Re: [cobalt-users] E-Mail Server Redundancy

[Jonathan Nichols <jnichols@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

> We have a cobalt Raq3 box that we use to send & receive e-mail for all of
> our users/domains.
>
> I'm wondering how to go about making another server (RedHat 7.0) take care
> of the send & receive e-mail functions when the cobalt box is down?

I'd ditch sendmail and use Postfix (http://www.postfix.org) for that 
purpose. It's pretty easy to set up. You'll have to add the domains 
that you want it to take mail for into a file 
(/etc/postfix/backupdomains is the way I have mine set up)
All it's going to be doing is spooling mail, right?
Turn off *every other service* except for SSH.


> Basically, if one box goes down (i.e. Raq3), the other box will start taking
> care of the tasks. Something similar to dns where if the raq box is down the
> redhat takes over as it is the secondary dns.

Right, a backup MX host. :)

> What do I need to configure on the raq and/or redhat box for this to happen?
> I assume it's not as easy as coping files from the raq over the redhat box?

you'll simply need to specify a backup MX host in your DNS records... 
something like

mail.domain.com		MX	10 domain.com
backup.domain.com	MX	30 domain.com

(something like that..)

Hope that helps!
--
-Jonathan Nichols
System Administrator
http://www.sitesthatsell.com
jnichols@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx