Introduction to SME Server

Welcome, intrepid sysadmin-to-be! If you’ve ever dreamt of running a reliable, easy-to-manage Linux server that handles email, web hosting, DNS, firewalling and more—without losing your sanity—then SME Server (formerly e-smith) is your ticket to sysadmin stardom. Born in 1999 and nurtured by a passionate open‐source community, SME Server brings enterprise-grade features with the simplicity of a household appliance.

In this comprehensive guide, we’ll embark on a thrilling journey through hardware requirements, downloading the ISO, creating boot media, the step‐by‐step installation, and post‐install configuration. We’ll sprinkle in tips, a touch of humor, and plenty of practical examples. Buckle up!

1. System Requirements

Before you start, ensure your hardware meets the minimum and recommended specifications. Deploying on a virtual machine works splendidly for testing or small deployments.

Pro tip: If you plan to run mail services or host many websites, invest in more RAM and disk I/O performance. Your future self will thank you.

2. Downloading the SME Server ISO

1. Visit the official SME Server website:
   www.smeserver.org.
2. Navigate to the Download section and select the latest stable release. As of this writing it’s SME Server 10.0.
3. Choose the .iso file for x86_64 architecture.
4. Verify the SHA256 checksum against the values published on the site to ensure integrity.

3. Creating Bootable Media

You have two main options: a USB flash drive or a virtual machine ISO. We’ll cover both.

3.1 USB Flash Drive (Linux Host)

dd if=SME-Server-10.0-x86_64.iso of=/dev/sdX bs=4M status=progress  sync
  

Replace /dev/sdX with your actual device. Triple-check to avoid wiping the wrong disk!

3.2 USB Flash Drive (Windows Host)

• Download Rufus.
• Select the ISO, choose GPT/UEFI or MBR/BIOS depending on your target, and click Start.

4. Installation Steps

Now for the fun part! Insert your boot media and power on the server. Adjust BIOS/UEFI to boot from USB or CD/DVD first.

4.1 Boot Menu

At the SME Server boot prompt, you’ll see options such as Install, Rescue, and Memory Test. Choose Install and press Enter.

4.2 Kickstart-based Installer

1. Language Selection: Pick your preferred language. We recommend English for broad community support.
2. Keyboard Layout: Default is US English. Change if needed.
3. Network Configuration:
   • Assign a static IP or enable DHCP.
   • Configure DNS servers and default gateway.
4. Partitioning: You have two choices:
   • Use entire disk: Automated, LVM-based layout.
   • Custom layout: Manual partitioning for advanced setups (separate /home, /var, etc.).
5. Software Selection: A minimal base is default. Later you’ll enable web, mail, DNS, etc.
6. Set Root Password: Choose a strong password. No 123456, please.
7. Time Zone: Select your region and city.

The installer now formats partitions, unpacks packages, and performs the first reboot. Grab a coffee—or two—while you wait.

5. Initial Configuration Wizard

Upon first boot, SME Server launches a web-based setup wizard. Connect from a client PC to:

https://ltyour-server-IPgt:980
  

Log in with admin and the password you set. The wizard will guide you through:

• Confirming network settings.
• Setting the primary domain name (e.g., example.local).
• Adding DNS forwarders.
• Configuring mail settings (SMTP relay, spam filters).
• Enabling services: HTTP, FTP, SSH, VPN, etc.

6. Understanding SME Server’s Architecture

SME Server uses the Esmith Business Engine (EBE) to manage configuration centrally. Changes made via the web interface generate templates that update /etc and restart services automatically.

This approach ensures consistency: you don’t edit httpd.conf or postfix/main.cf by hand (unless you’re a glutton for punishment). Instead, modify settings in the Admin UI or via CLI commandlets.

7. Post-Install Tasks

7.1 Update the System

yum update -y
   signal-event software-update
  

Note: SME uses the signal-event utility to apply changes.

7.2 Configuring Backups

• In the web UI: Backup amp Restore gt Backup.
• Schedule nightly backups to an external USB drive or NFS share.
• Test restores regularly—disasters love untested backups.

7.3 Securing the Server

• Change default SSH port in the web UI under Network Services gt SSH.
• Enable the firewall:

  signal-event firewall-adjust

• Harden web services with SSL/TLS certificates. Use Let’s Encrypt for free certs.

8. Managing Users and Groups

SME Server centralizes user and group management. Every new user gets a Unix account, email mailbox, and optional home directory.

8.1 Adding a User

1. Web UI: Users gt New User.
2. CLI:

   adduser john ampamp passwd john ampamp /sbin/e-smith/db accounts/mail setprop john mailhost local

Users can access webmail at https://ltservergt:980/webmail or via any IMAP/POP client.

9. Hosting Websites

SMEs love low-friction web hosting. SME Server’s VirtualHost manager automates Apache vhost files.

9.1 Creating a Virtual Site

1. Web UI: Web Sites gt Add Site.
2. Define domain, document root, SSL usage.
3. Upload content to /home/{domain}/html/.

Want WordPress? Simply upload it and set file permissions:

chown -R apache:apache /home/example.com/html

10. Email Server Configuration

SME Server ships with Postfix, Dovecot, SpamAssassin, ClamAV, and fetchmail support. It’s your one‐stop shop for mail.

10.1 Outgoing Mail Relay

• Set SMTP relay host in the web UI.
• Configure SPF and DKIM: Mail gt Outgoing Policy.

10.2 Incoming Mail and Spam Filtering

• Enable Content Filter and adjust SpamAssassin thresholds.
• Check quarantined spam: tail -f /var/log/maillog.

11. Advanced Topics

11.1 Clustering and High Availability

For mission-critical scenarios, consider setting up an HA pair with DRBD and Pacemaker. While SME doesn’t provide an out‐of‐the‐box solution, the community has excellent guides on the forum.

11.2 Virtual Private Networks

• Enable OpenVPN in Network Services gt VPN.
• Generate client certificates and distribute .ovpn files.

11.3 Containerization

While SME isn’t Docker‐native, you can install podman or docker-ce for container workloads. Keep your eyes peeled for community‐driven plugins.

12. Troubleshooting amp Tips

• No network at boot? Double‐check BIOS NIC order and /etc/e-smith/templates-custom for static config overrides.
• Web UI inaccessible? Ensure port 980 is open in the firewall:

  signal-event firewall-adjust

• Email not sending? Inspect /var/log/maillog and verify relay credentials.
• Disk space low? Clean up old backups or expand your LVM volumes:

  lvextend -L  10G /dev/VolGroup00/LogVol00 ampamp xfs_growfs /

Conclusion

Congratulations! You’ve traversed the full SME Server installation and configuration path. From raw hardware to a fully‐functional, multi‐service Linux appliance, you’re now armed with knowledge—and hopefully a few laughs along the way.

Remember: the Community at
SME Contribs Wiki
and the Forum are your best friends when the going gets tough.

Now go forth, deploy, configure, and may your services never go down!