On Fri, 2007-10-05 at 12:32 -0700, Mike Garfias wrote: > I agree with everything Darrin wrote, but would add a few things: > > On Debian, its all very easy. Make sure you have your apt sources > set to download from the security tree, and update it somewhat > frequently.
That is why I love Debian! > Use Postfix/Dovecot - not only are they easy to setup, but they have > a good reputation for security I am leaning that way, except qmailtoaster looks interesting. > (The dovecot guys will even pay you if > you find an exploit in their code). Great! However, I will probably keep my day job until the check comes in. ;-) > > > On Oct 5, 2007, at 8:50 AM, Darrin Chandler wrote: > > > On Fri, Oct 05, 2007 at 08:36:55AM -0700, Mark Phillips wrote: > >> 1. How difficult is it to maintain am email server? > >> A couple of articles/forums recommend using a third party for email > >> since keeping an email server secure is hard and a takes lots of > >> time. > >> Keeping on top of all the types of attacks and exploits people > >> come up > >> with, and then install patches to prevent them from taking over your > >> server and using it for nefarious activities is a full time job. > >> Is this > >> true? > > > > For your needs it is NOT a full time job. If you spend some time > > picking > > the tools you'll use and then check the history of the distro to > > see how > > well they maintain those packages you'll probably see that keeping > > up to > > date is not too hard. > > > >> 2. What combinations of MTA, MDA, MUA's do people use? > >> I have run across several articles that combine Postfix, Courier or > >> Dovecot, and SquirrelMail or Qmail, MySQL, ClamAV, and SpamAssassin. > >> Which is better (i.e. easier to install & maintain) Courier or > >> Dovecot? > >> What other combinations are better? How much time does it take to > >> keep > >> all these pieces secure? > > > > You're opening a can of worms. There are people using all manner of > > software in various combinations. Some will tell you horror stories > > about whatever they're not using. And the worst part is it's all true > > and everyone is right. > > > > That being said, I believe dovecot is easier out of the box than > > courier. > > > >> 3. How much hardware do I need? > >> I plan on using the funambol server for syncing the blackberry, > >> and that > >> requires a P4, 1.8 GHz, 200 MB disk space, and 512 MB of RAM. How > >> much > >> more do I need for email? Could my email server fit on the same > >> machine > >> or a separate machine? The funambol server is a J2EE application > >> (tomcat > >> & mysql) (http://www.funambol.com/). > > > > For a few users your hardware needs will be quite modest. That > > depends a > > lot on what all you put in the chain. SpamAssassin + ClamAV + whatever > > will use a lot more resources. If you can use greylisting then that > > will > > block most of the spam up front and allow you to use a heavier email > > stack on the back end. > > > > General advice: running a small email server is not a full time job > > and > > is entirely practical. But it's not a decision to be taken lightly. It > > will involve a fair amount of time to learn your way around, get > > all the > > pieces working together, make sure you're not allowing relaying, etc., > > etc. After you get everything working you really, really need to > > keep up > > to date with patches. Keeping up to date is not hard, and not time > > consuming, but it must be done. IOW, this is a small committment, > > but it > > IS a committment. > > > > -- > > Darrin Chandler | Phoenix BSD User Group | MetaBUG > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] | http://phxbug.org/ | http:// > > metabug.org/ > > http://www.stilyagin.com/ | Daemons in the Desert | Global BUG > > Federation > > --------------------------------------------------- > > PLUG-discuss mailing list - PLUG-discuss@lists.plug.phoenix.az.us > > To subscribe, unsubscribe, or to change your mail settings: > > http://lists.PLUG.phoenix.az.us/mailman/listinfo/plug-discuss > > > > !DSPAM:14,47065d6638427464930826! > > > > > > --------------------------------------------------- > PLUG-discuss mailing list - PLUG-discuss@lists.plug.phoenix.az.us > To subscribe, unsubscribe, or to change your mail settings: > http://lists.PLUG.phoenix.az.us/mailman/listinfo/plug-discuss --------------------------------------------------- PLUG-discuss mailing list - PLUG-discuss@lists.plug.phoenix.az.us To subscribe, unsubscribe, or to change your mail settings: http://lists.PLUG.phoenix.az.us/mailman/listinfo/plug-discuss
