling? 7. Flexible MTA (Exim preffered) 8. Actively developed/supported 9. Possibly bundled with LDAP-based services 10. Cost effective 11. Can interface with a proprietary system like EXTENT RBS?? My boss suggests we buy something like that (bundled messaging server). This would 'free' me from having to worry so much about Exim, virtual domains, courier-imap, ldap (not yet running for me) - although I know this may make me a pumpkin kinda.... What advise do you have for me on this? Anything that you can recommend will be appreciated. All ideas, with supporting evidence if possible, are welcome. -Wash Systems Admin - Wananchi Online Ltd. -- Odhiambo Washington "The box said 'Requires Wananchi Online Ltd. www.wananchi.com Windows 95, NT, or better,' Tel: 254 2 313985-9 Fax: 254 2 313922 so I installed FreeBSD." GSM: 254 72 743 223 GSM: 254 733 744 121 This sig is McQ! :-) ++ A jury consists of 12 persons chosen to decide who has the better lawyer. -- Robert Frost To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org with "unsubscribe freebsd-isp" in the body of the message