[SATLUG] Attn: Bob Tracy

[K. Spoon]

On Wed, Jan 10, 2007 at 09:45:27AM -0600, Geoff wrote:
> Alex Bartonek wrote:
> >--- Geoff <geoff at w5omr.shacknet.nu> wrote:
> >>(I run my own mailserver here, as well).

> >I thought about doing the same.. so you have a
> >seperate pc or somethin running @ your house?  Do you
> >ever lose any email?  What if the server goes down?

> The isp is TW cable.  The domain name is from dyndns.org. 
> The server is Linux, and acts as a 
> firewall/gateway/router/file-web-ssh-mail server running SuSE Linux 10.0 
> in runlevel 3.

Using RR biz-class?   I ended up opting for a hosted server (about
$100/mo... there are probably a couple of places in the $80 range now) and
just sticking with the normal residential service because RR had this nasty
habit of shutting down your connection if they felt you were running any
daemons on your system.  I think they're more lenient now, though. 

Another option is virtual servers... I think you can get a Xen server
for about $20-30/month these days.
 
> Mail servers will, for up to 3 days (normally) try to send mail to the 
> intended mta.  When it finally gives up, then that server is probably 
> down. 

Something else you might want to look into is setting up MX records in
your DNS (if that's an option with dyndns).  You can specify the
priority of each mail exchange so that in normal operation, all mail
would go straight to your machine but if it was down (like for a reboot)
mail would fall over to your secondary MX so it could store-and-forward
when you got back online.  Other folks use MXs to do their spam and
virus filtering first, then forward mail to the real server (handy for
Exchange setups since letting any random passerby from the Internet talk
directly to that sucker is a lot like letting a dingo babysit your 2 month-old
infant). 

In the end, though, all the MX really buys you is that you get to avoid
the embarrassement of the sender's mail server giving the sender the
"Couldn't deliver, but I'll keep trying" message.  Not a big deal for a
home setup, but crucial if you're looking to design something for a
business.

-- 
K. Spoon <kell at spoonix.com>