Set up a groupware server using kolab

Overview

This describes how to set up a groupware server using kolab. The description how to set up a groupware server using oPenxchange is here.

Kolab is a software suite that allows for web-based

• mail
• address management
• calendar

This article describes how to set up a Kolab 2.2 server. It has been tested with Debian 5 and SUSE 11.1, but should work same or similar with other distributions.

• get a root terminal and download all Kolab files:

cd /tmp
mkdir kolab
cd kolab
wget -r -l1 --retr-symlinks http://ftp.gwdg.de/pub/linux/kolab/server/release/kolab-server-2.2.0/ix86-debian4.0/
cd ftp.gwdg.de/pub/linux/kolab/server/release/kolab-server-2.2.0/ix86-debian4.0/

• install kolab:

sh install-kolab.sh 2>&1 | tee /root/kolab-install.log
/kolab/etc/kolab/kolab_bootstrap -b

• Debian: Replace Exim with ssmtp:

apt-get install ssmtp

ssmtp is not a real MTA and will not block port 25 (while Exim would do and prevent Kolab's Postfix from starting). But with a working ssmtp instead of just disabling Exim, your system can still send mails out which is important, when hosting for example other webpages (PHP) which needs to send mails. Configure ssmtp in /etc/ssmtp/ssmtp.conf to use localhost as the mail hub, so it relay mails throigh the Postfix running below /kolab.

• SUSE: stop postfix: run /etc/init.d/postfix stop
• start kolab

/etc/init.d/kolab start

• configure kolab

/kolab/sbin/kolabconf
/kolab/bin/openpkg rc all restart

• log in on https://localhost for admin interface (user name manager) and on https://localhost/horde for the web frontend

Getting Greylisting (optional)

• Install Greylisting Daemon normally, outside of /kolab.

For example:

apt-get install postgrey

for Debian/Ubuntu.

• Configure Greylisting Daemon, restart it and add the initscript to your used runlevel (automatically done by rpm & dpkg-based distributions).
• Alter /kolab/etc/kolab/templates/main.cf.template and add:

check_policy_service inet:127.0.0.1:60000

as a policy to smtpd_recipient_restrictions before "check_policy_service unix:private/kolabpolicy" but after the more simple checks.

• Optionally: If you want a DNSBL, add it before Greylisting, but after all other checks (except kolabpolicy), for example

reject_rbl_client zen.spamhaus.org

for the Spamhaus Zen list (combines the best lists from Spamhaus).

• Run /kolab/sbin/kolabconf to regenerate the Postfix configuration file. Postfix is automatically restarted afterwards.

Backing up Kolab

Still to come:

• Dump Cyrus.
• Dump OpenLDAP.
• Save dumps (or everything) with rsync, rdiff-backup or something else.

Stopping kolab

To stop kolab, open a console and enter

/etc/init.d/kolab stop

See also

• http://ftp.gwdg.de/pub/linux/kolab/server/release/kolab-server-2.2.0/ix86-debian4.0/1st.README
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kolab