What is the SME Server?

"Simple, Reliable, Secure, Cross-Platform and Extendable" The SME Server is an open-source software package that, when installed on a PC-compatible computer, transforms it into a easy-to-use, Linux-based communications server. When you connect the SME Server to the Internet and to your network, it provides you with a complete suite of essential networking services for internal and external communications and collaboration. Then the installation procedure was automated, and a friendly, ease-to-use interface added to make the SME Server server and gateway a breeze to install and administer. Insert the CDROM, supply some basic networking information, and stand back. There are as few installation questions as possible. In a few minutes you'll have a perfectly configured Linux server which you can administer from your web browser on any desktop. And you need no specialized training - you'll be up and running faster than you imagined! (You don't have to take our word for it - look at some of the comments made by our satisfied users). With SME Server, you're in control. You can drop the server into any existing network of Microsoft Windows, Macintosh or Linux/Unix machines - the choice of desktop operating system is yours. And you aren't locked into a proprietary hardware platform. This software runs on any Pentium-class PC, new or old, which means you can take advantage of existing hardware. Plus, upgrading is simple and inexpensive. The SME Server is a software package that can be installed on a standard PC in less than thirty minutes, converting it into a complete, easy-to-use network server. The SME Server is based on the CentOS Linux server distribution, packaged in such a way that no knowledge of Linux is required to install or operate it. The CentOS packages are used unmodified, and configured automatically to emulate "best practice" from expert system administrators. The SME Server is founded upon state of the art technologies - such as the Linux operating system - which have been mainstays in the infrastructure of larger organizations for several years. Contribs.org has customized these technologies to make them straightforward to use, while still giving you local control over your Internet services. The result is a cost-effective Internet infrastructure that will reliably serve your organization as it grows and as its use of the Internet evolves. The SME server is a very simple to use linux distribution for servers. SME was conceived to suit Small Businesses without a full time IT staff because of the clever design of the servers interface it is also suitable for homes, schools and other uses. The SME Server runs on commodity PC hardware, and supports a range of configurations and devices such as: - RAID disk mirroring - Wide variety of network cards - Tape backup - Parallel port, USB or network printers A variety of Internet connectivity options, including: cablemodem, DSL/PPPoE, static IP and dialup. Software for the SME Server is packaged using RPM Package Manager (RPM) system. Existing packages from CentOS and other third-party developers are used, wherever posssible. The SME Server uses the "best of breed" packages from the open source community. The design of the system allows for easy replacement of the packages if better choices become available. The current packages in use are: Feature Software :

• Web server Apache
• Mail server qmail
• DNS server djbdns and dnscache
• FTP server ProFTPd
• Windows file sharing Samba
• Macintosh file sharing Netatalk
• Remote administration SSH, PPTP, HTTP over SSL
• Tape backups Flexbackup
• Webmail Horde IMP
• LDAP

Exceptionally reliable and easy to use, SME Server can be installed and configured in less than 15 minutes - yet it's powered by a secure and open Linux platform that's fully upgradeable and customizable. Simply install it on any standard PC and in minutes you'll have a robust Linux-based server capable of fully replacing those expensive Windows server licenses and providing a full range of services - including e-mail, firewall, file and print-sharing, web hosting, remote access and more. SME Server integrates easily with Windows, Macintosh, and Unix/Linux clients, and within a Windows network environment. It's as simple to use as a server appliance, but unlike a "sealed-box" appliance the entire system is modular and extensible, so it can be tailored to the needs of individual businesses. SME Server is built on a standard Linux operating system which includes common applications and utilities freely available to the Linux community. Although the functionality provided by SME Server is certainly readily available to any knowledgeable Linux administrator, the product's custom management tools and automated installation process let virtually anyone with a modicum of Linux experience install and maintain a network file server with minimal effort. The software is free to download. SME Server is ideally suited for enterprise environments in which remote servers must be installed to support a user base, and also in cases where on-site technical support to maintain the server is not readily available. Its remote administration and management features--absent from Windows 2000 environments--provide additional flexibility. Also, SME Server requires no client access licenses, so a corporation can serve a dozen or a thousand users from an SME-based server without breaking the bank to pay license fees.