hosting websites on the scalix server

[kf6ntg]

I have Scalix server 11.3 up and running with no issues.
Now I would like to know if there is any reason why I couldn't create Apache virtual hosts on the Scalix server?

Anyone tried this sucessfully?

Is there anything I should watch out for?

ANyone know where I might find more information on doing this?

[Valerion]

I am running it perfectly myself. Just be careful of names starting with "m" as the mobile client may intercept that, but it depends on your apache config. If you understand virtual hosts you can get it to run easily. If you have issues, you may need to modify the Scalix default vhost, but that shouldn't be a major issue.

On my machine I replaced the Scalix default vhost with a custom-crafted one, but that's purly because I like it that way, not due to any Scalix limitations.

[albatroz]

Mmm.. I also was thinking on hosting web apps that require php, MySQL,
PostgresSQL, in the same box of Scalix. Is it possible?

[mikevl]

Hi

Anything is possible. Scalix is very flexible. This question really relates to strategig planning.
How busy is your Scalix server?
Do you want the situation of all your eggs in one basket.
If your website breaks do you have to reboot your mailserver (kick the users off)
Scalix already uses PostgresSQL but on a non standard port. This may need some looking at.

Mike

[jaime.pinto]

The best is to not mess around with the scalix server for other things.
I think I stretched the limit by adding a /s to run a SquirrelMail virtual host on the same machine. You can just lookup the way it's done for the /m for mobile.

[kf6ntg]

Hello,

I'm experimenting with Scalix at home... I would like to use Apache virtual hosts... looks as if I need to change something with Scalix to make this work... can anyone offer any help?

Also would like to setup a virtual host like this: mail.domain.com use this instaed of domain.com/webmail

please help!

[jaime.pinto]

The best is to not mess around with the scalix server for other things.

Here is another one: DO NOT mess around with the scalix way of doing things.

And yet one more: DO NOT experiment with Scalix. This is a job for the scalix developers. Go look for some other toy to play with.
Just let the install script do its thing and strive to make it work like that. Then add a redirect from http://xxx/ to http://xxx/webmail

[Valerion]

I'd rather answer here than in a PM, so others can see it as well.

First need to understand exactly what you are doing before changing the default setup, this is critical. Do not use your Scalix server as a way to learn Apache vhosts. If you understand Scalix and Apache well enough, you can do it without too many hassles, though. So I won't give a step-by-step guide, but I will make the following observations you can use to structure your vhosts with:

1) The Scalix vhost definitions are in /etc/opt/scalix-tomcat, with different directories for the mod_jk and mod_proxy-based systems. The link to this is in /etc/httpd/conf.d.

2) There MUST be an HTTP (not HTTPS) vhost for the machine you are on, using its FQDN, and I always put at least the following in it:
/api
/caa
/res
/sis

3) Your vhost MUST include /opt/scalix/global/httpd/scalix-web-client.conf, otherwise the Rules Wizard will be broken.

4) The web services config files in /var/opt/scalix/??/* must match the vhost name.

5) You can use the files from 1) to build your vhost definition, or edit them directly. Just be aware that Scalix will replace those files when you upgrade.

Please note that if you go and modify your system you will end up with something that will likely not be supported by Scalix, and hard to debug issues here, which is why you need to understand Apache vhosts, so you can debug that part on your own.

[btietz]

Ok then, Maybe things would be easier if I simply moved the Scalix webmail and sac to completely different ports that wouldn't interfere with my websites....

Any thoughts on how to do this? Or is this out of the question?

[kiitii]

I'd rather answer here than in a PM, so others can see it as well.

First need to understand exactly what you are doing before changing the default setup, this is critical. Do not use your Scalix server as a way to learn Apache vhosts. If you understand Scalix and Apache well enough, you can do it without too many hassles, though. So I won't give a step-by-step guide, but I will make the following observations you can use to structure your vhosts with:

1) The Scalix vhost definitions are in /etc/opt/scalix-tomcat, with different directories for the mod_jk and mod_proxy-based systems. The link to this is in /etc/httpd/conf.d.

2) There MUST be an HTTP (not HTTPS) vhost for the machine you are on, using its FQDN, and I always put at least the following in it:
/api
/caa
/res
/sis

3) Your vhost MUST include /opt/scalix/global/httpd/scalix-web-client.conf, otherwise the Rules Wizard will be broken.

4) The web services config files in /var/opt/scalix/??/* must match the vhost name.

5) You can use the files from 1) to build your vhost definition, or edit them directly. Just be aware that Scalix will replace those files when you upgrade.

Please note that if you go and modify your system you will end up with something that will likely not be supported by Scalix, and hard to debug issues here, which is why you need to understand Apache vhosts, so you can debug that part on your own.

Sorry to ask.

Would appreciate if you can post some example step-by-step. I m kinda lost here.
Thanks!

KT

[Valerion]

As I stated before, I am not going to do that. Reason for that is that if I do I will turn your Scalix instance into something non-standard, which will make troubleshooting hard to do here and for Scalix, and if you don't understand why I am doing what I am doing then you won't be able to easily fix the issues that are bound to crop up.

I suggest you start by reading http://httpd.apache.org/docs/2.2/ and http://httpd.apache.org/docs/2.2/vhosts/ - this will give you a foundation you can use to apply what I stated in the email above.

[btietz]

OK, here's my next problem. I'm now using Vmware server... Scalix is on its own Vm instance and working with no crazy modifications at all.. I would simply like to use... on a separate CentOS 5.1 instance within Vmware server, Apache mod_proxy to hit the scalix box...

my config is:

<VirtualHost *:443>
ServerAlias mail.*
ServerName mail.brian-tietz.com
SSLProxyEngine ON
SSLEngine On
SSLCertificateFile /etc/pki/tls/certs/localhost.crt
SSLCertificateKeyFile /etc/pki/tls/private/localhost.key
ProxyPass / https://172.16.2.5/webmail/
ProxyPassReverse / https://172.16.2.5/webmail/
</VirtualHost>

on the separate centos install (not scalix install which is also centos btw)...
This config does work... but only at bringing up the webmail login screen... when I attempt to login I now get a message stating "The server failed to send back a valix xml response." ---In fact if you would like to try this your self you can at mail.brian-tietz.com also note that it doesn't seem to matter any more if you enter a valid user name/password the same message comes up...

Is there anything obvious I should be doing when using mod_proxy in Apache to reach the Scalix server?

[Kris]

Change:

ProxyPass / https://172.16.2.5/webmail/
ProxyPassReverse / https://172.16.2.5/webmail/

To:

ProxyPass /webmail https://172.16.2.5/webmail/
ProxyPassReverse /webmail https://172.16.2.5/webmail/

and access the webmail using https://mail.brian-tietz.com/webmail

I think that will work. I think scalix needs to have the /webmail to function correctly. (I have had the same trouble).

[btietz]

Thanks for the reply. I tried your sugestion and everything but the rules wizard and sac seems to be up and functional. I know the sac has a different url, I'm guessing so does the rules wizard?

Did you find a work around for this on your end?

Thanks for the help in advance.

[Kris]

I tested here, and my rules wizard is also broken. Didn't know that
I tried adding a /Scalix part to my webproxy config, but that didn't help.

Going to investigate..