Linux mailserver that works w. Outlook
CaffeineMe
Cedar Rapids, IA
I'm doing some unpaid consulting (might turn into paid consulting, fingers crossed) with a family members business. Their ISP has been acting as their mail server, sending mail to their addresses via SMTP, dumped directly into Outlook.
That situation might be changing, and they may need to come up with a new mail server arrangement. This is a small company with almost no IT support (but they have a guy who knows a thing or two, not me!). I'd like to recommend a mail solution to them. I'm thinking a Linux mail server with one of the free mail programs. But, which one? I can't see these guys springing for an Exchange server/license, they number of employees served just doesn't justify it.
Also, they do use Outlook, and I'd like for them to be able to continue doing so, the training issues involved with getting them off of Outlook and on to an Open Source mail program might be more daunting than anyone wants to attempt.
Advice?
That situation might be changing, and they may need to come up with a new mail server arrangement. This is a small company with almost no IT support (but they have a guy who knows a thing or two, not me!). I'd like to recommend a mail solution to them. I'm thinking a Linux mail server with one of the free mail programs. But, which one? I can't see these guys springing for an Exchange server/license, they number of employees served just doesn't justify it.
Also, they do use Outlook, and I'd like for them to be able to continue doing so, the training issues involved with getting them off of Outlook and on to an Open Source mail program might be more daunting than anyone wants to attempt.
Advice?
0
Comments
In that case pretty much all of them will.
I use Exim myself, and after installing it and changing the config file, all I have to do it make an acount on the server for the person and then they can connect to the machine as if it was any other e-mail server and send and recieve.
Just look into some guides of setting up exim or qmail and thats all you really need by the sound of it.
NS
http://www.bynari.net/
I would highly recommend that you get their mail hosted by a reputable hosting company. For EXAMPLE, not to pimp my business or anything, but, we can host pop3 mail very inexpensively. If you put their own mail server in-house, you are asking for an administrative nightmare - mail servers require fairly regular maintenance. First off, you need a true static IP, then you need your own DNS server so that the world can recognize your mailserver's MX record. So basically you need at least two static IPs - cheap SDSL that gives you multiple statics starts at around $100 a month for like 256K, so mail on 256K is gonna be slow if there's any attachments involved. So it's WAY cheaper to have your mail hosted elsewhere. Not to mention you'd better bone up on your sendmail or CuciPop or QMail or whatever you're gonna use in unix/linux since it sounds like you're their administrator.
NS
So:
1 IP for mail server
1 IP for DNS to have an MX record that points to the mail server
I think it is the same 3rd party that lets me use their name servers to resolve back to my IP... yeah, it must be - http://www.zoneedit.com - worth looking into, as they don't charge unless you want like 8 domains.
NS
Linux Exchange Server Emulator
at: http://www.google.com/linux (no trailing slash)
Right now, the whole discussion is academic since nothing may come of this, and I probably won't be the guy doing the work. But, if it does, and I am, I'd like to be able to begin sounding like there are options. So, while I welcome the input thus far, it's all just talk for now. Thanks.
http://www.courier-mta.org/