On Fri, Nov 18, 2005 at 09:52:01AM -0800, Dan Nicholson wrote: > > As someone with absolutely no experience setting up a mail server > asking someone who obviously has tons of experience, what is some of > the better documentation to read on the subject? Seems there are a > ton of configuration options and levels of complexity, and it's hard > for me to wrap my head around the principles of a mail server.
For general email education, I cut my teeth on a bunch of RFC's, but I don't recommended that as I'm sure better doco now exists. As for server setup, it depends on what server software you are trying to use. Postfix is proven to be faster and has a much better security history than sendmail, and is infinitely easier to config. The doco for postfix is good, but unless you are already familiar with jargon and have a base understanding of mail systems, it may be too technical at first, though it does come secure by default. If you aren't adverse to buying books, then hands down the best doco I have ever found is "The Book of Postfix" by Hildebrandt and Koetter. Pricey, but is a nearly one-stop shop for understanding the mail protocol and mail server theory and application. Obviously the application is postfix-specific, but the rest isn't. Regardless of where you turn for doco, lurking on the postfix mailing list is always a good decision. Most of it may not make sense at first, but keep reading the emails and outside doco and eventually it all just comes together. :) -- Archaic Want control, education, and security from your operating system? Hardened Linux From Scratch http://www.linuxfromscratch.org/hlfs -- http://linuxfromscratch.org/mailman/listinfo/blfs-support FAQ: http://www.linuxfromscratch.org/blfs/faq.html Unsubscribe: See the above information page
