Best Configuration (If Possible) to Host Few Mailboxes from Multiple Domains in Home Lab
 

Hey Guys -

My wife and I own a few domains for which we have 2-3 mailboxes each. Currently, the mailboxes are being hosted via GoDaddy's Office365 or Workspace Email (POP/IMAP). Being an SCCM admin, I've got a decent home lab which is mostly hosted on an ESXi 6.5 host that already has a domain controller and such. In an attempt to save about $75 a month, I am considering moving the hosting of at least one of the domains from GoDaddy to my lab.

The current plan is 3 domains with 2-3 mailboxes each. I'd only need one to have activesync-type hosting while others can be POP/IMAP.

I build & administer Windows AD / servers throughout the day but do have Linux experience, too. Below are the questions I have overall. Any assistance or opinions would be great!

1. I own a license for Exchange, but thought there may be a similar open source software for Linux that still provided ActiveSync for at least one of the domains. What would you think be the best solution / software (even if it's Exchange) for what I'm wanting to do?

2. My current lab setup only has a single IP. Would hosting mailboxes for ~3 domains be supported natively or without a tremendous amount of work?

3. Will I have to purchase any 3rd party certs or anything else per domain in order for them to work with the suggested solution or will self-signed be good enough? Don't need anything fancy even though would like basic activesync / calendar features for at least one domain's mailboxes. I currently own one 3rd party cert for use with a few things in my lab, but I don't even use email with it's domain

4. If support for ActiveSync changes suggestions, should I save myself a lot of work and keep the ActiveSync domain mailboxes hosted online and just attempt to host the POP/ IMAP domains? If so, would you suggest the same or different setup?

Depending on answers to the above, any links / guides you could suggest to assist with configuration would be great!

Think that's about it - Thanks, Guys!

Hi Bzwok,

1. I don't know much about all the Microsoft stuff, but you may want to check out the free version of the Zentyal Linux Small business server. It does support ActiveSync, POP / IMAP and can be used as a fully functional domain controller.

2. That should not be a problem. I've set up something like that before using Postfix. Just tell it in /etc/postfix/transport where to send the mails for the different domains. (Or perhaps the earlier mentioned Zentyal can do this for you as well).

3. If you trust yourself you can use all self signed certificates.

4. Don't know how much work it'll be. Check out the Zentyal documentation on that.

Good luck.