Linux for small business

[Matt Alexander]

Wow...  sounds like you've got a fairly simple situation there for
converting to Linux.  Samba on that one server could handle your
file/print needs and postfix could handle your mail.  Install the IMAP
software and your users could use Netscape to access their mail, or
Outlook, or whatever.  I'd find a spare box to be your firewall (it
doesn't need to be anything fancy) and put it between your DSL router and
the rest of your network.  Your users won't need to login to the network
since there's no Microsoft servers.  It sounds like you've got the Web
server side handled.  Each user could have Norton Anti-Virus, for example,
installed, and you'll want to have it automatically download updates
periodically.
If you have questions along the way, feel free to post them here.  Google
is also a great resource.
Good luck!  And let us know how it all turns out when you're finished.
~M


On Thu, 25 Apr 2002, Terence Chang wrote:

> Hi All:
>
> I only have experience on linux for desktop use 5% of
> my time. My friend would like to know if they can use
> Linux for the small business. This is what they have.
>
> 1. 20 PCs with either Win95 and Win98 installed.
> 2. A 7MB DSL line goes into the office.
> 3. One DSL/Router/Hug to shared the internet to every
> PCs.
> 4. One dual PIII 600 512MB memory server with Win2000
> and a shareware email server.
>
> This is what they need.
> 1. A firewall to secured the intranet
> 2. A mail server that can sent and receive company's
> email
> 3. A File server, so they can share the files
> (samba?).
> 4. Every employee will need to logon to the network to
> access internet/intranet. Is it something like domain
> controller, Active Directory and LDAP in NT
> environment?
> 5. Of course Apache Web Server and MySQL and PHP for
> internal web site. (I cna do this)
> 6. Virus protection.
>
> My friend try to cut the cost by not using MS
> solutions (MS SQL, MS Exchange, MS ISA, IIS, etc).
> What Linux Package should he buy to get all those
> capabilities? They are not going to get rid of win 95
> and 98, because some account software are installed.
>
> Is it difficult to setup that up? What will be the
> average price for all this? I think I will be the
> person to do this. It is a challenge to me though. :-)
> Can you do all this on that Dual PIII server?
>
> I use Mandrake as my second desktop, but i have never
> setup firewall, router and mail server on Linux. Can
> anyone provide some resource that I can check out?
>
> Thank you for help!
>
> =====
> Terence Chang
> peanutlen@yahoo.com
>
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