Setup Mac OS X Server Mail Services (SMTP)

http://manuals.info.apple.com/en_US/MailServicesAdmin_v10.6.pdf

Make sure you set up DNS and Open Directory correct first before you configure anything else. You'll probably also need to add/change records on the DNS at your ISP. Replicating the new settings may take up to a few days (on the internet, not your local server).

To enable receiving mail, you'll need to check a few boxes to enable that. Also make sure your firewall allows SMTP (port 25) coming in. On the server you will need to configure the server to only accept SMTP (mail relay) from users from the local domain.

So after setting up my MX record and mail.domain.com.au with ISP (which I have already done), if my Server is not internet facing I would normally (in Windows) use a Domain Name such as domain.local and some type of server name. The install wizard adds in a .private into domain - is this correct? Should I be using an internal name different to my internet domain?

I have this manual, but I think the terminology I am use to with a Windows Server is confusing me slightly so hoping to get some advice from EE.

Additional options you may want to look at (depdning if you have static IP's or not for your external MX record IP). You can use the 'relay outgoing mail through host' and set this to your ISP's smtp relay.

Also maybe set the 'copy undeliverable mail to' option to something real.

on the relay tab, tick the 'accept smtprelays only from these hosts and networks' keep the default 127.0.0.0/8 and add your internal network ranges so that internal clients can connect via SMTP for mail delivery.

Potentially tick 'use these junk mail rejection servers (real-time blacklist) and use one of the common services for spam prevention.

On the quotas tab, set the max message size to something appropriate, it defaults to 10 meg, is that right for your organisation ?

and lastly, set Logging to whatever you need.

So yes I have an external Static  IP so I am all good here.

What do I need to do to get DNS setup - I have read a lot about having this setup correctly first before continuing.

DNS should account for:
1. Primary Domain is domain1.com.au which also receives email
2. Additional domains domain2.com.au being managed by server for external email (I have already taken care of MX record and firewall)

Then for Mail:
Where in the Mail Preferences am I adding the primary domain and then also the additional domains?

How is your current organisation DNS setup ? do you have preexisting DNS servers, or is the OSX server functioning as the DNS ?

OSX will host all services, except for external DNS. This is hosted with domain registrar and has MX record and some other aliases setup.

Would like to get Mail, DNS up and going for multiple domains first.

Well if you dont have any internal DNS servers then OSX should have pre-setup a DNS service on installation which it needs to operate, can you confirm thats the case ?

Essentially, you should activate open directory ( as its these accounts which mail will use) - DNS should be activated and then its just a case of configuring mail as i have suggested above.

In terms of your other question i.e multiple domains for mail, go to server manager, mail, settings, advanced, hosting. In there you will find a 'local host aliases' box, tick the include servers domain as local host alias and then add the other domains you want.

Are the internal mail users using this server to send mail (SMTP)? In that case you may need to add records to DNS or let those use the server's IP number als SMTP-host. There are several ways to configure a DNS setup, so part of what you need to do depends on how you want to use the server and domain.

> Are the internal mail users using this server to send mail (SMTP)? In that case you may need to add records to DNS or let those use the server's IP number als SMTP-host

thats not true.. they need to add a DNS entry if you want to use the servers 'name' in their smtp host entry on a mail program - a DNS entry is not required to use the IP.. ip's are available without any DNS...

I'm not being pedantic, i just want to avoid any confusion.

Yes DNS was setup on install/setup and I have just brought up the Zones but this is where I am scratching my head - based upon requirements below, what is needed here?

Requirements:
1. Multiple email domains (domain1.com.au, domain2.com.au)
2. All Users setup in Open Directory to receive email on above domains, but domain1.com.au is primary domain for receiving and sending with SMTP through this server

Well you dont specifically need to have internal zones configured for working email. For working email you need a internal SMTP (mail) server (which you have) an address to point your clients at , which can be a IP (no dns needed) or a name (which needs dns).

You may as well configure the internal zones, just add one for domain1 and one for domain two. In each of the zones you can make A records which link name<->ip. No need to worry about MX records for anything as all that will be done externally.

SO in terms of your requirements.

1) Add the primary domain to the domain name box in mail, settings, general.
2) Add that domain and the others into mail, settings, advanced, hosting. In there you will find a 'local host aliases' box, tick the include servers domain as local host alias and then add the other domains you want.

So how do I format or set the syntax for email addresses for Users? (i.e. Email or Recipient Policy?)

In Workgroup Manager, select the LDAP (Open Directory) domain. ==> after connecting to the server

As Mac2010 is suggesting, by default its username@domain for the OSX server - feature wise its a lot less flexible (i.e email addressing policies) than say exchange. You can add account aliases for other domains but by default user 'test' will be test@domain1.com and test@domain2.com.

Thank you all for your help ...