Mail configuration on multiple linodes...
OK, trying to get my head around handling mail for a new domain that I am now running and will be hosting on a linode, any advice welcome!
Basic setup. I have three linodes, all in different data centers. A production linode, a development linode and a third that I use to serve content like images, .js, .css, etc.
I would like to avoid installing anything other than what is necessary on my production linode, so I am hoping I can do the following:
1) Domain is with goDaddy, point the domain, domain.com, at linode nameservers. Define needed sub-domains, etc in linode DNS manager, including mail.domain.com. While domain.com and
2) In DNS manager, point mx records for domain.com at mail.domain.com.
3) On 'content' linode, install and configure postfix to handle incoming mail, smtp, pop, etc.
Does this basic setup seem to make sense? In a nutshell, all mail for @domain.com will be handled by the 'content' server, while http requests go to production linode.
Thanks, and appreciate any advice if I am missing something very basic as I start into this.
Paul
4 Replies
a largish mail-list (currently using PHPList, gah, hate this app, any other suggestions?)
some email accounts that forward to personal emails
Here's where I think I may need the mail server:
- private distribution lists (i.e.
board@domain.com that then forwards to a bunch of the email accounts mentioned above that forward)
As I am rather new to this email game, would welcome any suggestions on avoiding the mail server completely… can one do private distribution lists without hosting your own and using something like mailman, etc?
Thanks!
For sending a large number of emails, you can install Postfix and make it listen only on localhost. Then you can use any PHP mailing list software to send emails from that machine, but it will not receive any incoming mail/spam. Be very careful with your mailing list, though, or you could end up in a spam blacklist.
As long as the MX and SPF/SenderID records are properly set up in your DNS, you should be able to send emails from your server and receive from Google Apps without any problem.
@pmmenneg:
Their needs include:
- a largish mail-list (currently using PHPList, gah, hate this app, any other suggestions?)
If this is a technology-related group, you can have your mailing list hosted on. Their web interface is reasonable, and as the name implies, it's free. However, your list would have a " FreeListssomething@freelists.org " address, not "something@domain.com ".
@pmmenneg:
- some email accounts that forward to personal emails
Here's where I think I may need the mail server:
- private distribution lists (i.e.
board@domain.com that then forwards to a bunch of the email accounts mentioned above that forward)
You could have both of these handled by your registrar - most seem to throw in a good number of e-mail forwards with a domain registration. You'll have to manage membership on the private distribution list manually instead of each member doing it on his own, but this shouldn't be burdensome if changes don't happen frequently. Looks like instructions for doing this on GoDaddy(and they appear to support forwarding a single " are hereblah@domain.com " address to multiple "real" addresses).