Started off life as the e-smith server, a customized red hat server that got started around 98/99. 
Mitel Networks somehow got involved with the development a few years later. It was meant to be an NT Server replacement, and designed to be easy to setup and use as a server/gateway in small office environment. The latest versions are based on Centos and the project continues to truck on through different development and leadership changes.
No page links to SMEServer.
