Jabber ID in your own domain - just

Recently, the XMPP (Jabber) protocol has become very popular. This is an open-source alternative to ICQ and other IM and in my opinion very good. Having registered on the popular Russian Jabber-server jabber.ru, I thought, why should I not make my own jabber-server in my own domain. After all, it is very convenient and simple.

First, the JID can be made the same as the email inbox. Secondly, you do not depend on any third-party companies whose servers may not hold the load and fall, as now very often happens with ICQ servers. And thirdly, you can configure your server exactly the way you need it.

So, what do we need for this:
')

1. Server or computer connected to the network. Almost any computer is good, even some old two-way system. The main thing is that it is connected to the Internet and has a permanent IP.
2. Download Jabber-server (review will be slightly lower);
3. Set it up and send invitations to your friends and acquaintances;)
4. The domain name that looks at your server.

As for the first item, for example, I used VPS. If you do not have such an opportunity, but your computer is at home, and you have a fixed IP address, then feel free to install Linux (in my case it is RedHat CentOS 5), you will also have a good gateway :) Although you can install a jabber server on Windows, but I do not advise, because it should work without rebooting and interruptions for a long time, but Windows unfortunately is not capable of it.

Now there are quite a lot of Jabber-servers, both free and not so. Let us dwell on two of them, since I tried them:

1. OpenFire - it is written in Java and most of the functions on it are made in the free version.

The big plus of this server is that it has an excellent web-interface for managing almost everything. And it also automatically generates SSL certificates and you don’t have to do it yourself. Another big plus is the ease of installation and configuration. Minus, as I believe, is its speed, and a large (emphasis on o) server load, compared to others.

2. EJabberd - it is installed on the above server. In my opinion - this is a very decent jabber-server.

Unlike the first option, it is completely free. For example, clustering in OpenFire is included for money, but in EJabberd this function is by default. Another important plus, at least for me, is the ability to create several domain name aliases for it and one server will work for several domains at once. In the first such opportunity there is not and its addition is not expected soon (besides, I am sure that for money).

As for the minuses of this server, it is:
a) installation complexity for newbies to linux. To do this, the server must have the Erlang and Java package installed;
b) a very simple web interface (compared to OpenFire). The functions in the panel are noticeably less;

Configuring comes down to changes in the /etc/ejabberd.cfg file and generating an SSL certificate. By the way, SSL can be completely turned off or get a certificate on xmpp.org , it is recognized by some Jabber clients, for example PSI. Well, of course you need to remember to make it autorun.

Specifically about setting up this server I will not paint, because firstly so much has already been written, and secondly there are many installation options (linux, win, c mysql or others, etc.) and configuration. Information about this good on the Internet abound. This was a review of jabber servers.

You can choose your own, I can only advise the first option for beginners, but the second is for those who understand Linux settings.

ZY: Please ask for the minus, please write the reason for the minus, so that I know what I'm doing wrong.