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Mail server
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Mail server

PacketVMPacketVM Member, Host Rep
edited January 2013 in Help

We currently use Google apps ($5 per month for 1 account). It's hard though, being limited to 1 account as we can't do whmcs piping or import very easily.

Would it be possible to move away from google apps and start up our own mail server? I've never managed to get a successful one up yet. I'm never sure about what DNS records I need to add...pointing to what, etc.

Recommendations?

«13

Comments

  • shovenoseshovenose Member, Host Rep

    You get a VPS, use your registrars free DNS, install zPanel for managing stuff, done :)

  • MaouniqueMaounique Host Rep, Veteran
    edited January 2013

    If you have a KVM, put an e-smith server on it. Comes with out of the box dns, horde, qmail, backup...
    You need to point your domain's MX record to it (the hostname you created in your domain).
    For example, you make this: mail.domain.com as an A record pointing to the IP then change MX record to something like 10:mail.domain.com
    Then you need to add the domain in the server to know that mail is for it. All very simple actions in a web interface.
    You can setup another as a slave at another location and add it as 20:mail2.domain.com

    zpanel or other free panels will work too, but this is super stable and never had problems with updates breaking in like 10 years.

  • If you enjoy being pretentious and give zero fucks about receiving email correctly if something blows up, then yes, a mail server on a VPS is right for you.

    If you're a respectable human/business though, then you should use paid email hosting. Google Apps is not the only choice, fyi

  • Outlook?

  • PacketVMPacketVM Member, Host Rep

    @Maounique: I like that idea. I've not got the VPS yet but looking to move away from GApps tomorrow i hope. Just had a quick look at their website and looks pretty easy stuff.

  • jhjh Member

    I would try and buy a Google Apps free account if I were you. It'll be cheaper and work much better.

  • PacketVMPacketVM Member, Host Rep

    I tried zoho once, not again. Used outlook as well but its filters were too restrictive.

  • MaouniqueMaounique Host Rep, Veteran
    edited January 2013

    I am glad. Used this in many locations where they needed a SME server with mail, simple web, samba, firewall, vpn all in one, easy to admin, easy to update, easy to backup, hard to break, the kind you put in remote locations you dont like to visit often and a regular accountant can admin if they remember since most of the time needs no attention.

  • PacketVMPacketVM Member, Host Rep
    edited January 2013

    People seem to object with me running my own mail server though, lol. I thought that's what a lot of leb hosts did if I'm honest

  • Nope, you definitely need email to be available 24/7, so hosting your own mail server may not be the greatest of ideas.

  • jhjh Member

    @dominicl said: People seem to object with me running my own mail server though, lol

    What's your plan for when:
    a) the server is down
    b) there is a technical problem with the mailserver

  • MaouniqueMaounique Host Rep, Veteran

    you can have redundant mail servers, as long as the DNS works and you have in different networks/providers, should be fine.

  • @Maounique said: redundant mail servers

    Any reliable tutorial/tools for this? Have been looking around to have my own mailserver too.

  • RackSpace! They're awesome!

  • @dominicl said: People seem to object with me running my own mail server though, lol. I thought that's what a lot of leb hosts did if I'm honest

    If you don't already have resources in place to run a mailserver with failover/spooling, then it's probably cheaper to upgrade your Google Apps account.

    Maybe you can run your own primary mailserver with Google as a backup using a catch-all or something. Not sure if that is even possible lol.

  • KuJoeKuJoe Member, Host Rep

    Setup your own mail server, then set Google Apps as your backup MX. Done.

  • 5/mo is definitely worth it though for rock solid email. Especially when you could be spending your time on productive things.

  • AndreAndre Member
    edited February 2013

    I might be able to part with one of my free 10 user Google Apps if you wanted it. I have about 8 idle domains with the 10 user GApps setup on each.

  • MaouniqueMaounique Host Rep, Veteran
    edited February 2013

    @DalComp said: Any reliable tutorial/tools for this? Have been looking around to have my own mailserver too.

    Interesting reading here: http://wiki.contribs.org/Email
    It is much more than back-up MX there.

  • DalCompDalComp Member
    edited February 2013

    Interesting reading here: http://wiki.contribs.org/Email
    It is much more than back-up MX there.

    I skimmed down the page.
    Why do I get the impression that backup MX has more negative than positive aspects?

    In summary, if your server/Internet connection is available most (let's say >90%) of the time, you are generally better off without a secondary MX.

    And I'm sure most VPS has >90% uptime.

  • I just setup my backup mx almost identical as primary with RBLs

  • Too much Google worship on here. How about inquiring if the CIA/FBI/DOJ can host your email directly instead?

    I use to run a Windows based mail server. Did so for 7 years and had almost downtime. High volume mail server with tons of outbound mail for campaigns for customers (legitimate mailings).

    Cost was insignificant to operate.

    So, a VPS should be more than adequate and to deal with downtime get a backup MX service or set equivalent up.

    Biggest problem with Linux mail servers is the 30 programs that need to be made to work together and lack of straightforward how-to recipe. Cpanel and equivalent panels are nice, but I find them to be a total burden to do the simplest thing and often way counter-intuitive.

  • @pubcrawler said: I use to run a Windows based mail server.

    @pubcrawler said: Biggest problem with Linux mail servers is the 30 programs that need to be made to work together and lack of straightforward how-to recipe.

    Well you if can afford an Exchange License that is...

  • @concerto49 said: Well you if can afford an Exchange License that is...

    hMail Server :)

  • @gubbyte said: If you enjoy being pretentious and give zero fucks about receiving email correctly if something blows up, then yes, a mail server on a VPS is right for you.

    If you're a respectable human/business though, then you should use paid email hosting. Google Apps is not the only choice, fyi

    Idiotic comment. Any business in the hosting industry should be technically capable of implementing a mail server, with redundancy in case "something blows up."

    @dominicl said: People seem to object with me running my own mail server though, lol. I thought that's what a lot of leb hosts did if I'm honest

    Unfortunately, it is fairly clear that you are not yet ready to do this. One of the first of many things you should do is attempt to gain a beginning level of understanding on how DNS works:

    @dominicl said: I'm never sure about what DNS records I need to add...pointing to what, etc.

    Suffice it to say, this sort of statement does not inspire confidence. Try to learn as much as possible about how DNS works. In this industry, it is FUNDAMENTAL that you understand it. You will find that it is the first place that you will start with troubleshooting MANY, MANY issues. Am I to understand that you have your own VPS business? Well, then, it's time to learn some DNS then isn't it? A bit of reading will do wonders for you:

    http://www.rscott.org/dns/

    http://www.ipswitch.com/support/IMail/guide/imailgsv8/Appendix A dns3.html

    http://www.zytrax.com/books/dns/

    http://www.aunic.net/dns.html

    http://www.tcpipguide.com/free/t_TCPIPDomainNameSystemDNS.htm

    http://rute.2038bug.com/node30.html.gz

    http://www.netbsd.org/docs/guide/en/chap-dns.html

  • @KernelSanders

    +1 for hMailServer. That's my old favorite Windows mail server. It works and is straightforward.

  • Yep, very easy to set up and lots of features

  • KuJoeKuJoe Member, Host Rep
    edited February 2013

    @pubcrawler said: Cpanel and equivalent panels are nice, but I find them to be a total burden to do the simplest thing and often way counter-intuitive.

    Check out Froxlor. It's only a slight step above CLI so it's not overly complex but still better than hunting for files and editing them with vi.

  • PacketVMPacketVM Member, Host Rep

    Rackspace are actually cheaper than Google (didn't expect that!) and it looks pretty good. Can anybody else vouch for them?

  • @twain said: Idiotic comment. Any business in the hosting industry should be technically capable of implementing a mail server, with redundancy in case "something blows up."

    stupid idea

    @dominicl said: Rackspace are actually cheaper than Google (didn't expect that!) and it looks pretty good. Can anybody else vouch for them?

    1&1 2.0

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