[PLUG] Linux Server setup

[Aaron Burt]

On Fri, Dec 05, 2003 at 11:46:27AM -0800, Michael Montagne wrote:
> So my wife was complaining about spam in the office.  I threw out my
> usual, you should set up a linux server to collect your mail from your
> ISP (right now they all just use pop3) and you could use spamassassin.

It's that, or install a spam filter like Popfile on each PC, giving
users control over their own spam-filtering.

> You could also make that your file server and then you could back up
> easier and not cut off from someone's files when they decide to turn
> their computer off.  Currently they use a peer-to-peer network with
> all win98 machines. 

I did small-business networks for quite a few years, and I want to make
sure you know what you're getting yourself into here.

Servers require sysadmins.  The Boss is (rightfully) gonna ask, "How
much is your time gonna cost?  Can we trust you to be available RIGHT
NOW when the thing breaks and shuts down the whole office?  What do we
do if the both of you up and move to Connecticut?  What business reason
compels us to commit to something that'll cost us money now and for the
indefinite future?"

For most folks, changes mean anger and confusion.  The one who hits the
mail-check button every 20 seconds when she's expecting something won't
like being told to wait for Fetchmail on the Linux box to do its every-
10-minute check; she'll sit and stew and drum her fingers as loudly as
possible.  The one who shares a few form letters won't like having to
access them from another drive letter, because he's *always* accessed
them from c:\Documents\pucky\bull\ and dammit, anything else is just
plain *different*.

The technical work is easy, the social work is not.  Mimimize the pace
of (perceived) change and technology commitment, cultivate and use the
office's amateur technicians, sling boatloads of charm and humor and
only the tiniest pinches of BS, and act like everything's perfectly
reasonable. 

> I think I can handle all of this except for one nagging question.  I
> want this to look relatively easy so I thought I'd ask here first.
> She likes to check her mail from home. Their ISP is Qwest and I'm sure
> they connect using DHCP.  I also sort of told her that she could
> access the linux box from home when she needed to.  Are these things
> (the access parts) possible with your standard Qwest DHCP setup?  

When I had QWorst DSL, I accessed my Linux box remotely all'a time.
It's one of the nicest things about having DSL or cable.  I used a free
dyndns.org hostname and set up my box to update it every time it did a
DHCP.

Be sure and test that everything works and recovers automagically before
making any promises, let alone bringing the box into the office.  
And think about backup and virus-scanning for the file-server.
Central reliable storage with regular backup can be its own reward.

Sorry this is so long, but all of it is heartfelt and IMO important.