The Archive Passthrough available in the Mailtraq Console at Options | Incoming Mail makes it a straightforward task to create a stand alone email archive for use with your main Mailtraq or other mail servers.
Live copy or shadow installation
This method can also be used to create a 'live copy' of a Mailtraq installation on another machine.
A license is required for each Mailtraq installation used.
Configuration
Background
Configuration is easiest explained by describing an example. In this example the local users connect to a Mailtraq installation we shall call 'Mailbox'.
All messages to and from local users, including messages that are internal or between local users, will be copied to another Mailtraq installation on a different machine we shall call 'Archive'.
Schematically the mail flow is like this:
Firewall -->-- Mailbox -->-- Archive -->-- Outgoing mail
In many situations the Mailbox installation is already established and an external archive is to be added.
Minimal changes are needed to the original configuration to achieve this.
Set-up
1.) External
The MX records for the domain must point to the Mailbox machine.
This normally means that no change is required.
2.) Domain name
The Domain name entered at Options | Server should be the same on both installations.
3.) 'Mailbox' machine - Outgoing mail
Create a static route from the Mailbox machine outbox to the Archive machine so that all outgoing mail is delivered to the Archive machine.
Tip
You can either create a full Static Route, or use the IP address of the Archive machine as the SmartHost. See the settings in Options | Outgoing Mail
Additional Settings
1.) The SMTP service on the Mailbox machine should have
"[x] Reject non-local senders claiming to be local" This setting is in the Blacklists dialog.
2.) If local users connect from outside the LAN (see Allowing Relaying) then they should do so via a 587 port that requires authentication and does not have this checked.
"[ ] Reject non-local senders claiming to be local"
The above prevents mail getting into the system that appears to be local when it isn't as it will be incorrectly archived as coming "from" the local users.
4.) 'Archive' machine - Outgoing mail
The Archive machine outbox is set to deliver to the outside world conventionally (either MX or to the ISP's SmartHost). See the settings in Options | Outgoing Mail
Inbox Properties settings
5.) 'Mailbox' machine
The Passthough-tab settings on the Mailbox machine are set like this:
All domains are selected
[ ] Copy all mail to sender's Sent items
[ ] Create Mailbox if necessary
[x] Copy all mail for local domains to Outbox
[ ] Copy all mail without Received: headers to Outbox
The Undelivered Mail-tab settings on the Mailbox machine are set:
[x] Return undelivered mail to sender
6.) 'Archive' machine
The Passthough-tab settings on the Archive machine are set like this:
All domains are selected
[x] Copy all mail to sender's Sent items
[x] Create Mailbox if necessary
[ ] Copy all mail for local domains to Outbox
[x] Copy all mail without Received: headers to Outbox
Outbound Server generated messages
Messages that originated from within Mailtraq lack Received: headers This option is used to get
all Delivery Failure reports from 'Archive', and similar server generated messages back to the 'Mailbox' machine for delivery to the users.
This feature is available from build 2.15.2.2634
The Undelivered Mail-tab settings on the 'Archive' machine are set:
[x] Create mailbox and store.
Create Mailbox Setting
The 'Create mailbox' setting uses the template defined at the 'Undelivered Mail-tab' in this control dialog. Care should be taken in making sure the settings for this 'templated' mailbox are optimized for your environment. Pay attention to the Archive settings to ensure both that messages remain in the live mailbox for the necessary time, but also that they are set to expire to Archive appropriately so that you do not accidentally create massive messages stores on the backup server.
This is particularly important when using the 'Passthrough' to create a stand-by installation.
Tip:
In creating stand-by installations it is important that the TTL of the MX-record for the domain is set to the minimum allowable (at the domain Registrar's console) so that changes can be updated quickly.
