The popularity of Microsoft's Live
Communication Server and the many XMPP/Jabber Server implementations have tech analysts like the ones over at Slashdot asking the question "Is XMPP the 'Next Big Thing'?" The advent of instant message (IM) servers has heralded the age of live communication in the enterprise.
Now that IM servers are ready for the enterprise data center, isn't it time to learn how to install, configure and manage one? This walkthrough will show how to install the Open Source version of Openfire Chat Server 3.4.4 on Ubuntu Linux 7.10 Gusty Gibbon amd64, and guide readers along the steps necessary to initially configure Openfire. The article will also show IT administrators how to successfully connect a chat client to their new enterprise Openfire chat server.
IM in the enterprise
Instant messaging (IMing) first appeared in the late 1990s and was immediately embraced by teenagers. Today, those teens are young professionals entering a business-world that has not made its mind up about IMing. For these new professionals, email or telephones are outmoded or too bulky compared to the short-burst communication style like IM.
So what should businesses do with IM? What implications might IMing have on their business or intellectual property (IP)? Should a business ban IM, it risks stifling the creativity of the younger workforce.
Five years ago, the answer would have been to err on the side of caution. IP is too important to trust communication about it over unknown media such as IM. But today, secure implementations of IM are available that are well-suited for enterprise businesses with even the most strict security policies, allowing businesses to take full advanta
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ge of IM communication.
One such implementation is Openfire Chat Server on Linux from Jive Software. Openfire IM server is enterprise-class software with all the features necessary for businesses to feel confident about deploying. Jive Software offers two versions of Openfire Chat Server: Enterprise and Open Source. The Enterprise version includes support from Jive Software. Other features limited to the Enterprise version are:
Both versions of Openfire Chat Server are based on the open standard Extensible Messaging and Presence Protocol ( XMPP/ Jabber). All chats can be encrypted with transport layer security (TLS) and users can be authenticated with the light-weight directory access protocol (LDAP). A full list of features for both the Enterprise and Open Source versions is available at the Jive Software website.
Notes on Openfire
Openfire Chat Server should be installed in a secure network environment because once installed its administration website is initially open to anyone who can access the server on port 9090. Administrators are cautioned to take steps to prevent this in advance via iptables or host access files.
Openfire installation
Congratulations! You have successfully installed and configured Openfire Chat Server. Login to the management console to further configure Openfire, or let your users start connecting today!
About the author: Andrew Kutz is a Microsoft Certified Solutions Developer (MCSD) and a SANS/GIAC Certified Windows Security Administrator (GCWN). An avid fan of .NET, open source, Terminal Services and coding, Andrew's current focus is on virtualization. He recently wrote about managing hardware RAIDs with Adaptec and Ubuntu.
