Local Mail Only

The simplest mail configuration, shown in Figure 25–1, is two or more workstations that are connected to one mail host. Mail is completely local. All the clients store mail on their local disks and act as mail servers. Mail addresses are parsed by using the /etc/mail/aliases files.

Figure 25–1 Local Mail Configuration

To set up this kind of mail configuration, you need the following.

• The default /etc/mail/sendmail.cf file on each mail client system (no editing is required).

• A server that is designated as the mail host. You can make this designation by adding mailhost.domain_name to the /etc/hosts file on the mail host. Then, if you are not running NIS or NIS+, add the mail host IP address line to the /etc/hosts file of all mail clients.

• Matching /etc/mail/aliases files on any system that has a local mailbox (unless you are running NIS or NIS+).

• Enough space in /var/mail on each mail client system to hold the mailboxes.

For task information on setting up your mail service, refer to Setting Up Mail Services (Tasks). If you are looking for a particular procedure that is related to setting up your mail service, refer to Setting Up Mail Services (Task Map).