BASIC_CONFIGURATION_README [plain text]
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Postfix has several hundred configuration parameters that are controlled via
the main.cf file. Fortunately, all parameters have sensible default values. In
many cases, you need to configure only two or three parameters before you can
start to play with the mail system. Here's a quick introduction to the syntax:
* Postfix configuration files
The text below assumes that you already have Postfix installed on the system,
either by compiling the source code yourself (as described in the INSTALL file)
or by installing an already compiled version.
This document covers basic Postfix configuration. Information about how to
configure Postfix for specific applications such as mailhub, firewall or dial-
up client can be found in the STANDARD_CONFIGURATION_README file. But don't go
there until you already have covered the material presented below.
The first parameters of interest specify the machine's identity and role in the
network.
* What domain name to use in outbound mail
* What domains to receive mail for
* What clients to relay mail from
* What destinations to relay mail to
* What delivery method: direct or indirect
The default values for many other configuration parameters are derived from
just these.
The next parameter of interest controls the amount of mail sent to the local
postmaster:
* What trouble to report to the postmaster
Be sure to set the following correctly if you're behind a proxy or network
address translator, and you are running a backup MX host for some other domain:
* Proxy/NAT external network addresses
Postfix daemon processes run in the background, and log problems and normal
activity to the syslog daemon. Here are a few things that you need to be aware
of:
* What you need to know about Postfix logging
If your machine has unusual security requirements you may want to run Postfix
daemon processes inside a chroot environment.
* Running Postfix daemon processes chrooted
If you run Postfix on a virtual network interface, or if your machine runs
other mailers on virtual interfaces, you'll have to look at the other
parameters listed here as well:
* My own hostname
* My own domain name
* My own network addresses
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By default, Postfix configuration files are in /etc/postfix. The two most
important files are main.cf and master.cf; these files must be owned by root.
Giving someone else write permission to main.cf or master.cf (or to their
parent directories) means giving root privileges to that person.
In /etc/postfix/main.cf you will have to set up a minimal number of
configuration parameters. Postfix configuration parameters resemble shell
variables, with two important differences: the first one is that Postfix does
not know about quotes like the UNIX shell does.
You specify a configuration parameter as:
/etc/postfix/main.cf:
parameter = value
and you use it by putting a "$" character in front of its name:
/etc/postfix/main.cf:
other_parameter = $parameter
You can use $parameter before it is given a value (that is the second main
difference with UNIX shell variables). The Postfix configuration language uses
lazy evaluation, and does not look at a parameter value until it is needed at
runtime.
Postfix uses database files for access control, address rewriting and other
purposes. The DATABASE_README file gives an introduction to how Postfix works
with Berkeley DB, LDAP or SQL and other types. Here is a common example of how
Postfix invokes a database:
/etc/postfix/main.cf:
virtual_alias_maps = hash:/etc/postfix/virtual
Whenever you make a change to the main.cf or master.cf file, execute the
following command as root in order to refresh a running mail system:
# postfix reload
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The myorigin parameter specifies the domain that appears in mail that is posted
on this machine. The default is to use the local machine name, $myhostname,
which defaults to the name of the machine. Unless you are running a really
small site, you probably want to change that into $mydomain, which defaults to
the parent domain of the machine name.
For the sake of consistency between sender and recipient addresses, myorigin
also specifies the domain name that is appended to an unqualified recipient
address.
Examples (specify only one of the following):
/etc/postfix/main.cf:
myorigin = $myhostname (default: send mail as "user@$myhostname")
myorigin = $mydomain (probably desirable: "user@$mydomain")
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The mydestination parameter specifies what domains this machine will deliver
locally, instead of forwarding to another machine. The default is to receive
mail for the machine itself. See the VIRTUAL_README file for how to configure
Postfix for hosted domains.
You can specify zero or more domain names, "/file/name" patterns and/or "type:
table" lookup tables (such as hash:, btree:, nis:, ldap:, or mysql:), separated
by whitespace and/or commas. A "/file/name" pattern is replaced by its
contents; "type:table" requests that a table lookup is done and merely tests
for existence: the lookup result is ignored.
IMPORTANT: If your machine is a mail server for its entire domain, you must
list $mydomain as well.
Example 1: default setting.
/etc/postfix/main.cf:
mydestination = $myhostname localhost.$mydomain localhost
Example 2: domain-wide mail server.
/etc/postfix/main.cf:
mydestination = $myhostname localhost.$mydomain localhost $mydomain
Example 3: host with multiple DNS A records.
/etc/postfix/main.cf:
mydestination = $myhostname localhost.$mydomain localhost
www.$mydomain ftp.$mydomain
Caution: in order to avoid mail delivery loops, you must list all hostnames of
the machine, including $myhostname, and localhost.$mydomain.
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By default, Postfix will forward mail from clients in authorized network blocks
to any destination. Authorized networks are defined with the mynetworks
configuration parameter. The default is to authorize all clients in the IP
subnetworks that the local machine is attached to.
IMPORTANT: If your machine is connected to a wide area network then your
default mynetworks setting may be too friendly.
Examples (specify only one of the following):
/etc/postfix/main.cf:
mynetworks_style = subnet (default: authorize subnetworks)
mynetworks_style = host (safe: authorize local machine only)
mynetworks = 127.0.0.0/8 (safe: authorize local machine only)
mynetworks = 127.0.0.0/8 168.100.189.2/32 (authorize local machine)
You can specify the trusted networks in the main.cf file, or you can let
Postfix do the work for you. The default is to let Postfix do the work. The
result depends on the mynetworks_style parameter value.
* Specify "mynetworks_style = host" when Postfix should forward mail from
only the local machine.
* Specify "mynetworks_style = subnet" (the default) when Postfix should
forward mail from SMTP clients in the same IP subnetworks as the local
machine. On Linux, this works correctly only with interfaces specified with
the "ifconfig" command.
* Specify "mynetworks_style = class" when Postfix should forward mail from
SMTP clients in the same IP class A/B/C networks as the local machine.
Don't do this with a dialup site - it would cause Postfix to "trust" your
entire provider's network. Instead, specify an explicit mynetworks list by
hand, as described below.
Alternatively, you can specify the mynetworks list by hand, in which case
Postfix ignores the mynetworks_style setting. To specify the list of trusted
networks by hand, specify network blocks in CIDR (network/mask) notation, for
example:
/etc/postfix/main.cf:
mynetworks = 168.100.189.0/28, 127.0.0.0/8
You can also specify the absolute pathname of a pattern file instead of listing
the patterns in the main.cf file.
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By default, Postfix will forward mail from strangers (clients outside
authorized networks) to authorized destinations only. Authorized destinations
are defined with the relay_domains configuration parameter. The default is to
authorize all domains (and subdomains) of the domains listed with the
mydestination parameter.
Examples (specify only one of the following):
/etc/postfix/main.cf:
relay_domains = $mydestination (default)
relay_domains = (safe: never forward mail from strangers)
relay_domains = $mydomain (forward mail to my domain and subdomains)
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By default, Postfix tries to deliver mail directly to the Internet. Depending
on your local conditions this may not be possible or desirable. For example,
your system may be turned off outside office hours, it may be behind a
firewall, or it may be connected via a provider who does not allow direct mail
to the Internet. In those cases you need to configure Postfix to deliver mail
indirectly via a relay host.
Examples (specify only one of the following):
/etc/postfix/main.cf:
relayhost = (default: direct delivery to Internet)
relayhost = $mydomain (deliver via local mailhub)
relayhost = [mail.$mydomain] (deliver via local mailhub)
relayhost = [mail.isp.tld] (deliver via provider mailhub)
The form enclosed with [] eliminates DNS MX lookups. Don't worry if you don't
know what that means.
The STANDARD_CONFIGURATION_README file has more hints and tips for firewalled
and/or dial-up networks.
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You should set up a postmaster alias in the aliases(5) table that directs mail
to a human person. The postmaster address is required to exist, so that people
can report mail delivery problems. While you're updating the aliases(5) table,
be sure to direct mail for the super-user to a human person too.
/etc/aliases:
postmaster: you
root: you
Execute the command "newaliases" after changing the aliases file. Instead of /
etc/aliases, your alias file may be located elsewhere. Use the command
"postconf alias_maps" to find out.
The Postfix system reports problems to the postmaster alias. You may not be
interested in all types of trouble reports, so this reporting mechanism is
configurable. The default is to report only serious problems (resource,
software) to postmaster:
Default setting:
/etc/postfix/main.cf:
notify_classes = resource, software
The meaning of the classes is as follows:
bounce
Inform the postmaster of undeliverable mail. Either send the postmaster
a copy of undeliverable mail that is returned to the sender, or send a
transcript of the SMTP session when Postfix rejected mail. For privacy
reasons, the postmaster copy of undeliverable mail is truncated after
the original message headers. This implies "2bounce" (see below). See
also the luser_relay feature. The notification is sent to the address
specified with the bounce_notice_recipient configuration parameter
(default: postmaster).
2bounce
When Postfix is unable to return undeliverable mail to the sender, send
it to the postmaster instead (without truncating the message after the
primary headers). The notification is sent to the address specified
with the 2bounce_notice_recipient configuration parameter (default:
postmaster).
delay
Inform the postmaster of delayed mail. In this case, the postmaster
receives message headers only. The notification is sent to the address
specified with the delay_notice_recipient configuration parameter
(default: postmaster).
policy
Inform the postmaster of client requests that were rejected because of
(UCE) policy restrictions. The postmaster receives a transcript of the
SMTP session. The notification is sent to the address specified with
the error_notice_recipient configuration parameter (default:
postmaster).
protocol
Inform the postmaster of protocol errors (client or server side) or
attempts by a client to execute unimplemented commands. The postmaster
receives a transcript of the SMTP session. The notification is sent to
the address specified with the error_notice_recipient configuration
parameter (default: postmaster).
resource
Inform the postmaster of mail not delivered due to resource problems
(for example, queue file write errors). The notification is sent to the
address specified with the error_notice_recipient configuration
parameter (default: postmaster).
software
Inform the postmaster of mail not delivered due to software problems.
The notification is sent to the address specified with the
error_notice_recipient configuration parameter (default: postmaster).
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Some mail servers are connected to the Internet via a network address
translator (NAT) or proxy. This means that systems on the Internet connect to
the address of the NAT or proxy, instead of connecting to the network address
of the mail server. The NAT or proxy forwards the connection to the network
address of the mail server, but Postfix does not know this.
If you run a Postfix server behind a proxy or NAT, you need to configure the
proxy_interfaces parameter and specify all the external proxy or NAT addresses
that Postfix receives mail on. You may specify symbolic hostnames instead of
network addresses.
IMPORTANT: You must specify your proxy/NAT external addresses when your system
is a backup MX host for other domains, otherwise mail delivery loops will
happen when the primary MX host is down.
Example: host behind NAT box running a backup MX host.
/etc/postfix/main.cf:
proxy_interfaces = 1.2.3.4 (the proxy/NAT external network address)
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Postfix daemon processes run in the background, and log problems and normal
activity to the syslog daemon. The syslogd process sorts events by class and
severity, and appends them to logfiles. The logging classes, levels and logfile
names are usually specified in /etc/syslog.conf. At the very least you need
something like:
/etc/syslog.conf:
mail.err /dev/console
mail.debug /var/log/maillog
After changing the syslog.conf file, send a "HUP" signal to the syslogd
process.
IMPORTANT: many syslogd implementations will not create files. You must create
files before (re)starting syslogd.
IMPORTANT: on Linux you need to put a "-" character before the pathname, e.g.,
-/var/log/maillog, otherwise the syslogd process will use more system resources
than Postfix.
Hopefully, the number of problems will be small, but it is a good idea to run
every night before the syslog files are rotated:
# postfix check
# egrep '(reject|warning|error|fatal|panic):' /some/log/file
* The first line (postfix check) causes Postfix to report file permission/
ownership discrepancies.
* The second line looks for problem reports from the mail software, and
reports how effective the relay and junk mail access blocks are. This may
produce a lot of output. You will want to apply some postprocessing to
eliminate uninteresting information.
The DEBUG_README document describes the meaning of the "warning" etc. labels in
Postfix logging.
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Postfix daemon processes can be configured (via the master.cf file) to run in a
chroot jail. The processes run at a fixed low privilege and with file system
access limited to the Postfix queue directories (/var/spool/postfix). This
provides a significant barrier against intrusion. The barrier is not
impenetrable (chroot limits file system access only), but every little bit
helps.
With the exception of Postfix daemons that deliver mail locally and/or that
execute non-Postfix commands, every Postfix daemon can run chrooted.
Sites with high security requirements should consider to chroot all daemons
that talk to the network: the smtp(8) and smtpd(8) processes, and perhaps also
the lmtp(8) client. The author's own porcupine.org mail server runs all daemons
chrooted that can be chrooted.
The default /etc/postfix/master.cf file specifies that no Postfix daemon runs
chrooted. In order to enable chroot operation, edit the file /etc/postfix/
master.cf, and follow instructions in the file. When you're finished, execute
"postfix reload" to make the change effective.
Note that a chrooted daemon resolves all filenames relative to the Postfix
queue directory (/var/spool/postfix). For successful use of a chroot jail, most
UNIX systems require you to bring in some files or device nodes. The examples/
chroot-setup directory in the source code distribution has a collection of
scripts that help you set up Postfix chroot environments on different operating
systems.
Additionally, you almost certainly need to configure syslogd so that it listens
on a socket inside the Postfix queue directory. Examples of syslogd command
line options that achieve this for specific systems:
FreeBSD: syslogd -l /var/spool/postfix/var/run/log
Linux, OpenBSD: syslogd -a /var/spool/postfix/dev/log
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The myhostname parameter specifies the fully-qualified domain name of the
machine running the Postfix system. $myhostname appears as the default value in
many other Postfix configuration parameters.
By default, myhostname is set to the local machine name. If your local machine
name is not in fully-qualified domain name form, or if you run Postfix on a
virtual interface, you will have to specify the fully-qualified domain name
that the mail system should use.
Alternatively, if you specify mydomain in main.cf, then Postfix will use its
value to generate a fully-qualified default value for the myhostname parameter.
Examples (specify only one of the following):
/etc/postfix/main.cf:
myhostname = host.local.domain (machine name is not FQDN)
myhostname = host.virtual.domain (virtual interface)
myhostname = virtual.domain (virtual interface)
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The mydomain parameter specifies the parent domain of $myhostname. By default,
it is derived from $myhostname by stripping off the first part (unless the
result would be a top-level domain).
Conversely, if you specify mydomain in main.cf, then Postfix will use its value
to generate a fully-qualified default value for the myhostname parameter.
Examples (specify only one of the following):
/etc/postfix/main.cf:
mydomain = local.domain
mydomain = virtual.domain (virtual interface)
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The inet_interfaces parameter specifies all network interface addresses that
the Postfix system should listen on; mail addressed to "user@[network address]"
will be delivered locally, as if it is addressed to a domain listed in
$mydestination.
You can override the inet_interfaces setting in the Postfix master.cf file by
prepending an IP address to a server name.
The default is to listen on all active interfaces. If you run mailers on
virtual interfaces, you will have to specify what interfaces to listen on.
IMPORTANT: If you run MTAs on virtual interfaces you must specify explicit
inet_interfaces values for the MTA that receives mail for the machine itself:
this MTA should never listen on the virtual interfaces or you would have a
mailer loop when a virtual MTA is down.
Example: default setting.
/etc/postfix/main.cf:
inet_interfaces = all
Example: host running one or more virtual mailers. For each Postfix instance,
specify only one of the following.
/etc/postfix/main.cf:
inet_interfaces = virtual.host.tld (virtual Postfix)
inet_interfaces = $myhostname localhost... (non-virtual Postfix)
Note: you need to stop and start Postfix after changing this parameter.