ClearOS Community

ClearOS Community (formerly ClarkConnect) is an open source operating system based on the CentOS Linux server distribution and designed for small organizations and distributed environments.  It provides users with a very powerful cloud-connected server, gateway and network OS.

Features at a glance

Key features include integrated LDAP for user and group management, user security certificate manager, multi-WAN, VPN - PPTP, IPsec, OpenVPN, DMZ and 1-to-1 NAT, stateful firewall, local DHCP, as well as DNS servers.

Among its gateway functionality, we can mention anti-malware, anti-virus, anti-phishing, anti-spyware, anti-spam, bandwidth management, intrusion protection, intrusion prevention, intrusion detection, protocol filtering, content filter, web proxy, and access control.

Distributed as an installable-only CD for 64-bit platforms

The operating system is distributed free of charge as an installable-only CD ISO image that supports the 64-bit (x86_64) hardware platform. It can be used to install a fresh copy or upgrade an existing system, install the operating system with basic video drivers or with small screen (800x600), rescue a broken OS, boot from the local drive or perform a memory test.

The latest version can also be downloaded as virtual appliance archives, which have been designed to run on the VMware Enterprise, VMware Basic, Oralce VirtualBox and VirtualPC virtualization technologies, supporting both 32-bit and 64-bit instruction set architectures.

Easy to install and setup

To install the distribution, the user must choose a language, select between basic and specialized storage devices, choose a hostname and timezone, set up the root (system administrator) password, as well as to select an installation type and install the boot loader. A graphical installer is provided for the entire installation process.

After installation, a welcome screen will prompt users to configure the network interfaces, as well as to offer them instructions on how to connect to the web-based interface. Supported web browsers include Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, Opera, Internet Explorer and Safari.

Bottom line

Summing up, ClearOS Community proves to be a really great, stable, reliable and easy-to-setup-and-install server oriented Linux distribution that uses some of the best Linux technologies from the CentOS and Red Hat Enterprise Linux operating systems.

What is new in this release:

• Samba 4, Directory (Microsoft0 Active Directory Replacement)
• Updated Microsoft Active Directory Connector
• Streamlined Theme System
• Dynamic Dashboard
• Updated Antispam and Antivirus Engines
• Updated IDS and IPS Engines
• Event and Alert Notification Framework
• Internationalization
• XFS and BTRFS Filesystem Support
• Improved VM Support

What is new in version 6.6.1 / 7.1.0 RC1:

• ClearOS version 7.1 introduces:
• Samba 4, Directory (Microsoft0 Active Directory Replacement)
• New Google0 Apps Connector
• Updated Microsoft Active Directory Connector
• IPv6 Ready
• Streamlined Theme System
• Dynamic Dashboard
• Updated Antispam and Antivirus Engines
• Updated IDS and IPS Engines
• Event and Alert Notification Framework
• Internationalization
• New Upstream Features Include:
• XFS and BTRFS Filesystem Support
• Improved VM Support, including Microsoft Hyper-V

What is new in version 6.6.0:

• Along with the usual round of bug fixes and enhancements, this release introduces WPAD, QoS, YouTube School ID support, an upgrade to the Intrusion Detection engine, and ISO-to-USB key support.

What is new in version 6.5.0 / 6.6.0 Beta 2:

• 0001745: [app-network-map - Network Map] Add support for systemd (pbaldwin) - resolved.
• 0001748: [app-network-map - Network Map] Update local MAC address database (pbaldwin) - resolved.
• 0001919: [app-google-apps - Google Apps] Convert custom event into standard app-event (pbaldwin) - resolved.
• 0001881: [app-antimalware-updates - Antimalware Updates] Audit for ClearOS 7 (pbaldwin) - resolved.
• 0001903: [app-antispam-updates - Antispam Updates] Audit for ClearOS 7 (pbaldwin) - resolved.
• 0001883: [app-dynamic-dns - Dynamic DNS] Audit for ClearOS 7 (pbaldwin) - resolved.
• 0001882: [app-content-filter-updates - Content Filter Updates] Audit for ClearOS 7 (pbaldwin) - resolved.

What is new in version 6.6.0 Beta 1:

• Along with the usual round of bug fixes and enhancements, this release introduces Wordpress, Joomla, Tiki Wiki, WPAD and AppFirst. You can also expect OwnCloud, SugarCRM, Vtiger and WPAD during the upcoming beta cycle. Under the hood, the event system, IPv6 and ClearOS 7 compatibility have also been a focus of this release.
• Some of the new apps in the beta are NOT available via the Marketplace but can be installed via yum.

What is new in version 6.5.0:

• [app-active-directory - Active Directory Connector] Changed trusted domains policy (pbaldwin) - resolved.
• [app-zarafa - Zarafa] zarafa-admin --user-count takes a while to report actual usage stats (bchambers) - resolved.
• [app-active-directory - Active Directory Connector] Remove some unused code in the accounts driver (pbaldwin) - closed.

What is new in version 6.5.0 Beta 3:

• 0001230: [yum-marketplace-plugin] Improve paid apps testing process (dsokoloski) resolved.
• 0001405: [app-zarafa Zarafa] Add generic subscription API for user subscription count (pbaldwin) resolved.
• 0001407: [app-zarafa-small-business Zarafa Small Business] Add subscription handler (pbaldwin) resolved.
• 0001406: [app-zarafa-professional Zarafa Professional] Add subscription handler (pbaldwin) resolved.
• 0001391: [app-network-map Network Map] Add app icon (pbaldwin) resolved.
• 0001395: [app-zarafa-small-business Zarafa Small Business] Tooltip points to old webaccess webmail interface (pbaldwin) resolved.
• 0001394: [app-zarafa-professional Zarafa Professional] Tooltip points to old webaccess webmail interface (pbaldwin) resolved.
• 0001257: [app-central-management] Add method to check if master is available (pbaldwin) resolved.
• 0001390: [app-central-management] Add tools to track installed software on all the master/slave nodes (pbaldwin) resolved.
• 0001317: [app-kaspersky Kasperksy Engine] Improve usability in Kaspersky-only implementation (pbaldwin) resolved.
• 0001388: [app-kaspersky-mail Mail Antimalware Premium] Add common Kaspersky engine (pbaldwin) resolved.
• 0001389: [app-kaspserky-gateway Kaspersky Gateway] Add common Kaspersky engine (pbaldwin) resolved.
• 0001312: [app-kaspersky Kasperksy Engine] Add common Kaspersky engine (pbaldwin) resolved.
• 0001180: [app-central-management] Clean up misleading backtrace when auto-configuring file synchronization (pbaldwin) resolved.

What is new in version 6.5.0 Beta 2:

• 0001318: [app-mail-archive - Mail Archive] Script lock file never gets deleted. (bchambers) - resolved.
• 0001334: [app-mail-archive - Mail Archive] Logo changed required (bchambers) - resolved.
• 0000969: [app-network-map - Network Map] Allow dash-delimited MAC addresses in UI (pbaldwin) - resolved.
• 0001293: [app-professional-reports - Professional Reports] Add jqplot support for "on the fly" chart data (pbaldwin) - resolved.
• 0001291: [clearos-release-professional] Enforce yum package signature check (pbaldwin) - resolved.
• 0001258: [app-qos - Bandwidth and QoS] Add QoS app (dsokoloski) - resolved.
• 0000792: [app-network-map - Network Map] Add user and IP mapping engine (pbaldwin) - resolved.

What is new in version 6.5.0 Beta 1:

• 0001291: [clearos-release-professional] Enforce yum package signature check (pbaldwin) - resolved.
• 0001258: [app-qos - Bandwidth and QoS] Add QoS app (dsokoloski) - resolved.
• 0000792: [app-network-map - Network Map] Add user and IP mapping engine (pbaldwin) - resolved.
• 0001180: [app-central-management] Clean up misleading backtrace when auto-configuring file synchronization (pbaldwin) - resolved.

What is new in version 6.4.0 Beta 2:

• Many little usability issues have been addressed
• RADIUS Server was added
• Mail Retrieval was added
• ClearOS Core 6.4.0 was integrated
• Additional ClearOS Core packages (clearos-core) now disabled by default

What is new in version 6.4.0 Beta 1:

• The handling of /etc/resolv.conf has now changed.
• Accounts and Samba initialization have been refactored.

What is new in version 6.4.0 Alpha 1:

• 0000792: [app-network-map - Network Map] Add user and IP mapping engine (pbaldwin) - resolved.
• 0000851: [app-google-apps - Google Apps] Clean up due to Samba packaging changes (pbaldwin) - resolved.
• 0000842: [app-central-management] Add master/slave configuration for accounts state file (pbaldwin) - resolved.
• 0000827: [app-dynamic-vpn - Dynamic VPN] Enabling service does not warn about adding incoming firewall rule (pbaldwin) - resolved.
• [4 issues]