Re: [TCLUG:7603] Setting up a list server

[Christopher Palmer <reid@pconline.com>]

On Mon, 16 Aug 1999, Hanson, Bob C. (PC) wrote:

> What does it take to set up a list server similar to this one?
> (Hardware, Software)

HARDWARE

Minimally, a 486 with a network interface card (NIC). If you want to log
list traffic and archive mail, and/or run many lists, you'll probably want
something a bit quicker (=any Pentium >100MHz with a PCI NIC). Couldn't
hurt to have a more robust storage subsystem (e.g., SCSI with mirrored
disks), but that might not be necessary if you're just starting out.

The bottom line is, to serve just mail you don't need a lot of expensive
gear. Exchange has some pretty brutal requirements, but that's because it
runs the client/server session in the server's memory (Outlook is little
more than a front-end). Running a less bloaty mail system like qmail, you
don't have big hardware needs. Get a good NIC and call it even.


SOFTWARE

1. Some Unix (Linux, FreeBSD, OpenBSD, et c.)
2, A mail transfer agent (MTA) like qmail or Postfix (replace Sendmail;
   it's horrible)
3. A list server (Majordomo, ezmlm, petitdomo, others)

That's it. 2 and 3 can be found via Freshmeat (www.freshmeat.net) and are
relatively easy to install in most cases.


> I work for a corporation that runs 99% Microsoft but with Linux sneaking
> in through a few cracks. Desktops all run Win98 and Office 97 with the
> majority of the mail servers being Exchange.

Here (=Ordway Music Theatre), too. I've set up mail servers here (we only
use Exchange internally, since we don't want to expose NT to the Real
World(tm)).

> There are about 70 companies worldwide, with two or three tech people at
> each location. Hence the need for the list server to help facilitate
> working on various tech problems associated with each plant. 

Don't forget that processing power far outpaces bandwidth. An old CPU can
max out a T1; you shouldn't have any trouble handling even heavy list
traffic with modest gear.

Good luck, and have fun!


-- Chris :)

  Christopher Reid Palmer : http://www.innerFireWorks.com/