Linux Question

BeerCheeze · Posted: Sat, 23 Jul 2005 14:37:56 Post Subject: Linux Question

Hey guys... I'm getting frigg'n sick and tired of all the SPAM I'm getting (honestly close to 100 a day) right now. My e-mail server I'm using right now is windows based, and unfortunately has an older SpamAssassin engine in it. Unfortunately the company wants more money than I'm willing to pay to upgrade, and I'm going to be changing it to Exchange later anyways.

Soo... here's my question. I want to run a Linux SMTP gateway running SpamAssassin. This is ALL I want it for, so I'm either going to throw it on an old system I have (forgot I had it... LOL I think it's a P133) or I might stick it on a virtual machine on one of my servers.

So either way I am looking for a very bare install of Linux with the ability to run SMTP & SpamAssassin. While still being pretty easy for me to work on & upgrade. I just don't have an extra few hours a week to keep recompiling kernals and all that crap.

Any recommendations?

IceNine · Posted: Sat, 23 Jul 2005 15:04:03 Post Subject:

You can perform an UBER-minimal (bare essentials) install of Ubuntu and use 'aptitude' for package managment. It takes care of all dependencies too. Though I would prefer people start using BSD, I feel this is a great OS.

MrAndersen · Rated PG Joined: 13 Jul 2005 Posts: 14

Download Thunderbird and turn on spam control.

There is an option that if they are not in your address book you can determine if it goes to junk or trash.

I still get tons but not at my inbox.

BeerCheeze · Posted: Sat, 23 Jul 2005 16:38:20 Post Subject:

Unfortunately that won't work for my e-mail server. Also I do not use an e-mail client, I use a web page so that I can check my e-mail from any place.

**Doctor Feelgood** · Posted: Sat, 23 Jul 2005 16:43:02 Post Subject:

You could point your mail server over here and set it up the way you want.

IceNine · Posted: Sat, 23 Jul 2005 17:00:21 Post Subject:

Saw this, might help: http://www.linuxhomenetworking.com/linux-hn/sendmail.htm

BeerCheeze · Posted: Sat, 23 Jul 2005 17:07:19 Post Subject:

Thanks BB, but actually I want a mutil-layer protection. And, as allways... I don't trust other people to protect or manage my servers/network Grin

Besides, it's good experince for me.

Thanks Ice.

MrAndersen · Rated PG Joined: 13 Jul 2005 Posts: 14

For linux I like Debian and Mandrake but cant help you any further than that.

Exchange side Is a different story. I used to work for Phillip Morris, Pfizer, Lucent, Merck, Merial, Schering-Plough and a handfull of others doing e-mail. Many many stories. Some you dont want to know. Yikes

I would recommend a Exchange 2003 on Windows 2003 with OWA. That for starters does the job. I would also recommend you own a domain and set up an A record of your machines IP address and an MX record which references that A record. This way you wont have any problems with bindback/revers lookups or your e-mail being suspect Spam. I also recommend you set up a small hosting service on the web with someone like dynamic dns and pay a small fee to have your e-mail buffered should your server be unreachable for wheatever reason because I suspect your server will be at your home. (Ip Change or Other reasons). Then its just a matter of setting your spam filter threshold and maybe adding a turf table and if you want turn on reverse lookups but there are a lot of idiot companies out there which are too dumb so reverse lookup is good but will lose legitimate mail from poorly configured companies. Some set up outgoing mail servers before registering the records so they fail bindback/reverse lookups. Idiots! You can then also tie into black hole lists and possible add additional spam control but then it starts to get costly. Spam control is a full time job with some companies. Most large ones outsource it to companies like sprint or have products like ironmail. Then you need anti virus software as well. You can also script filters for incomming mail and determine what happens to mail with no return addresses. Badmail on an smtp exchage gateway can get a little tricky. But its a good learning experience.

If I might recommend VTC training makes a very easy to learn video training for learning exchange. They have a good start on thier website to see if you like it. Sadly no one I know offers the kind of simpler training you want with step by step but It will give you a good base to start with that will make reading the book a lot easier. As for learnkey we question the guy who does the training on that None of us recall him on the exchange team at lucent and the guys I still know there dont know him either.

**Doctor Feelgood** · Posted: Sat, 23 Jul 2005 20:37:38 Post Subject:

BeerCheeze · Posted: Sat, 23 Jul 2005 20:45:17 Post Subject:

Dude... thanks, but I really didn't ask for all that. I really do know all that stuff, just looking for some advice on a linux load is all. (hint check out the links in my sig)