ClarkConnect

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It has been suggested that this article be merged with ClearOS. (Discuss) Proposed since December 2009.

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ClarkConnect is a Linux distribution. The purpose of ClarkConnect is to transform any standard PC into a dedicated firewall and Internet server/gateway.

The design of the operating system is derived from Red Hat Enterprise Linux, with optional modules for firewall and LAN servers. ClarkConnect is based on Linux 2.6, modular design, automatic updates and commercial support.

History

The first version of ClarkConnect was launched to the public in November 2000 included basic software updates. This open-source Linux distribution was developed as a platform by Point Clark Networks for their management services from their Service Delivery Network. This included a dynamic DNS service and later services such as Managed VPNs, Pattern File updates for Antivirus and Intrusion Detection, and Remote Backup.

Subsequent versions of ClarkConnect built upon the security and web serving software, adding features such as a Web Proxy (with a content filter and virus scanner), and services for email, web, database, VPN, and LAN backup/recovery.

Creation of non-profit organisation and a new commercial organization was announced by Point Clark Networks in the middle of 2009.^[1][2] ClearFoundation and ClearCenter will work on open source software including free ClearOS, successor to ClarkConnect 5.0.^[3] First release of ClearOS was release in December 2009.

Commercial support of Enterprise Clarkconnect is still available for versions 4.x and later through Pointclark Networks^[4].

Features

ClarkConnect is one of the more robust^{[weasel words]} internet gateway solutions available. Features include:

• Stateful Firewall (iptables), Networking and Security
• Intrusion Detection and Prevention System (SNORT)
• Virtual Private Networking (PPTP, IPSec, OpenVPN)
• Web Proxy, with Content Filtering and Antivirus (Squid, DansGuardian)
• E-mail Services (Webmail, Postfix, SMTP, POP3/s, IMAP/s)
• Groupware (Kolab)
• Database and Web Server (easy to deploy LAMP stack)
• File and Print Services (Samba and CUPS)
• Flexshares (unified multi-protocol storage which currently employs CIFS, HTTP/S, FTP/S, and SMTP)
• MultiWAN (Internet fault tolerant design)
• Builtin Reports for system statistics and services (MRTG and others)

ClarkConnect aims for simplicity in user and server management through the WebConfig interface. Users are created in the web-based GUI from a simple user creation wizard, where access to the various features are granted to the user (i.e.: a user could be given a mailbox and a file store, but denied a VPN connection and access to the FTP server). Users can be grouped for simplicity in administering firewall rules and certain features such file and printer sharing.

Editions

There are two editions of ClarkConnect available:

• Community Edition - Free
• Enterprise Edition - $85/year or $435 one-time

Community edition is free, but contains a limit of ten mailboxes (which is easily "hacked"), does not include technical support, and only includes 18 months of free software updates. The Enterprise edition has no mailbox limit, includes technical support, and comes with at least five years of software updates. Additional subscriptions such as automatic updates to third-party software (Antivirus, Antispam, Content Filter, etc.) are sold at an additional yearly fee, and are available to both Community and Enterprise editions. Users may manually update this software through a third party if they choose not to purchase automatic update subscriptions.

See also

• SmoothWall
• IPCop
• eBox
• m0n0wall
• SME Server
• ClearOS

References

This article includes a list of references, related reading, or external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations. Please help improve this article by introducing more precise citations. (July 2008) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

External links

• Product home page
• ClarkConnect on distrowatch