Rainmail Intranet Server A Complete IT Set-up for the Enterprise

One of the key aspects of a growing business is its IT infrastructure. Addressing this effectively has always been a major challenge for systems administrators. Here is software that helps you in handling all your intranet requirements.

Rainmail Intranet Server (RIS) is a bundle of software that provides the complete intranet and network infrastructure to enterprises. The package provides you with a solution that does away with the traditional problem of procuring multiple packages, and then integrating and co-ordinating them for support.

This Linux-based application started off as a basic mail and proxy server and, over time, it has added features to become a complete intranet server, based on the feedback of users.

RIS broadly performs the following IT infrastructurerelated functions: Security: Antivirus/anti-spam protection, firewall, proxy server, VPN, bandwidth manager and bandwidth aggregator Messaging suite: Email server, fax server, instant messaging and audio video conferencing Storage suite: File server and Web server RIS is a complete package for setting up infrastructure for an enterprise. It comes with a high-end support system, provided in the form of chat, email, phone and onsite support by Carizen's support offices at Chennai, Mumbai and New Delhi.

System requirements

The minimum system requirements for running the server are listed below: Intel Xeon or Core2Duo processor 4 GB RAM or higher (8 GB is recommended) DVD ROM drive Gigabit network cards

Why RIS?

One of the major reasons to choose RIS is the hassle-free installation and the user-friendly GUI-based administration of the server. RIS is based on tried and tested open source tools like Qmail, Fetchmail, Apache, Samba, bind and iptables. Apart from being open source, these applications are robust, affordable and reliable for the production environment too.

A single administrative console/GUI is provided with RIS, which can be used to configure all servers included in the application. This ensures an easy learning curve for RIS, so administrative tasks can be performed even by users with little or no knowledge of Linux.

Now let us look at a few of the key components of

RIS that make it the right choice for setting up your IT infrastructure.

The email server

The RIS email server is based on Qmail, which is still one of the most popular, secure and fast mail transfer agents (MTAs) available on the Internet today. This ensures that the email server can be scaled right from 10 users to 1 million users as the organisation's needs increase. The email server included in RIS is a robust messaging system with an easy-to-use graphical user interface. It also offers a host of functions including Ajaxbased Webmail, POP/IMAP/SMTP support, spam control, host forwarding, address forwarding and auto reply.

Proxy server

The proxy server module of RIS enables efficient sharing of Internet access. It is based on the industry leading Squid. The RIS proxy server not only controls who is given access to the Internet, but also speeds up Internet access using caching methodology. The easy-to-use GUI allows admins to create groups of users and give them specific permissions to browse the Internet. It provides functionality like site restrictions, IP restrictions, user restrictions and time restrictions for Internet browsing. Reports on who is using what can be generated. RIS uses SARG to generate reports for each individual user of the Internet.

Web server

RIS includes the Apache Web server, which is one of the most secure Web servers in the industry. With support for dynamic pages using PHP, servlets, JSP and CGI scripts, this can be used to build complex intranet and Web-based applications. A default intranet page containing various useful links is installed with RIS. This can be customised to suit your requirements, and a complete dynamic intranet (possibly with workflow) can be implemented with the existing LAMP stack bundled with RIS.

File server

The file server module helps an organisation to store files centrally for easy back-up as well as maintenance. Based on Samba, RIS has implemented file servers with access control lists, which ensure that files can only be accessed by authorised users.

Audio-video conferencing

Rainmail’s conferencing module helps provide the audiovideo conferencing facility for users in an organisation. Users can send conference invitations to multiple people within and outside the organisation. This module enables sharing messages on a whiteboard, text chatting with a group, and uploading and sharing documents. To experience the Rainmail conference facility, the following system requirements must be met on client desktops too: Adobe Flash Player Speakers/headsets Web cam Microphone The conference application also provides the option for text-based chat.

Firewall

The firewall module provides the first defence against network attacks. Based on the iptables module provided in the Linux kernel, RIS provides support for DMZ, support for close/open ports from the outside world, for custom firewall rules, and for NAT, SNAT and DNAT.

Anti-virus protection

The built-in anti-virus module provides protection against viruses that come in through email. With automatic weekly updates and manual emergency updates, and the capability to detect exe, scripts, macros and a wide variety of viruses, RIS provides the most comprehensive email virus protection an organisation can get.

Bandwidth manager

The bandwidth manager modules help to regulate the Internet bandwidth available to users. Using this, an organisation can form groups and assign specific bandwidth to various users, ensuring certain minimum QoS (Quality of Service).

In addition to the above applications, RIS has a single click back-up/restore facility, which ensures that there is minimal downtime. In case of hardware crashes, RIS can be brought up and running on new hardware (with all old applications, configuration and data) in as quickly as 30 minutes, using this facility. RIS also ensures that most of the administrative functions are automated so that systems administrators can concentrate on other important things. Logs are automatically rotated, and virus pattern files are automatically downloaded and updated.

This Linux-based application can work as complete software for the network infrastructure requirements of an enterprise, under one roof. If you are an experienced Linux administrator, you can always put together a solution by installing and configuring the software at your premises. However, this can typically take at least two to three days, when done manually. Also, you have to refer to the documentation available on the Internet to configure and set up all individual components. RIS is a solution that addresses all your requirements regarding installation and initial configuration, and can be set up in less than an hour. It comes in a CD and includes an easy-to-use GUI-based installation, which ensures that users can install the software themselves. For more information on the product, visit http://www.carizen.com.