sorry replied to wrong message
----- Original Message -----
From: "Matthew Lohr" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Thursday, November 16, 2000 1:27 PM
Subject: Re: [IMail Forum] Recommendations for offering free e-mail?
> i only need help the 26th - 29th 4 days
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Robert J. Fehn Sr." <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> Sent: Thursday, November 16, 2000 1:10 PM
> Subject: Re: [IMail Forum] Recommendations for offering free e-mail?
>
>
> > We are currently doing that very thing (www.mailops.com) Where do I
> start?
> > :) Spam will be your biggest problem. I will address each of your
> > questions below:
> >
> >
> > > on-line registration process. I am considering using IMail with an
> extenal
> > > user database on SQL 7 and making the registration process with ASP. I
> was
> >
> > Doing it here, works well... ASP script interfaces with SQL 7 through
> ODBC.
> > Directly sets up users in the database. One table for each domain
> configured
> > according to Ipswitch's specifications, one master users table
containing
> > all customer info, one "bad names" table containing things you don't
want
> > them to use for UserIDs such as "webmaster", "admin", etc
> >
> > Do yourself a favor, create a script for the customer to access their
> > account and make changes to generic info, password, address etc. It will
> > save you hours of admin. Also, create an admin version of this for your
> tech
> > support with the ability to kill accounts and alter userIDs and
passwords.
> >
> > Validate all user input on your sign up script! Don't let them proceed
if
> > there is info missing. Get everything you can. Many will fake the info
to
> > use you for spam propogation. It is nearly impossible to stop all of
this
> > activity but, we are working on verification system right now that
> requires
> > them to enter a valid ISP email address. Our system will automatically
> send
> > an Email to that address on signup. If the mail bounces or is in any
other
> > way not deliverable, no access.
> >
> > If we get a reply to support from some poor soul whop has no idea why
they
> > have just been signed up for an email account, the account will also be
> > killed.
> >
> > > - security and spam (I belive smtp-auth doesn't work with an external
> > > database)
> >
> > It does work with external. You will have to use SMTP AUTH with "relay
for
> > addresses" set for what you are considering. You might also consider
> using
> > IMGate in concert with the mail server. The author is on this list. We
are
> > considering adding this.
> >
> > > - hardware and disk space required for x amount of users
> >
> > Big Iron! We have around 50,000 users right now running on a dual P III
> 450
> > box with 40 gigs HD space and 256 m of RAM. We are at the upgrade point
> now.
> > Utilization often sits above 50%, not good. We will be moving to a Quad
> Xeon
> > box with 1 gig of RAM and Raid 5 with 250 gigs of drive space.
> >
> > > - best possible solution for dividing up the load for redundancy and
> > > performance
> >
> > When you find it, let us know. Right now I recommend a high quality box
> with
> > enough resources to carry the load alone. Buy a real server, don't get
> > caught in trying to save money upfront and handle the customer
complaints
> > later... Limit the following: Mailbox size, max messages, and max SMTP
> > allowed messages. If you run WebMail, increase the max threads for the
> > WebMail server from the default of 64. After much trial and error, ours
> are
> > set at 250...
> >
> > > - amount of attention required on a daily basis for maintenance
> > >
> >
> > Not much really. We are running .ASP scripts that keep a watch on mail
box
> > size and automated procedures to delete old messages and clean the spool
> > directory once per week using Ipswitch's utilities. Most of your time
> will
> > be spent handling tech support for users who can't semd mail. Enabling
> SMTP
> > AUTH in mail clients is the #1 question we get. Also, many ISPs are
> blocking
> > external SMTP connections to port 25, you'll have to be aware of that.
> >
> > > Initially I don't expect a huge amount of users (under a thousand) but
I
> >
> > We are signing around 100 per day, globally.
> >
> > > would like to make sure that it is reliable. I currently do my own
> > > web-hosting and DNS and am curious to know if I can use some of the
> > > resources of our web machines for better performance, or redundancy.
> >
> > Not really, Imail has it's own web server for Webmail. You can , of
> course,
> > carry your own DNS entries.
> >
> > >
> > > Any tips would be appreciated.
> >
> > Well, without posting our business plan, I think that about covers it.
> Hope
> > this helps....
> >
> > Please visit http://www.ipswitch.com/support/mailing-lists.html
> > to be removed from this list.
> >
> > An Archive of this list is available at:
> > http://www.mail-archive.com/imail_forum%40list.ipswitch.com/
> >
>
> Please visit http://www.ipswitch.com/support/mailing-lists.html
> to be removed from this list.
>
> An Archive of this list is available at:
> http://www.mail-archive.com/imail_forum%40list.ipswitch.com/
>
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