how to backup a Sendmail Mailserver

jeffvd · 09-25-2003, 07:01 AM

I'v recently installed a Sendmail Mailserver on Redhat 8.0 . I would like to know how & what I need to backup (which folders, accounts, mails...) so I can restore everything in case the mailserver crashes.

david_ross · 09-26-2003, 01:06 PM

Welcome to LQ.

Usually the mail will be delivered to a folder in your users home directory. Other than that you may want to backup your sendmail config files and the user files:
/etc/shadow
/etc/passwd
/etc/group

jeffvd · 10-10-2003, 07:37 AM

ok thanx

but don't I have to backup some stuff in the /var - directory ?

david_ross · 10-10-2003, 12:36 PM

You can back up whatever you want. You may want to backup:
/var/spool/mail

musa1627 · 12-17-2010, 10:00 PM

If you want to backup only the mails in sendmail you can backup /var/spool/mail folder.

If you want to backup complete Mail Server so that it can help you in case the server crashes:

Back up all the sendmail configuration files from /etc and /var/named/chroot Directory

Eg: /etc/mail/sendmail.mc, /etc/mail/sendmail.cf

To backup sendmail users and password files backup /etc/passwd, /etc/shadow

If you want users go get send items and drafts then copy /home also.

To backup also the sendmail emails inbox backup /var/spool/mail.