Centralize what can be centralized (NS8?)

Unfortunately right now, NS looks like a nice super-package, trying to be unified under a GUI, but still things are VERY much separate.

A recent example I bumped onto, was Mattermost. You can define a “smart host” for it, within the (limited) NS config for Mattermost, but this doesn’t actually SHOW in virtual hosts. If you erroneously create the virtual host yourself (because ok missed it in the docs, or because it makes sense to since you cannot see it there), then you cannot access mattermost at all!

Another example is SOGo. People say the /SOGo (even with that capitalization!) is a requirement that can only be circumvented by editing SOGo’s own config files. So for the “end admin” (a term I coined just now, as we are obviously not users, but not all of us are capable of editing complex config files), this is a no-go.
Almost the same for WebTop. Seems to need to be in path /webtop (at least they are WAY more logical with the capitalization).
Other “apps” in NS, instead use a port (I would choose port over path any day, as it would make it way easier to configure with a normal run of the mill router).

Thing is, there is no such thing as actually central config. Cockpit tries, but is far from it (actually still lacks things in NethGUI but that’s another discussion already open). There is no way to easily check all URL in use, all ports in use, to protect from conflicts (for example at least pop a warning about SOGo + WebTop activesync issue).
Other “apps” can see the LDAP or AD, others can’t.
I think there are two places to check about Virtual Hosts (I might be wrong, IIRC it was like that)…

I love NS. Has covered a HUGE chunk of what I could do with my SBS2011.
But really, maybe for version 8, this “unification” needs to be priority one if you ask me.

I raised this issue a few months ago:

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Keep in mind that every service provided by NethServer is nothing more than an installed application. Some applications have their own limitations, like, for instance, Mattermost: LDAP/AD support is only available in the Enterprise version. Since we don’t ship the Enterprise version with NethServer, LDAP/AD support is just not possible.
There are many more examples that have quirky ways of getting LDAP/AD users information. Some just import them in their own database and you need to sync LDAP/AD with that database from time to time to stay up-to-date with user data. In the end those apps use similar accounts but in fact they are different accounts.
It is a rather difficult subject and I absolutely agree we should look very carefully what path we go in the (near) future.
I also see opportunities for NS8 to get things done “right”.
Thanks for bringing this up. We definitely need to discuss this!

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