Re: Second E-mail server

[Tim Wu VBISD <tim@xxxxxxxxx>]

Thanks for the reply.
The plan I had is only put a A record in DNS but not MX and PTR record.  I think if
I put a MX record, it will become a secondary mail server on the network.  Unless
there is a way to put two primary mail servers on the network. Also I will not
change the serial No. on DNS to update the upstream  DNS.  In that way, if something
going wrong, the DNS won't get poisoned.   Do you think that will work?

Tim

Adam Tauno Williams wrote:

> >I have a question on e-mail server.
> >We have a NT mail server right now, but we want to try sendmail on
> >linux.  Will it be posibble we can bring up a send mail server and try
> >it before we replace the NT email server.  Because we are running our
> >own DNS.  We think if we put a A record to point to the test mail
> >server like "testmail.domain.org".  and leave the current mail server
> >"mail.domain.com". Will that work?
>
> The new box just needs an A and an MX record.  Then testmail.domain.org mail
> should hit it.  You are correct.
>
> >I think we may not be able to access
> >the test mail server from outside of the network.
>
> Is it behind a firewall?
>
> >But if we can try it
> >in our network, it should be a good test, shouldn't it.
>
> Yes.
>
> >Or if anybody has any better way to do it, please let me know.
>
> I'm not sure how Microsoft "mail server" works (are we talking about
> Exchange?),  but sendmail is just an MTA (Mail Transfer Agent),  you'll need a
> second package to access the mailbox as that is not integral to sendmail.
> Basically in Linux mail systems you have 4 parts.
>
> 1. MTA, i.e. sendmail - handles moving mail between "mail servers"
> 2. Local delivery agent, usually procmail - Sendmail gives a message it think
> belongs to it's own host to the local delivery agent which usually stuffs it in
> a mailbox.
> 3. Transport daemon - a process that listens to a port and allows network access
> to a mailbox via BMSTP, IMAP, POP3, etc...
> 4. MUA (Mail User Agent) what the user uses to read and compose mail.  If this
> is local on the machine it may not need part #3 to read mail.  Usually they talk
> to sendmail to sendmail.
> Systems and Network Administrator
> Morrison Industries
> 1825 Monroe Ave NW.
> Grand Rapids, MI. 49505