[HCoop-Discuss] Jabber Server

[Aaron Hsu]

On Mon, 16 Apr 2007 10:45:41 -0500, Clinton Ebadi  
<clinton at unknownlamer.org> wrote:

> I was under the impression that the current config already forced SSL;
> I at least can't connect with Gaim unless I have SSL enabled.
> We are also not tied to ejabberd as long as any of the people using
> Jabber now don't mind losing their current contact lists as a
> consequence of switching servers. It may be worth doing that just to
> switch to using LDAP for authentication to unify everything, and to
> switch to the Jive platform if it is indeed better. Are there Debian
> packages available? If not, someone will have to maintain it manually
> (which may not be a huge deal, but I know that we're trying to keep
> the amount of non-Debian stuff to a minimum).

I searched for Debian packages and I did not find any. The server is  
OpenFire from Ignite Realtime (they like to change names occassionally).  
They distribute for Linux as an RPM or a Gzipped Tarball. Working in D.C.  
a year or so ago I was tasked with creating a stable internal IM system  
for my company. I was running the server on Slackware at the time, and I  
had nothing but trouble configuring and using Ejabberd, which could have  
been due to my incompetence. However, it was relatively painless to  
install OpenFire (then Wildfire) on the system with minimal effort and I  
have been impressed with the stability, ease-of-use, and overall  
useability of the system. I can't speak for the virtual domains as yet,  
but OpenFire does have a guide to LDAP integration and using custom  
databases, so I imagine we might be happy with it.

>> Has a decision been made about whether or not virtual jabber server
>> support is going to be allowed?
> I think it would be nice to have this once we're migrated. It should
> even be possible with ejabberd, but I have yet to test it.
> So, to conclude, the Jabber plans for the new machines are *not* set
> in stone, and now would be the time to decide if we're going to switch
> implementations. I at least have no problem with switching to another
> server as long as it isn't a huge PITA to configure, or, if it is,
> someone who has used it before can assist in setting it up, and it
> isn't prone to random breakages.

Currently most of the people I work with and discuss technology with agree  
that OpenFire is really the best thing out there right now for Jabber  
servers, although I welcome a differing opinion here. There are two things  
I currently see as being possible deterents to using the system: A) it's a  
java application so it runs on the JRE, which may or may not be to our  
liking, and B) if no one but myself is familiar with it, you might not be  
willing to put all your faith in me to run, maintain and configure the  
system. I would be willing to do this, of course, but I have to realize  
that my time is limited, and I could probably only put in time once or  
twice a week guaranteed to work on the server, though I could probably  
find free time between well enough.

My hope, however, is that the server's documenation is as easy for  
everyone else to understand as it was for me to understand. If it is, then  
the admins probably don't even need my input on it.

-- 
Aaron Hsu <arcfide at sacrificumdeo.net>
http://www.aaronhsu.com | XMPP/Gtalk: arcfide at xmpp.us
(703) 597-7656 | "No one could make a greater mistake than he who did  
nothing because he could do only a little." - Edmund Burke