[Kroupware] Newbie questions.

[Thomas Lotterer]

On Tue, Nov 04, 2003, Alexander Wallace wrote:

> >>replace or otherwise affect preexisting
> > > counterparts already installed in the system? (already installed apache,
> > > exim, wu-imapd-ssl, etc).
> >
> > Kolab currently is packaged using the OpenPKG packaging system
> > which also has source package. It all installs in a seperate subdirectory,
> > e.g. /kolab.
> 
If you are new to OpenPKG it is worth having a look at
the first Part (eight pages) of the OpenPKG slideset at
http://www.openpkg.org/doc/slideset/openpkg.html/ to understand the
problems OpenPKG tries to resolve, how it does so and what the target
environments are.

Regarding platform support OpenPKG is known to work on FreeBSD5.1/alpha
and Debian 2.2+3.0/ix86. Your OS issues like include files etc. should
be covered. Also, sparc64 is supported so you can assume typical 64bit
problmes were already worked off.

OpenPKG tries to touch the OS as little as possible, see
http://www.openpkg.org/faq.html#entry-points. It will not interfer with
your existing setup. Both can be run simultaeonusly.

> Thankyou very much for the response. So kolab will come to replace the apache 
> and mail services I have? Will I still be able to use let's say apache as the 
> default web server for my users directories and run php, etc? 
> 
You can use the OS-Apache or the OpenPKG/Kolab-Apache or both. Kolab
setup and administration tools assume they can do anything with the
Kolab/OpenPKG-apache config they want so it will ease things if you run
both Apaches, each for it's particular purpose.

> What about php modules, will everything have to be installed using openpkg 
> packages? 
> 
Yes, as far as OpenPKG/Kolab-Apache goes. OpenPKG doesn't care about
your System-Apache.

> not debian apt in this case?
> 
Yes, as far as OpenPKG/Kolab-Apache goes, see
http://www.openpkg.org/faq.html#why-rpm

> Is it possible to make kolab use the already installed Apache?
> 
Because OpenPKG/Kolab-Apache is *the* Apache everyone else talks about,
the simple answer is yes. However, Apache has lots of options not only
run-time options but also build-time options. You would have to make
sure that your favourite Apache supports all options Kolab requires.
Also you would have to mix and match the Kolab config and your preferred
config not only once during setup but again for each System and Kolab
update. This sounds like a job only little less hard than developing
Kolab for yourself so the practial answer is no.

> I don't mind much having it replace my mail service. But it looks like all 
> security updates I would get from debian would not apply right?
> 
System updates will help your System.
OpenPKG/Kolab updates will help OpenPKG/Kolab.
Very simple.

If you are in doubt regarding OpenPKG security, have a look at
http://www.openpkg.org/security.html

--
Thomas.Lotterer at cw.com, Cable & Wireless