centos + postfix + dovecot + mysql

[cdhgold]

As a brain exercise I want to configure a mail server with post/dovecot with all mail, users, passwords etc.. all mail related data store din mysql .. any one know any good reference sites to get started with ?? i have configured postfixt/dovecot before but not mysql

[Basher52]

If you need help with sendmail, you can read up on my old questions to VoidMain. I've read it lots of times and this is the best guide I've even seen.
Sorry about the lots of pages though, that's just cos I suck

viewtopic.php?t=2051&highlight=sendmail

[Void Main]

I've never done it on mysql either. What are the advantages?

[Basher52]

Sorry didn't read it right

[cdhgold]

reason for doing it is 1) to do it 2) sounds challenging and 3) I need mysql experience

[Basher52]

good enough reasons to me

[Void Main]

I can think of a lot better ways to get MySQL experience. Here's one for you, how about converting my guestbook over from PostgreSQL to MySQL. :)

http://voidmain.is-a-geek.net/gb/
http://voidmain.is-a-geek.net/beta/file ... 0.2.tar.gz

Oh, and while you are at it make it a lot nicer. :)

[cdhgold]

considering using this
http://www.dbmail.org/

[Copperhead]

http://johnny.chadda.se/2007/04/15/mail ... and-dspam/

This is a good tutorial to follow, especially if you want to get under the hood. It was written for Debian Etch, which is ancient now, but can be applied to all of the newer systems that are out there. I followed that guide, because I wanted to learn as well, and was able to install it back when CentOS 5.0 was released. I also installed it on a FreeBSD system. You just have to dig around in some man pages, and do some googling, but you will be able to have a functioning mail server by using this as a template. Plus, it makes you learn, and not just copy and paste code.

You can forget about the postgrey and the dspam part. He has been saying that he was going to write a how-to for those for the past two years.

To answer Void's question of what the benefit of using a database for a mail server -- it makes keeping track of multiple mailboxes and multiple domains a lot easier. Two, if you are using encryption, it adds an extra layer of security. Of course, now you can just run something like ISPCofig and forget all about this, but it is still a good way to learn the basics, and the inner-workings.