From owner-freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG Sat Apr 8 03:46:36 2006 Return-Path: X-Original-To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Delivered-To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Received: from mx1.FreeBSD.org (mx1.freebsd.org [216.136.204.125]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 6855716A401 for ; Sat, 8 Apr 2006 03:46:36 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from duane@greenmeadow.ca) Received: from smtpout.eastlink.ca (smtpout.eastlink.ca [24.222.0.30]) by mx1.FreeBSD.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 16A3B43D49 for ; Sat, 8 Apr 2006 03:46:36 +0000 (GMT) (envelope-from duane@greenmeadow.ca) Received: from ip03.eastlink.ca ([24.222.10.15]) by mta01.eastlink.ca (Sun Java System Messaging Server 6.2-4.03 (built Sep 22 2005)) with ESMTP id <0IXD00A1MX56J4H0@mta01.eastlink.ca> for freebsd-questions@freebsd.org; Sat, 08 Apr 2006 00:46:18 -0300 (ADT) Received: from blk-224-199-230.eastlink.ca (HELO [192.168.0.103]) ([24.224.199.230]) by ip03.eastlink.ca with ESMTP; Sat, 08 Apr 2006 00:46:35 -0300 Date: Sat, 08 Apr 2006 00:45:41 -0300 From: Duane Whitty To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Message-id: <443731E5.9030209@greenmeadow.ca> MIME-version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT X-BrightmailFiltered: true X-Brightmail-Tracker: AAAAAQAAA+k= User-Agent: Thunderbird 1.5 (X11/20060309) Subject: OT - Scalable email server solution needed X-BeenThere: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.5 Precedence: list List-Id: User questions List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Sat, 08 Apr 2006 03:46:36 -0000 Hi, My appologies in advance for the OT post. This probably more appropriately belongs on ISP@ but there doesn't seem to be much traffic there. To the point: I'm about to provide hosting services, including but not limited to email, to a few local business. Right now I have Sendmail configured and I was about to install Courier-IMAP. My concern is future scalability. I'm not sure sendmail is the right back-end MTA. Right now Sendmail and Procmail will work fine I believe with the addition of an IMAP server. But what about later on? I was looking at DBmail but I'm not sure just how much activity that project has so I'm a little leary, but perhaps that's unjustified? So now I'm considering Exim or POSFIX. The Sun Java Communications Server looks appealing but unless I misunderstood I don't have anywhere near the bankroll for that yet and it doesn't look like a good fit for a start-up operation anyhow. I like that POPular port and the way it uses proxies etc., but it doesn't seem to support IMAP. Is there anyone on the list who might be serving many business customers each with many users who would be willing to share their insights or opinions on this? From my past experiences, transitioning from a low volume solution to a high volume solution, regardless of the application domain, is usually best solved by making the right choice in the beginning. It would seem like an important marketing tool as well. If I am way of base here or missing something really important I'd appreciate the heads-up. Thanks in advance for any help. Sincerely, Duane