Web Hosting Talk : Web Hosting Main Forums : Hosting Security and Technology : Lightweight CentOS/Linux SMTP Mail server Recommendations

[novice32]

What would you recommend for a lightweight, CentOS/Linux SMTP server? I really only need it for outbound, "automated emails" in support of my website. I have Google Apps setup for 'personalized' outbound/inbound emails.

I'm looking for something extremely easy to setup for outgoing mails.

Thanks,
Novice32

[jhadley]

Dovecot+Postfix works well.

[Luckybum]

I'm in a similar situation and actually did this myself based on this article.

Just read up a little on postfix virtual domain mapping if you are going to host external domains. Also, make sure you have rDNS setup for your domain and set up an SPF record. When everything is set, you can check yourself over to mxtoolbox.com

Sweet running setup up with Webmin as I'm not a command line commando. Ultimately I ditched it in favor of a Fastmail.fm account as I didn't want to deal with it. Fastmail will also host your DNS so you can ditch both mail and DNS servers on your VPS and end up with a really cost effective solution by using a paid mail service in this manner.

Good luck with it.

[usera]

technically if you want to just do outbound; you do not even need smtp service since it listens on port 25 and could probably get away adding an account in google to use smtp. Therefore you just need to setup exim/postfix in null client mode which should satisfy outbound unless there's some script that needs to send mail through port 25.

[dennis123123]

just outgoing: ssmtp
simple, and "just works" http://www.linux.com/archive/feature/132006

for inc+outgoing; as mentionned - dovecot+postfix ftw

[usera]

you guys are so weird. what's the point of recommending dovecot in regards to novice32 question.

[novice32]

Thanks everyone for the responses. I like the posfix in null client mode option. Google Apps does offer smtp access, but only for the enterprise version $$$ ( I have the standard/free Google mail app). I don't have GNOME setup, so command line all the way.. plus new the Linux too.

[boonchuan]

Qmail as in Qmailtoaster will be extremely easy to setup. I guess you can block the POP ports etc and just allow SMTP

[novice32]

What's the memory footprint of posfix ?

[dennis123123]

36832 KB at the moment on Debian Lenny 64 bit

[novice32]

For my domain, I setup Postfix (on CentOS 5.4) as a Null client. On automated outbound emails, I need to bcc myself ( "info@domain.com", which the PHP code does). However, I never receive emails in my Google app account. Instead, they appear on localhost server ( At the Linux prompt I get "you have new mail"). As a null client, why would I receive local mail and thoughts on the issue? How can I double-check that postfix is really being used (as opposed to sendmail, which appears to be installed). I'm not a Linux GURU..so advice would help

[xtrac568]

Originally Posted by novice32

For my domain, I setup Postfix (on CentOS 5.4) as a Null client. On automated outbound emails, I need to bcc myself ( "info@domain.com", which the PHP code does). However, I never receive emails in my Google app account. Instead, they appear on localhost server ( At the Linux prompt I get "you have new mail"). As a null client, why would I receive local mail and thoughts on the issue? How can I double-check that postfix is really being used (as opposed to sendmail, which appears to be installed). I'm not a Linux GURU..so advice would help

getting email to your local user account while trying to send an outbound message, usually indicates that postfix is actually not working correctly, e.g. not sending any outbound emails and gives you an report to local user account.

have a look at /var/log/mail.info

[novice32]

I didn't configure it properly. Now works: http://www.postfix.org/STANDARD_CONF...ml#null_client

[h4wk]

Just remember guys gmail apps has a 500 smtp limit for free accounts and 2000 smtp limit for paid users.

[novice32]

Hey everyone..I really need your help.. I setup postfix as a null client, but receive the following in Gmail for sent emails (from Postfix)

---------------------------------------------
host ASPMX.L.GOOGLE.com[209.85.223.16] said:
550-5.1.1 The email account that you tried to reach does not exist. Please
try 550-5.1.1 double-checking the recipient's email address for typos or
550-5.1.1 unnecessary spaces. Learn more at
550 5.1.1

------------------------------------------------
*** where you see EXAMPLE.com, my real domain is used.

"postconf -n" outputs

alias_database = hash:/etc/aliases
alias_maps = hash:/etc/aliases
command_directory = /usr/sbin
config_directory = /etc/postfix
daemon_directory = /usr/libexec/postfix
debug_peer_level = 2
html_directory = no
inet_interfaces = loopback-only
mail_owner = postfix
mailq_path = /usr/bin/mailq.postfix
manpage_directory = /usr/share/man
mydestination = $myhostname, localhost.$mydomain, localhost
mydomain = example.com
myhostname = mail.example.com
myorigin = $mydomain
newaliases_path = /usr/bin/newaliases.postfix
queue_directory = /var/spool/postfix
readme_directory = /usr/share/doc/postfix-2.3.3/README_FILES
relayhost = $mydomain
sample_directory = /usr/share/doc/postfix-2.3.3/samples
sendmail_path = /usr/sbin/sendmail.postfix
setgid_group = postdrop
unknown_local_recipient_reject_code = 550

--------------------------------------------------------------
According to POSTFIX, a null client setup should follow:

1 /etc/postfix/main.cf:
2 myorigin = $mydomain
3 relayhost = $mydomain
4 inet_interfaces = loopback-only
5 local_transport = error:local delivery is disabled
6
7 /etc/postfix/master.cf:
8 Comment out the local delivery agent entry

---------------------------------------------------------------

Furthermore, I have DNS "A" record for mail.example.com that points to my IP address. My IP address is also listed in the SPF record.

WHAT AM I DOING WRONG?