Re: Easier administration (similar to Linuxconf)
Well... its true... if people wrote enough modules for Linuxconf, then it could, theoretically, have functionality similar to colbat servers. However... even if you don't have all those modules, at least standardize on some common tools, and make the functionality similar, if not better, than colbat servers. I know colbat servers don't have exim and smail, zmailer, etc. ... only sendmail (by default, afaik). And that allows them to make the interface and everything work PROPERLY and FULLY with just that server. If someone wrote something like that, and they said "either use Apache, Sendmail, webalizer and majordomo, or don't use Linuxconf", i wouldn't have a beef. You can't expect people to write a module for everything under the sun. But at least get the few modules really working with full customization. I hope you guys know what i mean. I don't expect it to work with everything. But get something working like Colbat servers... only a few package options, but those packages, once installed, can be fully customized easily, and the configs can be distributed to many servers easily, without hassle and fuss. I'd be willing to help out a bit if someone shared the same philosophy as I do :-) Oh.. and I know i could do this all with scripts, write it all myself, but thats not the point. I mean... i don't admin hundreds of servers... but its enough to make manually configuring each a time consuming hassle. If something is already out there, why would i need to write scripts? Why not pool all our efforts towards one project and get it working properly? :-) Jason. - Original Message - From: "I. Forbes" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: ; "Mailing List" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Thursday, March 30, 2000 8:40 PM Subject: Re: Easier administration (similar to Linuxconf) > Hello All > > On 29 Mar 00, at 16:20, Smoerk wrote: > > > > You know the "web-enabled" administration software used by Colbat servers? > > > I was wondering if anything for Linux (and hopefully debanized) was > > > similar? > > > > Maybe Webmin (www.webmin.com)? > > But why don't you write some scripts, which setup a default > > configuration? A config tool is not faster than doing the same in the > > config files. It's easier, but not faster. > > I have also been thinking about this problem for a while. Specifically > I would like an interface to allow the following. > > Users to do things like: > > - change passwords > - change their ".forward" file settings. > > And a semi privileged non-root administrator to: > > - add and delete users > - change other users passwords (but not root password) > - view other users's mail > - edit /etc/aliases > > I have looked at linux.conf and webmin. Linux.conf seems to be an > overkill and too experimental (especially on Debian) to let loose on > semi-skilled admins. Webmin seemed to climb in and edit files > without any regard for standard system tools. I had a look at the > coding of an early version and decided to leave it. It may be better > by now. > > My idea was to find or write simple console based, but menu driven > tools for doing these tasks. These could be accessed from the > linux console, telnet, xterm or from a web page via the java telnet > client. > > It has the major advantage over linux.conf and webmin in that > everything that runs on the linux box runs under the users own uid > which is much simpler to secure than anything that works off a www > interface and runs suid root. > > Has anybody got any console based, menu driven scripts to start > with? > > - > Ian Forbes ZSD > http://www.zsd.co.za > Office: +27 +21 683-1388 Fax: +27 +21 64-1106 > Snail Mail: P.O. Box 46827, Glosderry, 7702, South Africa > - >
Re: Easier administration (similar to Linuxconf)
Hello All On 29 Mar 00, at 16:20, Smoerk wrote: > > You know the "web-enabled" administration software used by Colbat servers? > > I was wondering if anything for Linux (and hopefully debanized) was > > similar? > > Maybe Webmin (www.webmin.com)? > But why don't you write some scripts, which setup a default > configuration? A config tool is not faster than doing the same in the > config files. It's easier, but not faster. I have also been thinking about this problem for a while. Specifically I would like an interface to allow the following. Users to do things like: - change passwords - change their ".forward" file settings. And a semi privileged non-root administrator to: - add and delete users - change other users passwords (but not root password) - view other users's mail - edit /etc/aliases I have looked at linux.conf and webmin. Linux.conf seems to be an overkill and too experimental (especially on Debian) to let loose on semi-skilled admins. Webmin seemed to climb in and edit files without any regard for standard system tools. I had a look at the coding of an early version and decided to leave it. It may be better by now. My idea was to find or write simple console based, but menu driven tools for doing these tasks. These could be accessed from the linux console, telnet, xterm or from a web page via the java telnet client. It has the major advantage over linux.conf and webmin in that everything that runs on the linux box runs under the users own uid which is much simpler to secure than anything that works off a www interface and runs suid root. Has anybody got any console based, menu driven scripts to start with? - Ian Forbes ZSD http://www.zsd.co.za Office: +27 +21 683-1388 Fax: +27 +21 64-1106 Snail Mail: P.O. Box 46827, Glosderry, 7702, South Africa -
Re: Easier administration (similar to Linuxconf)
> You know the "web-enabled" administration software used by Colbat servers? > I was wondering if anything for Linux (and hopefully debanized) was > similar? Maybe Webmin (www.webmin.com)? But why don't you write some scripts, which setup a default configuration? A config tool is not faster than doing the same in the config files. It's easier, but not faster.
Re: Easier administration (similar to Linuxconf)
> Specifically, the software should be able to do things like set up virtual > hosting on apache, and at the same time set quotas, allocate IPs (or named > based) for the domains, set up pop accounts, allow users to set up their > own virtual forwarding lists (like .qmail-something, but with sendmail). > Basically, make webhosting easier and less time consuming. i don't use linuxconf, but i've seen all of above in debianized linuxconf, dunno if it actually works and how.. problem is - cobalt can be fully customized, but how do you create such tool for debian, when even someone using only packages can use qmail,exim,sendmail, etc etc etc etc as his MTA, apache, roxen, etc etc etc as his httpd, .. so it boils down to creating more modules for linuxconf, or - creating apache-webconfig, exim-webconfig, qmail-webconfig and the like apps. Which actually isn't bad idead afterall, anyone willing to start or help with starting such project? or maybe there are such tools which i don't know about?
Easier administration (similar to Linuxconf)
Hi! You know the "web-enabled" administration software used by Colbat servers? I was wondering if anything for Linux (and hopefully debanized) was similar? It doesn't have to have a web interface, but something easy to use, fast to distribute, would be great. I know about the Linuxconf effort, but it falls short of the full customization offered by the Colbat software. Specifically, the software should be able to do things like set up virtual hosting on apache, and at the same time set quotas, allocate IPs (or named based) for the domains, set up pop accounts, allow users to set up their own virtual forwarding lists (like .qmail-something, but with sendmail). Basically, make webhosting easier and less time consuming. This is because while I do have time for administration, i'd like my time to be used more productively doing other things as well :-) Oh.. and if you happen to know how i can easily make a bunch of servers have the same configuration, but still have machine-specific stuff (can't have 10 servers responding to the same IPs and such), please tell me :-) I don't have huge requirements on this, just something simple and easy to set up. Thanks in advance :-) Jason.
