THE VIRTUAL SERVER HANDBOOK

Exploring SMTP server

software

The virtual server system uses the SMTP server software package named

"sendmail." Sendmail is a UNIX based program that routes much of the

world s Internet E mail. UNIX based programs are case sensitive, so

remember that all file names and commands should be in lower case, unless

otherwise specified.

Configuration file

File description

~/etc/sendmail.cf

This file is the master sendmail configuration file. The

sendmail.cf lists file locations and configuration items that the

Sendmail program uses. Do not alter this file unless you are an

experienced E mail administrator.

~/etc/aliases

This file contains the alias list (or forwarding addresses), used to

distribute incoming mail messages.

~/etc/aliases.db

This is the binary version of the ~/etc/aliases file that sendmail

itself uses. Do not manually edit this file. To rebuild

~/etc/aliases.db, edit ~/etc/aliases and run vnewaliases.

~/etc/virtmaps

This file contains the virtual E mail address mappings used by

sendmail when you have more than one domain name

associated with a virtual server.

~/etc/spammers

This file contains the E mail addresses or Internet hostnames of

abusive Internet users whose mail should be rejected if it is ever

sent to your system. The ~/etc/spammers file enables you to

selectively reject "junk" mail.

~/etc/spammers.db This is the binary version of the ~/etc/spammers file that

sendmail itself uses. Do not manually edit this file. To rebuild

~/etc/spammers.db, edit ~/etc/spammers and run the command

vnewspammers.

~/etc/relayers.db

This is a binary file used by sendmail as an IP address database

of authenticated users. Do not manually edit this file. You can

use the vsmtprelay command to manipulate contents of this file

~/usr/log/messages This is the master log file for the virtual server because it records

transactions that occur on your virtual server system. You can

use this file as a diagnostic tool in tracing server problems. The

relationship of the ~/usr/log/messages file to the E mail handling

system is described in more detail later in this chapter.

~/usr/mail

When the Virtual Server E mail system receives incoming mail,

the mail is stored in this directory. As new messages arrive they

are appended to a file in this directory. The file is named after the

recipient of the message (based on account names).

~/usr/spool/mqueue The ~/usr/spool/mqueue directory is a temporary location to

hold incoming or outgoing mail that is experiencing delivery

troubles. The Virtual Server E mail system is programmed to

automatically "flush" this queue on a periodic basis.

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 1999  DIGITAL TOOLS  LLC.

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