How to Install Zentyal Server 5.0 and Review on VMware

Zentyal Server 5.0 Installation and Review on VMware

This tutorial shows how to install, configure Zentyal Server 5.0 and review on VMware Workstation/Player step by step. We also install VMware Tools on Zentyal Server for better VM performance and usability. This guide is also helpful to installing Zentyal Server 5.0 (Linux Small Business Server) on physical computer or bare-metal server hardware.

Zentyal Server 5.0 Installation Steps:

1. Download Zentyal Server 5.0 ISO
2. Create VM on VMware Workstation/Player
3. Start Installation
4. Install VMware Tools (Open VM Tools)
5. Test VMware Tools Features: Fit Guest Now, Drag-Drop File and Clipboard Sharing
6. Configure Zentyal Server
7. Zentyal Server 5.0 Review

Installing, Configuring Zentyal Server 5.0 and Review on VMware

What is Zentyal Server?

Zentyal Server is a unified network server that offers easy and efficient computer network administration for small and medium-size businesses. It can act as a gateway, an infrastructure manager, a unified threat manager, an office server, a unified communication server or a combination of them. These functionalities are tightly integrated, automating most tasks, avoiding mistakes and saving time for system administrators. Zentyal is released under the GNU General Public License (GPL) and runs on top of Ubuntu.

Zentyal Server incorporates all the network services required in a small and medium business environment: Directory & Domain Server, Mail Server, Gateway and Infrastructure Server. Zentyal implements Microsoft Exchange Server protocols on top of standard open source components (such as Dovecot, Postfix, Samba, etc.) in order to provide native compatibility with Microsoft Outlook clients. The email and groupware protocols supported by Zentyal are MAPI, ActiveSync, EWS, SMTP, POP, IMAP, CalDAV, CardDAV and Active Directory. Zentyal Linux Small Business Server is widely used by small and medium businesses independently of their activity or location, as well as by public administration or the education sector.
Zenytal Website: http://www.zentyal.org/

Zentyal Server Main Features

1. Native compatibility with Microsoft Exchange Server Protocols
2. Support for Microsoft Outlook 2007 and 2010
3. Native compatibility with Microsoft Active Directory 2008, 2008R2 and 2012
4. Email, calendars, contacts
5. Synchronization with mobile devices (ActiveSync support)
6. Antivirus and antispam
7. Packaged in an Ubuntu-based server, providing domain and directory, basic networking and firewall services

Zentyal Server 5.0 New Features and Improvements

Zentyal Server 5.0 is based on Ubuntu 16.04 LTS (Xenial) and comes with the latest versions of all the integrated software. New features and improvements include:

1. Latest released version of Samba directly from upstream, without any custom patch by Zentyal.
2. Comes with all the fixes in the Samba project since Samba 4.3, which are many, specially on the replication code.
3. The Zentyal integration code has been rewritten to no longer need the custom patches, this will result in more stability and maintainability, getting newer versions quicker.
4. NSS/PAM is now managed with winbind instead of sssd, which is the recommended way.
5. New UI using modern web technologies with improved look and feel, visual effects and usability.
6. Lots of fixes and improvements on ActiveSync implementation.
7. New HTTP Proxy module
8. Daemon management uses systemd instead of upstart.

Hope you found this Zentyal Server 5.0 installation and configuration tutorial helpful and informative. Please consider sharing it. Your feedback and questions are welcome!