Hi all,

Before I proceed, I want to inform you all that I have absolutely no experience on setting up a mail server, and really had no intention of setting one up anytime soon. But I may have to set one up (I think). I have read up on some of the MTAs out there: Sendmail, Exim, and Qmail.

The site I work on has a mail server already. We also have an IRC server, on a different network. The IRC server has Anope IRC services installed. It has a registration feature that requires users to validate their email addresses in order to confirm nicknames. Anope recommends using Sendmail to make that feature work, but I can use other mail applications as well. This feature is used for recovering passwords as well.

What I want to do is somehow make the IRC server talk to the existing mail server. Based on what I've read on multiple sites, I need to set up one of the aforementioned MTAs, then provide an authentication method that will allow communication between the IRC and mail servers, and in that process, I'd be setting up a local mail server (theoretically speaking). Am I understanding it? Because this is what I put up after gathering pieces of information from different sites.

If yes, I'd like to know which MTA to go with (in terms of reliability and complexity), especially when I have no experience. Some MTAs mention the use of a "smart host", which I'm unsure on how to properly use to make the servers do what I want them to do. Exim looked pretty easy to configure (based on a guide I found through Google), but I got lost when it mentioned a bunch of configuration options in the beginning.

I've read Wikipedia articles, ran Google searches on how to, but most of them come up with vague information, or information I'm not looking for. Perhaps it's the terminology that I'm using, but I'm hoping someone out here can help me out. I'm not looking for a step-by-step guide or anything (because I know there isn't one for all scenarios), but something that will make me understand what I need to do.

Thanks in advance for all your help!

-Jim

Sorry for the double post, it wouldn't let me see the Edit or Quote buttons at the bottom right for some reason.

I forgot to add what OS/version the servers are running: Ubuntu 10.04 (IRC server) and Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server release 5.6 (existing mail server).

Thanks again!

Qmail is a near dead project. (and thus barely used anymore)

Exim, Postfix, Sendmail are the main mta's.
each have their cons and pro's, but security wise, all are secure. (when correctly configured)
Sendmail used to have low security, but that has been fixed for a few years already. So if people here claim this weakness, they surely have not used it for years.

The thing is, each MTA has it's fans. All three can do pretty much the same, feature wise. But they all take a somewhat different route on how to accomplish it.

Maintaining the mta, is another thing to think of when choosing. Syntax wise, ease of administration etc.
Each MTA use a different syntax administration approach. Seek the one that fits you most. (aka feel the most comfortable with).

Good luck.