Debian E-mail Server recommendations
 

Hi everyone, I somehow successfully setup debian thru net-install for stable version with apache, bind, proftpd, webmin, ; however, I ran into trouble with e-mail servers. After reading all related topics on forum I have learned a lot from the problems of others, but there are still some things that I have questions about.

From all the reading, I have seen most of the people either recommded some of the newer designed of e-mail servers such as postfix or qmail more often than the SendMail server. However, I decide to go with the SendMail since they were the first and they been around the longest, and I know they are more complicated, but I think it would be good for somone who wants to learn linux and have more understading with how SendMail works.

I went thru a serveral sites with some howto setup SendMail, and I somehow decided with a possibly most secure setup of SendMail. Sendmail+cryus+Sasl, but the problem is I did not know exactly what did I get into. My main purpose is to have an e-mail server for my own domain that would allow just the website owner to be able to send or recieve e-mail. Of course, I am concerned with security as top priority.

Please correct me if I am wrong, SendMail handles imap + local mail delievery, and Cyrus can be an e-mail accounts management server+ possible for local delievery as well and +pop3. as for Sasl, it is just an more secure authentication for logging onto the server to receive or send e-mails.

After like a full week of trying, I am about to give up or going with other e-mail servers such as postfix, qmail, or exim. I did figure out some problems from reading the log after test sending+ receiving, but at the end the log seems fine but cyrus just does not seem to do the delievery both locally or outside the network.

What I really want to know is, would there be an altnerative ways with sendmail setup but would also provide good security features, and would not need this many complicated settings like Sendmail+Cyrus+Sasl. I think I have to admit this whole e-mail thing is a bit beyond my league as a newbie. Maybe another sort of setup that would have more HowTo? or a more common type of setups?

I just can't find any more other resources on the internet with the similar setups, so I think maybe it is best for me to swtich to a different setup that is more easily to administrate. Any recommendation is highly appreciated! any more resources with similar setup or problems is also great!

Thanks in advance!

I setup my e-mail services using The Perfect setup Debian with Postfix/POP3/IMAP and then to send mail remotely I edited the line in /etc/postfix/main.cf ;

relayhost = [outmail_address_of_isp_email_server]

I collect mail from my user account in the normal way. In order to prevent harvesting of e-mail addresses I use php contact form details of which can be found here . This obviously requires php to be installed on the server. In the line;

mail('youremail@domain.com',$subject,$text,"From: $name <$email>");

edit youremail@domain.com to user_name@localhost