> -----Original Message-----
> From: Darrell May [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
> Sent: Wednesday, August 22, 2001 4:23 PM
> Subject: RE: [e-smith-devinfo] SME Server V5 questions
> Hi Scott, I apprecaite your comments. I'm guessing you have
> first hand
> knowledge of SMESV5. As I am not a partner anymore I have
> not had a look
> at SMESV5 so I have questions you may consider redundant. My
> apologies.
I've seen a fair bit of it, and I have the beta but to my shame have had far
too little time to work with it.
> I have not heard that the ServiceLink IPSEC VPN or AntiVirus
> features may
> be easily not used and third party applications installed in
> its place.
I believe Kirilly's last reply answers this -- ServiceLink is only installed
once purchased. This means that if there are third party alternatives
available, they could certainly be used.
> I have not heard exaclty what happens after the $595.00 3 month
> ServiceLink subscription ends. Until e-smith states what
> happens, this
> is open to speculation.
I don't see the need to speculate. ServiceLink is a commercial offering. If
you don't pay, you can't play :-) I suppose I'm putting words in their
mouth, but if you pay for three months worth and decide not to continue
paying, why should they continue providing?
> 1) Does product support/upgrades end or is it simply the ServiceLink
> subscription that ends and product support/upgrades are still
> valid for
> one year like they are today?
I think the confusion is because there is no mention of support OUTSIDE of
the ServiceLink agreement. I'm guessing that is the only way to get support.
As to upgrades, for the base SME5 product I'd assume it will be business as
historically usual.
> 2) Can one simply employ another DNS/Email backup provider
> and e-mail/DNS
> continues as usual or once you are set up uses the
> ServiceLink feature,
> is this a problem to change?
This is already possible through several of the Dynamic DNS providers, so I
don't see what the problem is. These are services to ease maintenance and
enhance reliability -- they are NOT essential components required in order
to make the server work.
I'm quite sure that, once you choose to not pay for ServiceLink and remove
the ServiceLink software, that the SME server goes back to business as
usual. At the very worst, if it does not, you would need only to make a
backup, reload the server in question, and restore the necessary files. But
I can't imagine they'd have made it that tough.
> 3) Can the IPSEC VPN be set up (customized) to work without
> the Mitel NOC?
No. Or at least not easily. You'd need to create your own NOC to mimic the
capability. However, since the IPSec VPN components are there, I'm sure some
enterprising soul will figure out how to do server-to-server VPNs w/o the
NOC. I doubt it will be as easy and reliable, though.
> 4) What about the current PPTP VPN connectivity, is this tied to the
> IPSEC VPN or separate and not effected in any way?
No, it is not tied in, so no, it is not affected. PPTP VPN is business as
usual, unaffected by ServiceLink.
> 5) Will the Antivirus program continue to work without the Mitel NOC
> simply using the last downloaded virus signatures? Can these
> signatures
> then be updated 'manually'?
Good question, and this one I can't answer. Obviously there must be bits
hooked into the mail system to provide this feature. If those bits are
proprietary, then dropping ServiceLink should rightfully terminate those
hooks. But, again, there is nothing to prevent someone from making a GPL AV
contrib, which could even include automatic updates.
> These are all simple questions that a quick e-smith answer would end
> speculation and paranoia with fact.
Actually, Darrell, most of your questions sound like "Can I use ServiceLink
and get support without paying for it?" I'm sure that's not what you intend,
but that is how it comes across. I think it is pretty safe (and someone from
Mitel will correct me if I'm wrong) to say that ServiceLink is there to use
if you want to pay for it, and if you don't then the base system is there
for you to use.
In my mind, the only gray area not yet addressed is if there will be some
form of paid support for the base system, or if the only way to get support
from Mitel is to buy ServiceLink? Of course, not being an Authorized Partner
either, I can't say what arrangements exist in that arena.
Scott
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