Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Recommendations for the Right IMAP Server?

Posted by Cliff on from the finding-the-one-for-you dept.

eugene ts wong asks: "Our company is planning on taking care of its own email, by setting up our own server. I've been given the task of researching what is out there. So far, I've got my heart set on an IMAP server that we can install on Gentoo. Unfortunately, email isn't our forte, and I really have no idea of where to start. I've made some google searches, browsed around on the IMAP site, and also found this email. According to the mutt documentation, Cyrus and Courier are the best choices." What IMAP servers have you used, and which ones would you recommend?

"I'm still at a loss for what to do. The documentation of all but uw-imap seem to be a bit complex for me. If it helps, I'd like to point out that I have Mutt and nbsmtp installed, which work fine for connecting to our SMTP and POP servers. How do I know what will serve our needs the best? Also, is there an IMAP server that I could install easily for testing and learning purposes? I'd like to be able to get something installed without much configuration. Security shouldn't be an issue for testing purposes, because it will only be on the local network, and the computer will be turned off when I'm not actively testing it. We're also willing to purchase products as well. We're willing to hire a professional to do it for us, but the boss wanted some research done so that we know what we're getting. Any comments are welcome. Thanks in advance."

3 of 223 comments (clear)

  1. Don't by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Don't do it. Outsource it to a datacenter. There's absolutely zero reason for you to do this yourself. The correct answer is to pay a service provider a small fee to take care of the servers, the backups, the security, the maintenance, and all of that bullshit for you.

    Don't.

  2. Re:Cyrus IMAP for sure.. by schon · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I thought that Gentoo really would provide the best, compared to RH & various precompiled distributions

    First rule of being a sysadmin: You NEVER put a compiler on a production server. Ever.

    All software (including updates) is compiled and tested on a dev machine (preferably on a disconnected network), then moved to the production machine once you're satisfied that it won't break anything.

    This pretty much precludes Gentoo.

    I thought that it would be more stable if I chose only the stable releases.

    Stability is not measured in point releases. Stability is measured by testing. As in you testing, in your configuration.

    What distibution do you recommend for this

    Slackware. Rock solid, as Pat doesn't include anything he hasn't tested. (With the exception of security fixes, Slackware packages are typically 1-2 months behind the bleeding edge, to allow for testing.) If there is software you need that Slackware doesn't include, you can compile it and test it your self (see above), safe in the knowledge that everything else is OK.

  3. Re:Cyrus IMAP for sure.. by thing12 · · Score: 4, Insightful
    First rule of being a sysadmin: You NEVER put a compiler on a production server. Ever.

    Please, please, please tell me how this saves any trouble at all? I challenge you to come up with a scenario where the simple fact that a compiler is not installed on a server somehow hinders the ability of a cracker, script kiddie or even just a determined end-user to install/run any software they want on a server. The 'never have a compiler on a server' mantra seems to be a relic from the days when compilers were expensive things you had to purchase from your OS vendor. What's next? Are you not going to install Perl, Python, and Bash?

    All software (including updates) is compiled and tested on a dev machine (preferably on a disconnected network), then moved to the production machine once you're satisfied that it won't break anything.

    This pretty much precludes Gentoo.

    But this simply isn't true - Even if you wanted to leave the compilers off your production servers, you can still install BINARY packages in gentoo (e.g. the Gentoo Stage 3 install is a fully runnable gentoo system that's entirely prebuilt). You can easilly follow your methodology of compiling and testing on dev machines and then installing those binary builds on all the compatible hardware on your network. So, leave your FUD at the door and stop trying to scare people away from Gentoo.