How to Install Zimbra Collaboration on Ubuntu Server

In this tutorial, we will guide you through the process of installing Zimbra Collaboration on an Ubuntu Server.

Before we begin, make sure your system is up-to-date with the latest packages:

sudo apt-get update -y && sudo apt-get upgrade -y

Step 1: Downloading Zimbra Collaboration

Download the Zimbra Collaboration software from its official website:

wget https://files.zimbra.com/downloads/8.8.15_GA/zcs-8.8.15_GA_3869.UBUNTU16_64.20190917004220.tgz

Step 2: Extracting the Zimbra Package

Extract the downloaded package to the '/opt' directory:

sudo tar -zxvf zcs-8.8.15_GA_3869.UBUNTU16_64.20190917004220.tgz -C /opt/

Step 3: Install Dependencies

Zimbra Collaboration requires several dependencies, which can be installed using the following commands:

sudo apt-get install libperl5.24 libaio1 pax sysstat sqlite3 dnsmasq -y

Step 4: Configuring the Hostname and DNS

Zimbra Collaboration requires a fully qualified domain name (FQDN). Set the hostname using the following command:

sudo hostnamectl set-hostname your-domain-name.com

Next, add the IP address and hostname to the '/etc/hosts' file:

sudo nano /etc/hosts

127.0.0.1 localhost
your-ip-address your-domain-name.com

Configure the DNS settings to forward traffic to the Zimbra server. Replace 'your-domain-name.com' with your actual domain name:

sudo nano /etc/resolv.conf

search your-domain-name.com
nameserver your-dns-server-ip-address

Step 5: Installing Zimbra Collaboration

Navigate to the Zimbra installation directory:

cd /opt/zimbra*

Run the installation script using the following command:

sudo ./install.sh –-platform-override

The installation will take some time to complete. Once the installation is finished, you will be prompted to configure the Zimbra server.

Step 6: Configuring Zimbra Collaboration

Follow the prompts to configure the Zimbra server. Use the following commands to answer the prompts:

Edit /opt/zimbra/conf/localconfig.xml
for ldap_master_url,zimbra_ldap_userdn and zimbra_ldap_password 

sudo nano /opt/zimbra/conf/localconfig.xml

<key>ldap_master_url</key>
<value>ldap://localhost:389</value>

<key>zimbra_ldap_userdn</key>
<value>uid=zimbra,cn=admins,cn=zimbra</value>

<key>zimbra_ldap_password</key>
<value>your-password-here</value>

When prompted for the admin password, enter a strong password that you will remember.

Step 7: Starting the Zimbra Services

Start the Zimbra services using the following command:

sudo su - zimbra -c 'zmcontrol start'

Step 8: Accessing the Zimbra Admin Console

Once the services are started, you can access the Zimbra Admin Console by navigating to the following URL in your web browser:

https://your-domain-name.com:7071/

Congratulations! You have successfully installed Zimbra Collaboration on your Ubuntu Server.

You can now start adding users and configuring your email and collaboration system.