Koozali SME Server

Last updated
SME server
Developer Koozali Foundation
OS family Linux (Unix-like)
Working stateActive
Source model Open-source [1]
Initial release1999;25 years ago (1999)
Latest release 10.1 (Justine) - 14 September 2022 [2]
Platforms AMD64, i386, x86-64
Kernel type Monolithic (Linux)
Userland GNU, POSIX
Official website koozali.org

Koozali SME server (also known as the SME Server, formerly e-smith server and gateway) is a Linux distribution based on Red Hat Enterprise Linux and can act a server-only or server and gateway. Core features include internet services such as HTTP, FTP or email servers and firewall. It is also geared towards the deployment of local network utilities like file servers, print servers and anti-virus filters. [3] An intuitive web interface allows administrators to monitor, deploy and maintain services.

Contents

The distribution is non-commercial and community based.

History

The distribution was created under the name of e-smith server and gateway in 1999, by the eponymous company e-smith inc. founded by Joseph and Kim Morrison in 1998. [4] [5] [6] When e-smith inc. was acquired by Mitel Networks in 2001, the distribution was rebranded Mitel SME Server. [7] [8] Mitel decided to end support for SME in the end of November 2003 to focus on its commercial version Managed Application Server (6000 MAS). [9] The project was taken over by volunteer developers using the domain contribs.org renaming the distribution SME Server. [10] The domain was already used as that time as a home for third-party extensions to the software. [11]

The website was first hosted by Resource Strategies. In September 2004, Lycoris intended to make a new commercial support and platform based on SME Server, and move contribs.org to its data center. [12] In December 2004, Lycoris ceases development efforts and site hosting before being bought by Mandriva in June 2005. [13]

In December 2004, the site was moved to back Resource Strategies.

In April 2005, developers from the community move the code to Sourceforge. In June 2005, Ruffdogs took over web site hosting and posts the Social Contract. Ruffdogs was officially acquired by Holonyx Inc. on March 1, 2007. [14] [15] [16] SME Server inc. was registered in Colorado in 2005 june 23 to receive donation. From there, a community governance took form. [17] [18] [19] [20]

In 2009, the community took its independence from external corporations and started receiving its own donations. [21]

From 2009 to 2013, the distribution was hosted at Shad Lords, SME developer, on a small dedicated server farm. There have been contact between ClearOS and SME Server developers for few years. [22] In june 2013, while the server farm was shared with ClearOS, it has been moved to ClearOS center. [23] [24]

In 2013, members of the community decided to incorporate the Koozali Foundation as a non-profit to represent the community and the distribution. [25] In 2014, Koozali Foundation chose to detach from ClearFoundation and moved its infrastructure to a server monthly rented by the foundation to host and build the distribution since. [26] The Koozali name has to be chosen after viewing that SME Server name was use all over the world and it was hard to keep the community identity. [27] As an example the Logo was at this time a trademark of a SME Server Incorporated company in Utah. [28]

Around 2014, NethServer forked from SME Server. [29] Two French partial forks also existed in early 2000's, SMERP [30] and Free-EOS. [31]

Principle of operation

The SME Server is oriented toward small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) and home users. It embrace the KISS principle to allow a basic user to administer a server without an IT department. The upstream RHEL has been chosen for year for its long term release cycle, which ease maintenance in a SME context. The distribution is known to be easy to install and fast to set up and secure. [32] [33] The distro uses a simple but efficient web manager interface to create users, groups, file shares and doing basic administrative tasks. [34] [35] Configuration is stored in a flat-file database and system of template is then used to generate the configuration files of every core service of the server. This guarantee stability of the server in case of manual intervention on the service configuration files, a simple reboot and reconfiguration allow to recover the original state of the server.

Core Features

Releases

ReleaseDateEnd of lifeRHEL based onBased on
7.1December 31, 2006February 29, 20124.7CentOS 4.x
8.0May 25, 2012March 31, 20175CentOS 5.x
9.0May 12, 2014November 30, 20206CentOS 6.x
10June 6, 2021June 30, 20247CentOS 7.x
11[ to be determined ]May 20298Rocky Linux 8.x

See also

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References

  1. ↑ "ViewVC Repository Listing". viewvc.koozali.org. Retrieved 2024-06-13.
  2. ↑ SME Releases page
  3. ↑ "SME Server". wiki.koozali.org. Retrieved 2021-06-19.
  4. ↑ "D/E-smith".
  5. ↑ "Linux Format 016 [2001-07]". July 2001.
  6. ↑ "Digit Magazine August 2001". August 2001.
  7. ↑ "America's Network 2001-09-01: Vol 105 Iss 13". Questex, LLC. September 2001.
  8. ↑ "Mitel V5 User's Manual".
  9. ↑ "[e-smith-devinfo] the road ahead for the SME Server".
  10. ↑ "New directions for SME Server, Immunix [LWN.net]".
  11. ↑ "A Linux server OS that's had 11 years to improve • the Register".
  12. ↑ "Lycoris acquires Mitel SME Server spin-off". 28 September 2004.
  13. ↑ "Mandriva acquires Lycoris – OSnews".
  14. ↑ "Ruffdogs".
  15. ↑ "Holonyx Inc. Announces Availability of Linux-Based Holonyx SME Server for Powerful Small-Business to Enterprise-Level Server Functionality".
  16. ↑ "SME Community Constitution" . Retrieved 2022-06-28.
  17. ↑ "About donnation to contribs/Ruffdogs".
  18. ↑ "Time for an election / The status of SME Server Inc".
  19. ↑ "SME Server:Constitution 2008 - SME Server".
  20. ↑ "Colorado Secretary of State - Summary".
  21. ↑ "Question about Subscription - Donation".
  22. ↑ "Shad Lords Joins the ClearFoundation Team". 27 April 2010.
  23. ↑ "contribs.org hardware is moving this weekend". forums.koozali.org. Retrieved 2024-06-13.
  24. ↑ "Koozali Foundation, Home of the SME Server, to Share a Portion of ClearFoundations Server Farm. - Free Online Library".
  25. ↑ "Oregon State Corporation Division". egov.sos.state.or.us. Retrieved 2022-06-27.
  26. ↑ "Buildsys moved".
  27. ↑ "Foundation - the future of SME".
  28. ↑ "SME SERVER Trademark of SME Server Incorporated - Serial Number 77129033 - Alter".
  29. ↑ "Linux Voice".
  30. ↑ "SMERP : Solution Open Source pour l'Entreprise". smerp.free.fr. Retrieved 2024-06-13.
  31. ↑ "1.4. Nouveautés". free-eos.adullact.net. Archived from the original on 6 July 2006. Retrieved 9 August 2022.
  32. ↑ Hatch, Kevin (2005). PostNuke content management. ISBN   9780672326868.
  33. ↑ "CyberGuard SG570 Installation guide".
  34. ↑ "A Linux server OS that's had 11 years to improve • the Register".
  35. ↑ "Apc-2005_04".