I was reccommended cyrus as an email server software to use instead of sendmail.

Just thought I would get the opinions of others if anyone has worked with it, used it in a dynamic situation (automatic administration actions), or just really hated it.

I basically am in the search of an email server that fits these criteria:
1) Linux based (RH and/or YDL)
2) Does NOT use system users for its email boxes (prefer use of mysql)
3) Extremely cheap or free dist
4) Fairly easy to setup and configure (in terms of general linux install/conf setups)
5) Can be controlled via automation processes (either cron, php, or perl scripts)

heheh... I don't ask for much do I?

Does such a wonderful thing exist? or am I smoking crack in thinking that something could?

Try out Qmail perhaps. It is free, has RPM's to download for the easy install, and i hear setup is alot easier. www.qmail.org/top.html

*previous idocity deleted*

Sorry, I finally found, after miles of documentation, a site that has all sorts of additions for use with qmail (inter7). They have some solutions that look like what I want is possible through qmail.

Thank you for your input.

I am not yet sold on it yet, as I still must do research for our solution. It wouldn't be good to just dive after the first thing that crosses my desk