New Webmin Release Worth a Look

By | | Open Source

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For those familiar with Webmin – they understands it administrative value on Unix workstations and servers (including Mac OS X). Especially if you need to administer multiple systems.

For the unitiated – I wrote on Webmin a while back and explored its capabilities as a powerful root-enabled sys admin tool.

The new updates hit on all cylinders for me as I deal with several servers at once in my own webmin usage – including with LDAP.

Highlights of updates include:

  • Improved Postfix mail queue management
  • Ability to edit and/or drop multiple tables (and databases) at once in MySQL and PostgreSQL
  • Clustering tools including deploying printers to multiple servers at once (good for servers that produce print reports along with electronic distributions – important in some regulatory environments)
  • Handy LDAP enhancements such as multiple user and group deletions and multiple user and group unlocks
  • Read-only access option for allowing in users who may need to review webmin configurations but do not need editing rights
  • Sped up the performance of searching and reviewing system logs – nice when dealing with very busy servers.

If you have intensive sys admin needs or want to explore more powerful options than the traditional Unix control panel solutions – Webmin is worth a test run. Best yet – as open source – it is sans licensing fees.

As always – consider ways you can help the project if you benefit – whether that be through code, documentation, testing, promotions or good old fashioned cash donations.

Written By:

Blane Warrene

Blane is a writer and researcher focusing on Apple and Open Source technologies. Prior to this, he helped found a commercial software and consulting venture, and worked in the financial services sector as a director of technology and in varying technical roles. Blane maintains Open Sourcery: SitePoint's Open Source Blog.

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{ 2 comments }

bwarrene July 21, 2005 at 6:11 pm

Agreed – webmin is a root sys admin tool first. However- usermin when joined up with Virtualmin has a nice implementation for some users. Textdrive has done a great job using it for their customers.

Sketch July 21, 2005 at 3:22 pm

I’ve always liked Webmmin and if I ran my server exclusivley for myself and my own projects, Lord knows I’d use it. However, when dealing with users, providing them with Usermin is a step shy of suicidal. So I end up staying with cpanel.

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