Nethserver as frontend SMTP and IMAP-Server for multiple backend servers

@carsten

Hi Carsten!

This IS possible, SSL has it’s caveats but usable…
But you’ll need to heavily customize the templates, I assume!

Start with:
mkdir -p /etc/e-smith/templates-custom/etc/dovecot/dovecot.conf/
cp -r /etc/e-smith/templates/etc/dovecot/dovecot.conf/* /etc/e-smith/templates-custom/etc/dovecot/dovecot.conf/

Adapt as needed, then expand the template and restart dovecot.

expand-template /etc/dovecot/dovecot.conf

systemctl restart dovecot

check with

systemctl status dovecot

If possible, use a VM environment for testing first, at least until you have the basics together.

Clients like Thunderbird will have less issues, I assume the biggest challenge will be mobile phones! Test well!

I have done this, but without the external IMAP / SMTP access - that wasn’t required by my client.
Outgoing was set using smarthost on the internal NethServers, and a dedicated smtp-clientname user for each NethServer “Backend” behind the “Mailrelay” NethServer.

Tip: Have a user maillog on the Frontend, with automatic BCC enabled - at least for starting, until you’re sure no mails get lost! If legal and client wants it, (and you have space) you can keep that for protocoll / archiving reasons…

My 2 cents
Andy