Advice on system packages ???

Blackace · Retired Dev Joined: 28 Jul 2002 Posts: 58

What packages/techniques would you guys recommend for the following uses of my Gentoo system ?

First Stage:

Samba server for W2K machines on a local network where all machines have visible IP addresses.
Mail server, preferably using IMAP to deliver e-mail from multiple offsite servers (POP3/IMAP) to clients on the local network.

Final Stage:

Firewall located between an aDSL modem and a hub.
Nameserver for a domain name.
Webserver for the domain name.
FTP server for the domain name.
Mailserver, preferably using IMAP, POP, and webmail (webmail is the easy part) to deliver e-mail from multiple offsite servers (POP3/IMAP) as well as the local server (the domain name) to clients inside the local network.
Samba server for W2K machines inside the local network, providing domain services (logon/profiles), file and printer sharing.
And possibly an MS Exchange server, unless I migrate completely to Linux.

The first stage I want to do right now, and the final stage is down the road about six months from now. I'll be using the Samba server (already configured) to store ghost backups of W2K machines, and in the final stage to provide printer sharing services, roaming profiles, file storage and domain logons.

I'd really appreciate any opinions, tips, gotchas, links, etc.

Thanks,
Blackace.
_________________
Few things are harder to put up with than the annoyance of a good example.
- Mark Twain

delta407 · Posted: Fri Aug 09, 2002 5:38 am Post subject: Re: Advice on system packages ???

puddpunk · l33t Joined: 20 Jul 2002 Posts: 681 Location: New Zealand

iptables?

i always thought iptables were outdated and replaced by ipchains!

citizen428 · Posted: Fri Aug 09, 2002 7:37 am Post subject:

I have to agree with delta407 on most of what he said, except that I like proftpd more than pure-ftpd. But that's just a matter of taste I guess.

Our server (Gentoo of course

) runs Apache 1.2.26 with mod_php 4.2.2 as a webserver, postfix+courier-imap for mail and Squirrelmail as webmail (really nice webmail IMO). As stated above we use proftpd as FTP server.

So you could call it a pretty standard setup.

dioxmat · Posted: Fri Aug 09, 2002 7:37 am Post subject:

other way around actually. ipchains was in 2.2.*, iptables is in 2.4.*.
_________________
mat

rac · Posted: Fri Aug 09, 2002 7:40 am Post subject: Re: ?

puddpunk · l33t Joined: 20 Jul 2002 Posts: 681 Location: New Zealand

well spank my ass and call me charlie

What a useful Chunk of information. I'll be sure to remember that when i get around to replacing my WinProxy with gentoo

michaelb · Posted: Fri Aug 09, 2002 2:04 pm Post subject:

*SPANK*
Charlie.

The biggest difference between the two is that iptables is a stateful firewall, where ipchains is stateless. What this boils down to is that under ipchains, a malformed packed could wheedle its way into your system by saying, "oh, I'm part of an existing transmission". However, iptables would check, and say, "um, no. Now go away, or I shall taunt you a second time." Or something like that.

delta407 · Posted: Fri Aug 09, 2002 10:34 pm Post subject:

puddpunk · l33t Joined: 20 Jul 2002 Posts: 681 Location: New Zealand

i always thought /dev/null was bottemless

But before we get off topic...

Which is easier to set up? IPCHAINS or IPTables? I had just figured out what and how to use IPChains, and now IPTables are here, i have to learn something else

friedmud · Posted: Fri Aug 09, 2002 10:59 pm Post subject:

Only suggestions I have that is different from the rest is: use dbjdns.

It is VERY easy to setup (just emerge djbdns and follow the directions).

It has had VERY few vulnerabilities (in fact if you find one the author will give you $2000).

It is fast, and doesn't use very many resources.

I highly suggest it.

Derek

friedmud · Posted: Fri Aug 09, 2002 11:00 pm Post subject:

Oh, one more.

I agree that proftpd is better. It is again really easy to install and maintain and has a low profile.

Derek

arkane · l33t Joined: 30 Apr 2002 Posts: 918 Location: Phoenix, AZ

I will add my .02 cents in about Samba with Win2K. I've been working with Samba 2.2.x (it's with debian, they finally upgraded to the year 2002!!) and Win2K, and for the life of me I can't get Win2K to connect as a domain with Samba. I've read the documentation that samba.org has, I've even successfully gotten an entire company of 20-25 system connected before under WinNT4. (full integration as a domain controller) It's odd!

But, yeah.. try it out on a machine or two before making it full scale. I do it with VMWare, and it works quite nicely. It's how I tested the WinNT4 migration to Samba before I actually did it.