Is Kopano still in focus of UCS development and support?

UCS - Univention Corporate Server
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#1

Hi - I don’t want to be negative - so please see this just as a question from someone who would like to have a clear picture.

Since a longer period I’m trying to migrate the last UCS 4.x server. Blocking is still the Kopano WebApp. Issue is not just me or new - various articles are available.
The last feedback that has been shared with me was “the Kopano maintainers prepared an App update, which is currently reviewed”. This was in September 23 in the year 2023.

I tested today again - and no fixe on UCS end nor a new version of Kopano WebApp (Issues with Kopano WebApp - #4 by Pepe).

On the UCS web side I can still find the following information about the Kopano cooperation/integration:
image

But where is the part with the regularly updates?

Is the Kopano cooperation and integration a dead horse?

Happy to hear something officially.

Thank you in advance

Pepe

#2

Hi Pepe

as otheres mention here:

Kopano or minimum their producta seems to be dead man walking. It‘s very possible that univention purge the kopano apps frome the store if php 7.4 isn‘t a part of ucs anymore. Seems to depend on the next debian version upgrade.

Fbartels last post here was in 2022 he is/was one of the main supporter/developer of kopano here in the forum.

Best regards
Kevin

#3

THX Kevin - you are right “FBARTELS” was the one how looked after Kopano issues.

In non of my post - since several months - no feedback from him.

Someone shared with we as well the following link:

So would be good to get already now a clear picture from UCS support about the Kopano/UCS future.

Best regards

#4

I think the general recommendation here is to start looking for alternatives.

#5

Does anybody has migrated to Mailcow and maybe a guide for installation? :slight_smile:

#6

Hello,

the Kopano app is an offering from Kopano themselves and maintained by them. With the discontinuation of the groupware product I would expect that the app will be discontinued and therefore removed too, but the decision is up to Kopano (with our support to them of course).
Is there anything more you would like to have clarified?

Regards
Jan-Luca

#7

Hi jlk,

as some else mentioned in another thread does univention think of giving mailcow a chance as an mailserver/groupware app in the store btw does somebody of you is in contact with the makers?

Best regards
Kevin

#8

Thank you Jan-Luca for your feedback.

Based on the fact that Kopano has changed the focus on Cloud based solution, I believe Kopano will not be the future.
One wish - would it not be fair for starters to be aware of that? Maybe a hint on your webpage would be fair?

Anyway - I was thinking about OX as alternative. But I noticed on OX webpage, that version 7.10.6 is from 2021 - and there focus is on version 8 (based on Kubernetes). So OX looks to me as being also not the future for UCS.

Looks like just EGroupware has been left over. For it is not yet clear, what is part of the free and what is part of “you have to pay” features. And I think the packet is installing more than I want.

So not easy to select a new product.

I looks as well at “Group-Office” or “iRedMail” or “SOGo”.

OK - to late for today - no decision for today :wink:

#9

Hi Pepe, all.

Have a look here

Sure…
But you only have to use what you currently want to use. You take everything else away from the users by withdrawing the application rights.

Yes, of course…
But if you have viewed and used Kopano as an Exchange replacement, then of course you have little choice.
EGroupware is not and should not be an Exchange replacement. EGroupware can do more and enables organisations to do completely different things than with Outlook/Exchange. It allows you to cover many more requirements and develop your organisation further. Outlook/Exchange is quickly over.

I gave a general presentation on EGroupware:
https://help.egroupware.org/t/de-uk-tux-tage-2022-egroupware-smart-online-office-folien-vortrag/77311
The presentation is in German, but the slides are also available in English.

Further presentations:

We can also organise an info video call for interested parties from the UCS environment. Please contact me if you are interested.

Otherwise, I will also be at the Univention Summit next week. We don’t have a booth, but I’m always available for discussions.

Stefan
EGroupware Community Manager

#10

Moin,

I will answer the open questions inline:

I guess we would be more than happy to welcome Mailcow into our App Center, but I am not aware of any contact with the makers so far.
The challenge is that not only maintaining the app costs effort, but users normally expect some kind of support too which is why most of our apps are part of a commercial offering.

As a user there is the option to suggest new apps: Suggest new App
And as a solution provider (does not have the be the maker or maintainer of an application) you can get into contact via this form here: Univention Apps - Information for solution providers

That’s true, I will get into contact with our App Center team and discuss if we can add a disclaimer or something similar.

While it is true that OX version 7 was released a bit ago the OX app is still used extensively and regularly receives (maintenance) updates. But you are right that OX 8 requires a different deployment, our suggestion is to use the OX Connector instead to connect a independently run OX to UCS: OX Connector - Univention App Center

Regards
Jan-Luca

1 Like
#11

Please allow me to share my thoughts on the very same topic:
I have been looking and testing alternatives for Kopano for quite some time, and in fact I still do…
The various groupware/email apps in the UCS store are positioned for (not so) small/medium or even larger sized companies/groups, with clear support needs and budgets.
While one can justify running an UCS directory infrastructure for iDP with/without Window$ support for a few users, currently there is no easy to setup and to maintain email/groupware app for say a group of 4 users, a specific role Kopano filled for many.

I am hopeful by the recent announcement of Roundcube joining forces with Nextcloud, as Nextcloud can already provide CardDAV and CalDAV services for UCS. In fact if one is OK with the limited mail client available in nextcloud, UCS already has a mailserver app in the store, based on dovecot.

another option could be to migrate to mailcow, where the current nightly version has LDAP support based on keycloak, and reportedly also work with external keycloak installs. So it could be as simple as setting that up within mailcow, but not final and supported as of yet.

#12

Hi - how was you conversation with the App Center team? At present the app is still rated and promoted as before. most
image

#13

Thank you for your feedback and the offer to support EGroupware. As mentioned before - for me the tool is to big - and I don’t like it to install more than needed. But maybe in future - if requirement will change :wink:

#14

I’m quit impressed, that so many are interested into that topic.
And good to see that the overall understanding is very similar → UCS need alternative solution.
I thing EGroupware is the right tool for everyone wo is looking for an overall solution.
But I think as well as others, that UCS will need as well a solution with focus on more basics (just email, calendar, file sharing and contacts). I would see in this area the following tools:

  • Nextcloud
  • Group-Office
  • maybe mailcow (if they would invest in a bit for structure - at present it look like a tool just for pros)

I’m currently testing Group-Office. The tool and the structure is more or less simple. The documentation could be better - specially for people like me how are not that familiar with Debian systems and postfix. But basic installation and postfix is running now :wink:

From what I see at the moment - the admin part has several separat steps - but offers a lot flexibility - what I was missing at Kopano.

If UCS could bring in there user management and combine it with the flexibility of Group-Office - I would call that a perfect match.

Never the less, I just startet to investigate

It would be great if we could see in this channel more feedback and updates to the future of groupware solution - provided by UCS.

#15

Hi

You’re misunderstanding something. EGroupware has a wide range of functions, right. But that doesn’t mean that you have to use it. You only provide users with what they need. And that is group/user-related.

As I already said here:

grafik

Users only with e-mail, calendar, address book:

grafik

I definitely wouldn’t want to do without the integrated (!) Kanban board or the integrated (!) ticket system to manage my services (or recruiting workflows, …) .
Others use the project management, others only use the calendar to manage resources.
Still others use InfoLog (tasks, …) to create offers (user-defined fields, a few additional buttons with functions, Collabora Online) and send them directly by e-mail.
…, …, …, …

So you have development options in addition to the groupware standards. Just like that, integrated.

Stefan
EGroupware Community Manager

1 Like
#16

Good afternoon,

I kind of forgot the thread here… The recommendation badge was revoked for apps who do not meet the recommendation criteria anymore and together with the affected solution providers we are looking into how to move forward with this in general.

2 Likes
#17

THX for the feedback JLK

Question - will there be any still open issues with Kopano be further investigated (fixed) - or how are the plans?

Kind regards

#18

Hey,

which issues do you mean exactly? Both maintenance and support of the app is/was provided by Kopano, any further development of the app would be done by them. Of course we can help if it concerns the integration or the deployment, but I cannot give you a better answer than that.

Regards
Jan-Luca

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