[HLUG] ClearOS

[Jeff Tupholme]

Hi Paul,

If your client is willing to pay for Microsoft Small Business Server  
then you should certainly look at Mac OS X Server. The latest version  
apparently really hits the spot as regards ease of management -  
there's an idiot-proof mode, a fully-fledged GUI and of course access  
to the underlying BSD and open source components for total  
flexibility. It's also had a price cut and you can now buy it bundled  
with a cheap Mac mini, avoiding the need to buy otherwise relatively  
expensive Apple hardware. A recent review on Ars Technica gave it a  
pretty fair assessment as well as a couple of valuable tips for  
improving one or two weak bits of configuration.


Regards,

Jeff


On 31 Jan 2010, at 11:38am, Paul Stenning wrote:

> Hi all,
>
> Has anyone here used ClearOS, formerly Clarkconnect?  It is a packaged
> small business server including file sharing, domains (active
> directory), web server, mail, gateway etc.  It is based on CentOS I
> think, with a web-based front end.  The basic product is open source  
> but
> they sell commercial support and you have to pay an annual fee for
> updates to the anti-malware etc.
>
> I only found out about it the other day from an article in Micro Mart
> magazine.  I've never seen it mentioned in Linux Format or in the LUG.
>
> I have just downloaded it and installed it in Virtual Box.  First
> impressions are that it seems nicely put together with a more
> user-friendly interface than Webmin.  Worth further investigation.
>
> One of my clients wants a small business server for mail and file
> sharing, and I am reluctant to go down the Microsoft Small Business
> Server route, but other options such as Ubuntu Server with Webmin are
> too difficult to manage.
>
> Other suggestions of similar packages to ClearOS are welcomed please!
>
> Best regards,
> Paul Stenning
>
> S&P Technology, PO Box 15, Hereford, HR4 9WX
>
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