Re: [cobalt-users] MX Backup on RAQ4

[Jeff Lasman <jblists@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

C Burchell wrote:

> I have a primary mail server (MX=10) for which I require an MX backup
> for redundancy - I would like to use my RAQ4 for this purpose (as
> MX=20).

Are you using your RaQ for DNS?  If you are, the MX records are NOT 10,
they're thirty.  If you're using your RaQ for DNS, the secondary should
be 31 or higher.

> I see that I can enable "Smart Relay Host Name" - but that will
> presumably affect *all* incoming email, correct?

Smart hosts are entirely for outgoing email from the RaQ.  Nothing at
all to do with incoming email.

> I would like to have the RAQ act as an MX backup for only one of the
> domains hosted on the RAQ - is this possible?

Are you saying the RaQ is hosting the website but not the primary mail
server?  If that's correct then you're going to run into problems if you
use the same Raq to be a backup mail-server for the domain...

Here's why...

To get the RaQ to act as a backup mail-server you need to put the domain
name into the "allow relay for" box.  If you do, then the RaQ will
presume all locally originated mail to that domain should stay on the
RaQ.  It'll never see the outbound mailers.  Mail originating on the RaQ
for that domain will probably get delivered to like-named mailboxes, if
any, and if not, may be returned as undeliverable.

Check carefully for this behavior when you first set up the RaQ, looking
for mail from users who use the RaQ as their SMTP server, and for any
mail generated for the domain from scripts.

I'm not sure what behavior you'll see, but I see a real cause for
concern.

Jeff
-- 
Jeff Lasman <jblists@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Linux and Cobalt/Sun/RaQ Consulting
nobaloney.net
P. O. Box 52672, Riverside, CA  92517
voice: (909) 778-9980  *  fax: (702) 548-9484