This document provides information on setting up a mail server for any organization. It discusses the objectives of a mail server such as supporting standard email access protocols like POP3, IMAP and webmail. It then describes the methodology for installing and configuring the key components of a mail server including a YUM server, Sendmail for mail transfer, Dovecot for mail access protocols, and DNS for domain name resolution. The document aims to provide all the essential information needed to set up a fully functional mail server.
This document provides information on setting up a mail server for any organization. It discusses the objectives of a mail server such as supporting standard email access protocols like POP3, IMAP and webmail. It then describes the methodology for installing and configuring the key components of a mail server including a YUM server, Sendmail for mail transfer, Dovecot for mail access protocols, and DNS for domain name resolution. The document aims to provide all the essential information needed to set up a fully functional mail server.
This document provides information on setting up a mail server for any organization. It discusses the objectives of a mail server such as supporting standard email access protocols like POP3, IMAP and webmail. It then describes the methodology for installing and configuring the key components of a mail server including a YUM server, Sendmail for mail transfer, Dovecot for mail access protocols, and DNS for domain name resolution. The document aims to provide all the essential information needed to set up a fully functional mail server.
This document provides information on setting up a mail server for any organization. It discusses the objectives of a mail server such as supporting standard email access protocols like POP3, IMAP and webmail. It then describes the methodology for installing and configuring the key components of a mail server including a YUM server, Sendmail for mail transfer, Dovecot for mail access protocols, and DNS for domain name resolution. The document aims to provide all the essential information needed to set up a fully functional mail server.
• The birth of electronic mail(email) occurred in the early 1960s. The first network transfer of an electronic mail message file took place in 1971 when a computer engineer Ray Tomlinson sent a test message between two machines.
• Often referred to as simply "mail server", an e-mail server is a computer
within our network that works as your virtual post office.
• It stores incoming mail for distribution to users (message store) and
forwards outgoing mail through the appropriate channel (message transfer agent). Types of Mail Servers
1. Outgoing Mail Servers –
• Outgoing mail servers are known as SMTP, or Simple Mail Transfer Protocol, servers. 2. Incoming Mail Servers – • Incoming mail servers come in two main varieties. • POP3, or Post Office Protocol, version 3, servers are best known for storing sent and received messages on PCs' local hard drives. • IMAP, or Internet Message Access Protocol, servers always store copies of messages on servers. • Most POP3 servers can store messages on servers, too, which is a lot more convenient. Email Protocols Email Protocols are categorized in two types :- 1. Mail Transfer Protocol :- The primary purpose of MTP is to transfer email between mail servers. a. SMTP – • Mail delivery from a client application to the server, and from an originating server to the destination server, is handled by the Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP). • Under Red Hat Enterprise Linux, a user can configure an SMTP server on the local machine to handle mail delivery. • SMTP protocol does not require authentication. This allows anyone on the Internet to send email to anyone else. Email Protocols
1. Mail Access Protocol :-
• It is used by email client applications to retrieve email from mail servers. • There are two primary MAP protocols. a) POP – • The default POP server under Red Hat Enterprise Linux is Dovecot. • When using a POP server, email messages are downloaded by the email client applications. • By default, most POP email clients are automatically configured to delete the message on the email server after it has been successfully transferred. • POP is fully compatible with Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions (MIME), which allow for email attachments. • The most current version of the POP protocol is POP3. Email Protocols
b) IMAP – • The default IMAP server under Red Hat Enterprise Linux is Dovecot and is provided by the dovecot package. • When using a IMAP mail server, email messages remain on the server where users can read or delete them. • IMAP also allows clients to create, rename or delete mail directories on the server to organize and store email. • The user also has the ability to delete messages without viewing or downloading them. • IMAP, like POP, is fully compatible with Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions (MIME), which allow for email attachments. Email Protocols
c) Dovecot – • The imap-login and pop3-login processes which implement the IMAP and POP3 protocols are spawned by the master dovecot daemon included in the dovecot package. • The use of IMAP and POP is configured through the /etc/dovecot/dovecot.conf configuration file. • Make that change in configuration file operational for the current session by running the command: service dovecot restart • Make that change in configuration file operational after the next reboot by running the command: chkconfig dovecot on Email Program Classifications All email applications fall into at least one of the three classifications:-
Mail Transfer Agent (MTA)
Mail Delivery Agent (MDA) Mail User Agent (MUA)
Email Server Email Server
(MTA) (MTA)
` `
email Client email Client
Sender Receiver (MUA) (MUA) Mail Transfer Agent
• A Mail Transport Agent (MTA) transfers email messages between hosts
using SMTP. • A message may involve several MTAs as it moves to its intended destination. • Many modern email client programs can act as an MTA when sending email. The reason email client programs are capable of sending email like an MTA is because the host running the application does not have its own MTA. • Since Red Hat Enterprise Linux offers two MTAs—Postfix and Send-mail —email client programs are often not required to act as an MTA. • Sendmail, Postfix, Qmail, Microsoft - Exchange etc. Mail Delivery Agent
• A Mail Delivery Agent (MDA) is invoked by the MTA to file incoming
email in the proper user's mailbox. • Any program that actually handles a message for delivery to the point where it can be read by an email client application can be considered an MDA. • In many cases, the MDA is actually a Local Delivery Agent (LDA), such as mail or Procmail. Both of the applications are considered LDAs and both move email from the MTA's spool file into the user's mailbox. • Procmail can be invoked in several different ways. Whenever an MTA places an email into the mail spool file, Procmail is launched. Procmail then filters and files the email for the MUA and quits. Mail User Agent
• An MUA is a program that, allows a user to read and compose email
messages. • Many MUAs are capable of retrieving messages via the POP or IMAP protocols. • MUA is also capable of setting up mailboxes to store messages, and sending outbound messages to an MTA. • MUAs may be graphical, such as Microsoft Outlook / Outlook Express, IBM - Lotus Notes, Linux - Evolution / Thunderbird, Mozilla Mail. • MUA may also have simple text-based interfaces, such as mutt. Objectives of Sendmail Server
• The main objective of studying mail are it opens the option for communications to take up a local, regional, national or global scale.
• Supports POP3, IMAP and Web mail access. These are standard services that ideally should be available in any mail system for flexible email access.
• Is extremely fast, reliable, scalable and very secured. The Linux operating system is very difficult to exploit.
• Does not require expensive hardware. Due to its fast and efficient services, expensive high end hardware is not necessary. Mail Server Methodology
1. YUM SERVER Installation :-
• Yum is an interactive, rpm based, package manager.
• It can automatically perform system updates, including dependency analysis and obsolete processing based on "repository" metadata. • It can also perform installation of new packages, removal of old pack- ages and perform queries on the installed and/or available packages among many other commands/services. • Is used to install the latest version of a package or group of packages while ensuring that all dependencies are satisfied. YUM Server Installation
b) Yum Client • [root@www ~]$ vim /etc/yum.repos.d/rhel6.repo • [root@www ~]$ yum clean all • [root@www ~]$ yum info php* • [root@www ~]$yum info mysql* Sendmail Installation
• Sendmail’s core purpose, like other MTAs, is to safely transfer email
among hosts, usually using the SMTP protocol. • Sendmail sends a message to one or more recipients, routing the message over whatever networks are necessary. • Sendmail does internetwork forwarding as necessary to deliver the message to the correct place. • Sendmail is installed using the command :- yum install sendmail* • Many system administrators elect to use sendmail as their MTA due to its power and scalabilty. Dovecot Installation
• Dovecot is installed using the command :-
yum install dovecot* • Edit the /etc/dovecot/dovecot.conf configuration file for receiving emails. • Uncomment the following line from /etc/dovecot/dovecot.conf file :- • vim /etc/dovecot/dovecot.conf #protocols = pop3 pop3s imap imaps protocols = pop3 pop3s imap imaps • Make that change in configuration file operational for the current session by running the command: service dovecot restart • Make that change in configuration file operational after the next reboot by running the command: chkconfig dovecot on DNS Installation 1. Named :- • The configuration file for named is named.conf • Statements in the named configuration file are enclosed in braces and terminated with a semi-colon. DNS Installation 1. Forward File :- • Modifying the forward.zone file DNS Installation 2. Reverse File :- • Modifying the reverse.zone file Configuration Files 1. [root@www~]#vim /etc/yum.repos.d/rhel6.repo Configuration Files 2. [root@www ~]# vim /etc/sysconfig/selinux Configuration Files 3. [root@www ~]# vim /etc/hosts Configuration Files 4. [root@www ~]# vim /etc/named.conf Configuration Files 5. [root@www ~]# vim /etc/mail/access Configuration Files 6. [root@www ~]# vim /etc/httpd/conf/httpd.conf Configuration Files 7. [root@www ~]# vim /etc/dovecot/conf.d/10-mail.conf Configuration Files 8. [root@www ~]# vim /etc/dovecot/dovecot.conf Configuration Files 9. [root@www ~]# vim /etc/mail/sendmail.mc Configuration Files 10. Static IP Address Snapshots of Mail Server 1. Login Page :- Snapshots of Mail Server 2. Compose Message :- Snapshots of Mail Server 3. Inbox :- Snapshots of Mail Server 4. Search Message :- Advantages
• Worrying about personal information or messages being read by someone
outside the company isn’t necessary when an organization controls its own mail server. The information is stored and protected by the owner of the mail server. • Not only is the mail delivered quickly throughout the company, but any mail coming in is received immediately. • When a company doesn’t have its own mail server, internal and incoming messages all have to be routed to the distant server before they are delivered. • A business with its own mail server eliminates the lag time between sending and receiving messages. • Supports IMAP, POP3 and Web mail access which provides flexible email access. Conclusion
• Mail server play an important role in this vision by serving as the single, consolidated interface through which employees access a company’s intellectual assets.
• Cost effective, since it does not require expensive hardware. Due to its fast and efficient services, expensive high end hardware is not necessary.
• Ease to communicate with people also in long distance.
