This chapter describes how to configure SMTP services for your server using Netscape Console. For information on how to configure the POP, IMAP, or HTTP services, see Chapter 2, Configuring POP, IMAP, and HTTP Services.
About SMTPViewing and Configuring Domain InformationSpecifying Delivery OptionsVerifying Recipient AddressesPerforming Reverse IP Address LookupsSpecifying the Number of MTA HopsReserving Free Disk Space for the Message QueueEnabling Optional SMTP FeaturesSpecifying Automatic Reply InformationSpecifying Error HandlingSpecifying Routing and Addressing InformationControlling Access to SMTP ServicesWorking with SMTP PluginsMessage Queue Concepts Specifying Actions on Deferred QueuesSpecifying Message Handling for Deferred QueuesSpecifying Alternate Paths for Physical QueuesInterface Reference: SMTP Configuration
From Netscape Console, open the Messaging Server you want to configure.
Click the Configuration tab and open the Services folder in the left pane.
Select SMTP.
Click the System tab in the right pane.
Specifying an Address Completion DomainSpecifying the Domains Local to Your Server
If Messaging Server receives a message that does not contain a domain name in the recipient address, it will add the domain name to the address to complete the address. You can specify the domain name to be used for address completion. If you do not specify a domain, the fully-qualified host name of the machine on which Messaging Server resides is used to complete the address.
Go to the SMTP System tab.
In the "Address completion domain" field, type the name of the DNS domain that will be used to complete a recipient address if the address does not contain a domain name.
Click Save.
You can also specify an address completion domain at the command line as follows:
configutil -o service.smtp.defaultdomain -v domainname
A domain is local to your server if Messaging Server knows the recipient addresses in the domain. Messaging Server identifies a recipient address as local if the domain part of the address matches one of the following:
The name of the host on which Messaging Server residesA local domain setting
Click the Add button beside the "Local domain" field.
Type the domain you want to add.
Click OK to add the domain to the list of local domains in the SMTP System window.
Mail sent to an unknown recipient at any of these domains is bounced.
When you finished adding domain information, click Save in the SMTP System window.
Note that changes are not saved until you click Save in the SMTP System window.
You can also specify the domains local to your server at the command line as follows:
configutil -o service.smtp.smtp-router.localmaildomains -v domainnames
Delivering Mail to Unix Mail FoldersDelivering Mail to a ProgramDeferring Delivery
For user's who have a Unix system account on the Messaging Server host machine, Messaging Server can deliver mail to the user's local Unix mail folder. You specify the Unix mail delivery program to which Messaging Server should deliver mail.
In the "Local mail delivery program" field, type the path of the Unix mail delivery program to which Messaging Server should deliver mail for accounts with the Unix-delivery option enabled.
For example: /usr/bin/mail
You can also set the Unix mail delivery program at the command line as follows:
configutil -o service.smtp.unix-deliver.maildeliveryprogram -v progpath
By default, messages are delivered to an account inbox. Program delivery allows messages to be delivered to external programs, such as filtering programs, file server programs, and so on.
Specify information for the following fields:
For Unix platforms:
Safe user ID for running programs. In this field, type the safe Unix user ID for running programs set up for the root account.
Safe group ID for running programs. In this field, type the safe Unix group ID for running programs set up for the root account. The safe Unix user ID should be a member of the safe group ID.
For Windows NT:
NT account to run program as. In this field, type the user ID under which programs will run.
Password for this account. In this field, type the password for the NT account.
You can also set these values at the command line as follows:
configutil -o service.smtp.prog-deliver.defaultuid -v uid
configutil -o service.smtp.prog-deliver.defaultgid -v groupid
configutil -o service.smtp.prog-deliver.ntaccount -v uid
configutil -o service.smtp.prog-deliver.ntpassword -v password
By default, Messaging Server attempts to deliver messages immediately; the server queues mail only if there is a problem. You can specify that Messaging Server queue all outgoing mail and attempt delivery only when it processes the message queue. The server processes the message queue on intervals you indicate. For more information, see Message Queue Concepts.
Click the Accept tab in the right pane.
Check the "Defer delivery to remote hosts" box.
You can also set this value at the command line as follows:
configutil -o service.smtp.smtp-deliver.alwaysqueue -v [ yes | no ]
Check the "Verify each recipient's address" box.
configutil -o service.smtp.smtp-accept.verifyrcpts -v [ yes| no ]
Check the "Lookup client machine names" box.
configutil -o service.smtp.doclientdnslookup -v [ yes| no ]
In the "Maximum number of MTA hops" field, specify a number.
The recommended range for this parameter is 30 or more. The default number is 30.
configutil -o service.smtp.smtp-router.maxmtahops -v number
In the "Minimum free disk space" field, specify a number.
From the drop-down list beside the field, specify Kbytes or Mbytes.
configutil -o service.smtp.smtp-accept.minfreediskspace -v number
Verifying User Names (VRFY)Verifying a Mailing List (EXPN)Enabling Requests for Deferred Queue Processing (ETRN)Limiting Message Size (SIZE)
The VRFY command enables clients to send a request to your server to verify that mail for a specific user name resides on the server.
Click the SMTP Accept tab.
Check the "Allow SMTP command VRFY" box to enable the SMTP command for verifying a user name.
configutil -o service.smtp.smtp-accept.allowvrfy -v [ yes | no ]
If both the client and the server support the SMTP EXPN command, clients can make requests to your server to verify that a particular mailing list resides on the server. The EXPN command is defined in RFC 821.
Check the "Allow SMTP command EXPN" box to enable the SMTP command for verifying a user name.
configutil -o service.smtp.smtp-accept.allowexpn -v [ yes | no ]
If both the client (in this case another MTA) and the server support the ETRN command--when the client connects to the server to send a message, it can initiate processing of the deferred queue for the client domain. If there are any messages awaiting delivery to the domain given in the ETRN command, the server attempts to send the messages using one or more new SMTP connections. The ETRN command is defined in RFC 1985.
Check the "Allow SMTP command ETRN" box to enable the SMTP command for enabling requests for deferred queue processing.
configutil -o service.smtp.smtp-accept.allowetrn -v [ yes | no ]
If both client and server support the SIZE command, clients can declare the size of a particular message to the server, and the server can accept or reject the message based on its size. Any attempts to send a message larger than the specified size will automatically fail and the server will return an error message indicating that the message size exceeds the maximum allowed. The SIZE command is defined in RFC 1870.
Check the "Allow SMTP command SIZE" box to enable the SMTP SIZE command.
Indicate the maximum size message the server will accept by typing a number in the field beside the checkbox; from the associated drop-down list, select MBytes or KBytes.
configutil -o service.smtp.smtp-accept.allowsize -v [ yes | no ]
configutil -o service.smtp.smtp-accept.maxmessagesize -v value
Click the Autoreply tab in the right pane.
From the drop-down list for each field, select the language of your choice.
Type the default messages for each of the reply fields:
Default vacation-mode reply message. Type an automatic reply for users who do not write a personalized vacation message.
Anyone who sends messages to a user's account while the vacation setting is activated will receive one notice about the user's absence. Any subsequent messages that person sends are ignored.
In most cases, you should not replace a user's current delivery with the vacation setting when they set up the AutoReply handler for that user's account. If you do this, the user will return from vacation only to find that all of his or her email has been thrown away. Rather, you should use the vacation setting in addition to the normal delivery method, so mail is held for the user to retrieve upon his or her return. (Users are prevented from making this mistake because Messaging Server doesn't accept account management forms with a delivery of "Vacation" only.)
Default echo-mode reply message. Type an automatic reply for the server's echo feature.
The echo feature generates a message to anyone who sends a message to the account. In addition, it returns the mail (as a MIME attachment) that was sent to the account, so that the sender gets back the original message as well as the message that you entered.
The echo feature, like the vacation feature, is intended to inform people about the status of the account they have contacted. A common use of the echo feature is to return mail addressed to people who have moved on and left no forwarding address.
Default reply-mode reply message. Type an automatic reply for the server's default reply mode.
The default reply feature is useful for special accounts that are created to disseminate information of one kind or another. You can create a place where people can get files, analogous to a File Transfer Protocol (FTP) site on the Internet.
You can also set values for these attributes at the command line as follows:
configutil -o service.smtp.autoreply-handler.defaultvacation -v text
configutil -o service.smtp.autoreply-handler.defaultecho -v text
configutil -o service.smtp.autoreply-handler.defaultreply -v text
Click the Error tab in the right pane.
For each error situation, choose one or more of the following error handling methods:
Return message to senderNotify the postmaster via emailLog the error in the log file
configutil -o service.smtp.error-handler.unknownacctsactions -v value
configutil -o service.smtp.error-handler.quotaexceededactions -v value
configutil -o service.smtp.error-handler.hopcountexceedactions -v value
Click the Address tab in the right pane.
Specifying Envelope Rewrite MethodsSpecifying From Address Rewrite StyleSpecifying Alternate Search MethodsEditing SMTP Routing Table Entries
You can specify whether and how the server rewrites the envelope recipient address before routing a message to a remote MTA. To specify envelope rewrite methods:
Click the SMTP Address tab.
Check one or more of the following boxes:
Use the mailRoutingAddress attribute. This rewrite method uses the mailRoutingAddress attribute, which specifies a specific mail routing address.
If you enable this rewrite method, you must modify the user's LDAP entry to include the mailRoutingAddress attribute. You can set this attribute only by using LDAP tools such as ldapmodify. For more information, see mailRoutingAddress Attribute.
Combine the uid with the mailHost attribute. This rewrite method combines the uid attribute and the mailHost attribute found in the LDAP directory.
This method is most likely to work properly if the "uid" search method is employed on the next server. For more information, see Combine uid and mailHost Attributes.
Combine the local part of the address with the mailHost attribute. This rewrite method combines the local part of the original address with the mailHost attribute value to create the new address.
This method is useful to support entities, such as mail groups, that do not have a uid. For more information, see Combine Local Part and mailHost Attribute.
configutil -o service.smtp.smtp-router.enveloperewritemethod -v value
Rewriting the From: address increases the odds that replies to outgoing messages are processed correctly. For example, often the address that a mail client inserts in the From: line isn't the best choice. To specify how the server should rewrite the From: address:
From the "From address rewrite style" drop-down list, choose one of the following rewrite styles:
"john doe"<jdoe@company.com>. Choose this option to rewrite the address in the style indicated.
jdoe@company.com (John Doe). Choose this option to rewrite the address in the style indicated.
jdoe@company.com. Choose this option if you want the server to try to complete an incomplete address.
never rewrite addresses. Choose this option if you do not want the server to rewrite any part of the From: address.
You might want to choose this option, for example, if you have a plug-in program that performs address rewrites. Or, for another example, in a multilingual environment where you trust the sender to use the appropriate alphabet and do not want to modify the address.
configutil -o service.smtp.smtp-router.smtprewritestyle -v [ quoted | comment | qualify | never ]
You can expand the list of possible recipient matches by specifying one or more of the following search methods. If all search methods are specified, the server tries each method in the order listed until a match is found. The default setting is search on user ID only.
Search for custom domain. Check this box if you want the server to use the "custom domain" search method.
Search using truncated domain. Check this box if you want the server to use the "truncated domain" search method.
Search by user ID. Check this box if you want the server to use the "user ID" search method.
Note that the "search by user ID" feature is for compatibility with earlier versions of Netscape Messaging Server. If your installation is new, Netscape recommends that you disable this feature.
configutil -o service.smtp.smtp-router.fallbacksearchmethod -v value
If Messaging Server assumes another messaging server is responsible for this recipient, Messaging Server checks its mail routing table to see if mail for the recipient's domain should be routed to a specific messaging server host.
Click the Add button by the SMTP routing table field.
Type a routing table entry.
Click OK to return to the SMTP Address tab.
You can also specify routing table entries at the command line as follows:
configutil -o service.smtp.smtp-router.hostrewrites -v entry
Specifying authenticated SMTPSpecifying access control filtersFiltering unsolicited bulk email (UBE)
Authenticated SMTP provides for greater security in sending messages using the SMTP protocol. To use authenticated SMTP, you do not need to deploy a certificate-based infrastructure. However, authenticated SMTP does not provide the same level of security features as a certificate-based infrastructure.
Check the "Allow password login" box.
Specify a minimum cipher length for password encryption.
A cipher is the algorithm used to encrypt and decrypt data in the encryption process. A cipher operates on data by applying a key--a long number--to the data. Generally, a longer key represents a more secure encryption process.
Caution: If you specify 0, the server permits unencrypted passwords. Do not specify 0 if you are concerned about sending passwords in clear text. Choose 40 or 128 to ensure that passwords are sent over secure channels.
configutil -o service.smtp.plaintextmincipher -v value
You can define access control filters to exclude spammers and DNS spoofers from your system and improve the general security of your network.
Unsolicited Bulk Email (UBE) is email sent to large number of recipients without their knowledge or consent, often advertising commercial products or services. It is the electronic equivalent of paper "junk mail."
A logical queue is a set of messages waiting to be processed. A logical queue might be the active queue or a deferred queue.
Active Queue. The active queue is a logical queue containing messages waiting to be processed for the first time. You cannot specify actions on the active queue.
Deferred Queue. A deferred queue is a logical queue holding messages that have encountered a temporary failure. For each domain that has deferred messages, there is a deferred queue. There might also be a deferred queue for each type of local delivery. Thus, there are zero or more deferred queues at any one time.
You can specify actions on deferred queues and enable requests for deferred queue processing. For more information, see Specifying Actions on Deferred Queues and Enabling Requests for Deferred Queue Processing (ETRN).
A physical queue is a path on the server's file system that the server uses to store queued messages and their associated control information. Physical queues are like message store partitions, except they don't have names. Multiple physical queues allow the server to distribute queueing information across several places in the file system.
The control directory contains the information necessary to process messages in the active queue--the queue containing messages waiting to be processed for the first time.
The deferred directory has zero or more subdirectories, which contain the control information for messages that have been deferred.
The messages directory contains the text (header and body) of all messages in the active and deferred queues. This directory contains one file per message.
Open the SMTP folder and select Message Queue.
Click the Queued Messages tab in the right pane.
Select a queue from the list.
Click the Select Action button.
Select an action from the Queued Messages Action window and click OK.
See also mailq and processq.
Click the Configuration tab in the right pane.
To specify how often messages in the queue are processed, in the "Message queue process interval" field, type a number and, from the drop-down list, choose Second(s), Minute(s), or Hour(s).
To specify how long messages can remain in the queue, in the "Maximum Message Queue Time" field, type a number, and from the drop-down list, choose Hour(s) or Day(s).
You can also set values at the command line as follows.
configutil -o service.smtp.deferredperiod -v value
configutil -o service.smtp.maxqueuetime -v value
Click the Add button beside the "MTA Queue Path" field.
Type a queue path and click OK.
You can also set this value at the command line as follows.
configutil -o service.smtp.altqueues -v queuepath
Viewing and Configuring Domain InformationEnabling Authenticated SMTPSpecifying Delivery Options
Address completion domain. In this field, type the name of the DNS domain that will be used to complete a recipient address if the address does not contain a domain name.
Allow password login. Check this box to allow authenticated SMTP.
Local mail delivery program. In this field, type the path of the Unix mail delivery program to which the Messaging Server should deliver mail for accounts with the Unix-delivery option enabled.
NT account to run program as. In this field, type the user ID for running programs as Administrator.
Save. Click this button to save settings you have made in the SMTP System tab.
Viewing and Configuring Domain InformationSpecifying the Domains Local to Your ServerAbout the Domain Name System (DNS)
Deferring DeliveryVerifying Recipient AddressesPerforming Reverse IP Address LookupsSpecifying the Number of MTA HopsReserving Free Disk Space for the Message QueueEnabling Optional SMTP Features
Caution: Because the server response might include user IDs, do not enable this option unless you are willing to reveal user IDs to clients accessing your server.
Caution: Do not enable this option unless you are willing to acknowledge mailing lists to clients accessing your server.
Save. Click this button to save settings you have made in the SMTP Accept tab.
Specifying Routing and Addressing InformationSpecifying Envelope Rewrite MethodsSpecifying From Address Rewrite StyleSpecifying Alternate Search MethodsEditing SMTP Routing Table Entries
Use the mailRoutingAddress attribute. Check this box if you want the server to use a specific mail routing address for rewriting the message envelope. This method is most useful for LDAP entries that represent mail accounts on non-Netscape mail servers or gateway systems.
"john doe"<jdoe@example.com>. Choose this option to rewrite the address in the style indicated.
SMTP Routing table. This field displays SMTP routing table entries. You can edit the contents of this field by highlighting a line in this field and then clicking one of the following three buttons.
Save. Click this button to save settings you have made in the SMTP Address tab.
Message Queue ConceptsSpecifying Actions on Deferred Queues
Message Queue ConceptsSpecifying Message Handling for Deferred QueuesSpecifying Alternate Paths for Physical Queues
Queue path. This field displays alternate MTA queue paths.
Message queue process interval. In this field, type a number to indicate how often Messaging Server processes the deferred message queues. From the drop-down list, choose seconds, minutes, or hours.
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