Testimonials

The major thing I like about SME Server (and have since I worked at Mitel and they bought E-Smith) is that it just works. A very simple installation, and it mostly works from the first boot. The server built in 2004 originally got the free download from Mitel, version 5 if memory serves, maybe 5.5 ...

It has its quirks. I've used CentOS and Ubuntu Server in several instances where the goals were different. Horses for courses, as my friends in the UK say. I have made non- contribs applications work in SME, but I don't do it often enough to be really comfortable messing with the templates, even though it isn't really all that hard. If I did a POS or CRM, I typically chose Ubuntu Server or CentOS.

I'm retired now, only two servers to look after, both SME. One, the old box running 32 bit 9.1, the other real server hardware with RAID, 64 bit Xeon processor runs 8.2, soon to be upgraded.

I think that SME is a really good alternative to Microsoft Small Business Server, and certainly easier to administer, with much, much lower hardware requirements and no licensing headaches. If you want a home server with gateway and firewall, there is really nothing better.