[Users] Any ETA or planning on actual Zimbra ZCS fork?

[Adrián Gibanel]

Please note I already started this discussion at ZetaAlliance devel mailing list ( You can check the original thread here: https://lists.zetalliance.org/pipermail/devel_lists.zetalliance.org/2019-November/000403.html ) . As advised I have moved this discussion to the users mailing list. 

1) ZCS 8.8.x being a dead end. 
1.1) Synacor has stated that the current ZCS 8.8.x family builds will no longer be upgraded. 

More information on "Zimbra 8.8.X support" on "A annex" below. 

1.2) ZCS 8.8.x now uses a mix of custom scripts and packages from a custom repo. 
1.3) They will be replaced by "Zimbra X" ( https://info.zimbra.com/zimbra-x-beta ) while the ZCS 8.8.x versions based on 'custom scripts and packages from custom repo'. 

As far as I understand Zimbra X is what a high-grade professional email service should be. A cloud service where many of its services are run in different containers. If a given container does not run as expected you can power it off and power on another one to replace it. If your service has a lot of usage then many more containers are started to keep up with demand. During the night only the minimal containers are kept run. 

There is also an improvement on UI based on React. 

Finally it's based on Zimbra's open source project. So that you can have a full source code review. 

More information on "Zimbra X" on "B annex" below. 

1.4) No open source version 

Despite the former statement "based on Zimbra's open source project" as far as we know there won't be an open source binary version or download of Zimbra X. 
You won't be able to download your own Zimbra X binaries (built only from open source) to be able to deploy it either in your own cloud system (Although I suspect it will be technically feasible to install Zimbra X in a single server it won't be the default or recommended way of doing things, you will need a cloud system anyways.) 

So one of the key selling points of Zimbra: Being "open source" for either security or "ensuring future updates" reasons has vanished. 

More information on "Zimbra 8.8.x OSE" on "C annex" below. 

2) ZCS 8.8.x Replacement 

This is what I think we need in order to replace ZCS 8.8.x 

2.1) Git repos 

Basically we would need to replicate repos found at: 
https://github.com/Zimbra
( Note: I'm already working in this part. )

2.2) Pkg repos 

Ubuntu packages repo 
Centos packages repo 
Etc. 

2.3) Build knowledge and machines 

In addition to the code we need to know how to use it to build the different Zimbra versions for each of the supported operating systems and versions. 
Optionally we could have some build machines to automate the build and CI of the new system. 

3) License rework 

It would be nice if plugins could be written in GPL3 and then being able to bundled into Zimbra itself. 
Apparently right now they can only be GPL2. 

4) Name (Domain et al) 

A name for the Zimbra fork. 

5) What's the current status from the Zeta Alliance side? 

I have checked both the devel and users mailing lists and I haven't seen any debate about an hypothetic community-driven fork. 

Is there any message that I have missed? 
Is there any work in progress that I have missed? 

Thank you very much for your feedback! 

6) Finally I know that Zella Alliance has in its FAQ ( https://zetalliance.org/faq/ ): 

" 
Q. Is this a fork ? 
A: No, no, no. Everyone involved has clearly expressed, a fork would be the worst possible outcome. 
" 

but given the current feedback we have from Synacor we have to be prepared to this new scenario.


Annexes 
===== 
A) Current end of Support Matrix for ZCS 8.8.x and earlier versions ( https://www.zimbra.com/support/support-offerings/product-lifecycle/ ) 

Zimbra Major Release | General Availability | End of General Support | End of Technical Guidance 
Version 8.8.x | 12/12/2017 | 12/31/2023 | 12/31/2023 

Zimbra Standard Release | General Availability | End of General Support | End of Technical Guidance 
Version 8.8.15 (Joule) Next LTS | 07/19/2019 | 12/31/2023 | 12/31/2023 
Version 8.8.12 (Issac Newton) | 04/01/2019 | 12/31/2019 | 06/25/2020 
Version 8.8.11 (Homi Bhabha) | 12/18/2018 | 6/28/2019 | 12/17/2019 
Version 8.8.10 (Konrad Zuse) | 10/1/2018 | 03/29/2019 | 10/1/2019 
Version 8.8.9 (Curie) | 07/09/2018 | 12/14/2018 | 07/09/2019 
Version 8.8.8 (Turing) | 03/29/2018 | 10/01/2018 | 03/29/2019 

Zimbra Long Term Release | General Availability | End of General Support | End of Technical Guidance 
Version 8.7.11 | 07/13/2016 | 12/31/2019 | 12/31/2020 

Close to End of Life | General Availability | End of General Support | End of Technical Guidance 
Version 8.6.x | 08/26/2015 | 09/30/2018 | 09/30/2019 

B) About Zimbra X (taken from https://info.zimbra.com/zimbra-x-beta ) 

The Next Generation of the Zimbra Email and Collaboration Platform 
Leapfrogging ahead of competitors with a first-of-its-kind containerized architecture and React-based application, Zimbra X is optimized for high performance and flexibility. 


* Zimbra X Platform 
** Cloud native and cloud agnostic 
** Stateless, highly available architecture 
** Automated container orchestration utilizing Docker Swarm or Kubernetes 
** Full separation of services and application 

Zimbra X Application 
** React-based application built on top of Zimbra’s API and GraphQL 
** Responsive for use on any device 
** Easily integrates with third party services for a customizable experience 
** WCAG compliant for full accessibility 

Zimbra X Benefits 
** Automated deployment, recovery, and traffic management 
** Flexible cloud hybrid deployment options 
** Easily customizable and extensible application, with third party services like Giphy and Emojis already integrated 
** Based on Zimbra’s open source project ensuring security and allowing for full source code review 

C) Zimbra 8.8.x Collaboration OSE ( https://www.zimbra.com/open-source-email-overview/ ) 

Since the inception, Zimbra has been a community. All of our Zimbra Collaboration Open Source Edition software, documentation and innovation has been created, tested, used, and discussed openly by people like you participating in our Open Source Community. Our contributors diagnose bugs, fix bugs, translate programs, submit patches, point out deficiencies in documentation, answer community questions, submit killer applications, alert us to something that needs tweaking, and write new software. No matter how you contribute, we welcome new ideas and contributions for the advancement of greater shared knowledge and a better Zimbra Collaboration product. 

-- 
Adrián Gibanel