Hi everyone,

Im currently running a mail server using RHEL 4 (sendmail/dovecot).
For high availablity I need to configure some failover mechanism in case the server goes down.

I plan to do this using a separate server running Windows 2003. The idea is in case the the linux server goes down, all mail services immediately become available on the Windows.

I feel doing an automatic failover may be complex so for a start Im looking for a manual failover (really, just a backup server).

My problem is how to get all incoming messages directed to both the Linux and Windows (possibly at the Sendmail level). If this is done, then I feel what I need to do in case the linux goes down is to simply change the IP address of the Windows to that of the Linux. Obviosuly, this assumes that the user configs (names/passwords) both on the linux and windows are the same. This could be a lot of work considering a user base of over 200 who change their usernames/passwords frequently.

Could there be a better way of doing it.
Im relatively new to linux.

cheers.

I don't believe your idea will work as you think it would.

Setting up a mail server requires that you install the MAIL SERVER on the Linux machine and configure it to your needs. Having delivered mail going to a Windows server will be like backing up the messages only since there is no Linux MAIL SERVER running on the Windows server. It's sort of like having a Microsoft SQL server running on your Windows machine with the database being backed up (copied) to a remote Linux drive - the exact data is there on the Linux machine, but the SQL server won't be.

I hope this makes sense - my intentions are not to sound condesending or cruel.

With that said, I believe there is a way to run a mail server on the 2003 server, but it would be far over my head without someone pointing me in the right direction - hence your original questions...

Deion "Mule" Christopher

Deion,

The intention was to have mails delivered to linux server also copied to exchange server on windows. Users would stil be connected to linux but in case there is a downtime in linux, they are transparently directed to the exchange.

Obviously there will be duplicate copies of the mails on both exchange and linux but the mails in exchange will periodically be deleted in case they are not poped by the users.

Well
Dula first of all Hi, u have solved ur own problem. Yes you can make Microsoft Exchage Server as ur backup or fault tollerence server in this case the copies of mails will also create in Windows server in which Exchange server is installed for more detail i suggest you to visit http://www.microsoft.com site here u'll find best soloution for this.