dovecot - Apr 2005 - about filtering and dovecot

Hi

I would like to set up a local mailserver but I'm getting lost with all
the available options. As I have already decided to use dovecot I hope
someone here will be able to point me to the right docs/HOWTO's/...

Here's my wish-list:
1) download mail from my ISP's POP3-server
2) scan with spamassassin
3) scan with ClamAV
4) filter messages (mailing lists/sender/...)
5) store messages in dovecot
6) be able to read messages on my desktop (where all of the above will
be running) and on my laptop
7) be able to send messages (currently using evolution) from both my
desktop and laptop so sent messages are stored in dovecot (the idea is
to be able to see all sent messages on both PC's)

I have already created a test-account om my ISP's POP3-server, installed
and configured fetchmail and dovecot. Exim has been installed as well
but I haven't touched it's configuration yet. Running fetchmail manually
collects the mail and stores it in /var/mail/m8ram where dovecot finds
it.

So I would like to know (how to find out) how I can achieve 2), 3), 4)
and 7).

I have looked around and have discovered that there are many programs
that can do some or all of this. But I haven't been able to figure out
how to get them to work with dovecot.

e.g. I don't understand what I would have to change to dovecot's config
if exim or procmail or whatever moves certain messages to different
folders (or even where these folders would be created).

Perhaps I'm missing a HOWTO that explains all this, if so please let me
know.

TIA

Bram
-- 
# Mertens Bram "M8ram"   <bram-mertens at linux.be>   Linux User
#349737 #
# debian testing            kernel 2.6.8-1-686     i686     512MB RAM #
# 12:40:02 up 26 days, 18:53,  9 users,  load average: 0.56, 0.46, 0.29 #

On Thu, 2005-04-21 at 12:56 +0200, Bram Mertens wrote:
> I would like to set up a local mailserver but I'm getting lost with all
> the available options. As I have already decided to use dovecot I hope
> someone here will be able to point me to the right docs/HOWTO's/...
Its a little off-topic for here, since dovecot ends up being very
peripheral to this.
> Here's my wish-list:
> 1) download mail from my ISP's POP3-server
thats probably fetchmail (spit).
> 2) scan with spamassassin
> 3) scan with ClamAV
> 4) filter messages (mailing lists/sender/...)
this can be done either in your MTA/MDA config, or you could do it
purely with an MDA.  The MDA method would just use procmail (probably).
You can probably find decent HOWTOs to do this with procmail around.
You most likely want to be storing mail in Maildir format for dovecot -
I believe this can be done with procmail, but I have never used it to do
so...

If you are using the MTA method, and using Exim then have a look at
	http://www.timj.co.uk/linux/exim.php

That will set you up with the SPAM/Virus scanning.  There is a wrinkle -
with fetchmail you do not really want to be rejecting unwanted stuff at
SMTP time when its coming from fetchmail, since that has problems with
SMTP rejection, and you aren't saving bandwidth or preventing yourself
accepting unwanted mail in this case.

The filtering into folders can be done using an Exim filter.

Documentation for all of this is on the Exim website and wiki or you can
try talking to the Exim list - we rarely bite much.
> 5) store messages in dovecot
> 6) be able to read messages on my desktop (where all of the above will
> be running) and on my laptop
> 7) be able to send messages (currently using evolution) from both my
> desktop and laptop so sent messages are stored in dovecot (the idea is
> to be able to see all sent messages on both PC's)
That should just work.  If you want mail on the laptop when disconnected
then look at something like offlineimap to sync your server and laptop
data set.

> I have already created a test-account om my ISP's POP3-server,
installed
> and configured fetchmail and dovecot. Exim has been installed as well
> but I haven't touched it's configuration yet. Running fetchmail
manually
> collects the mail and stores it in /var/mail/m8ram where dovecot finds
> it.
Ah - so you are mostly there... although using mbox format.
> So I would like to know (how to find out) how I can achieve 2), 3), 4)
> and 7).
Tim J's guide should help with 2,3 and maybe 4.
7 is a case of having your sent folder set as an imap folder - easy in
evolution but needs setting up on your client.

> I have looked around and have discovered that there are many programs
> that can do some or all of this. But I haven't been able to figure out
> how to get them to work with dovecot.
dovecot is almost irrelevant here - it just works for this...

	Nigel.

-- 
[ Nigel Metheringham           Nigel.Metheringham at InTechnology.co.uk ]
[ - Comments in this message are my own and not ITO opinion/policy - ]

Bram Mertens wrote:
> 2) scan with spamassassin
> 3) scan with ClamAV
Take a look at Amavisd-new.
> 4) filter messages (mailing lists/sender/...)
Procmail, perhaps?

Good luck,
RobertC

take a look at MailScanner (www.mailscanner.info).  The greatest thing
since home-brewed beer, IMHO.

Jeff Earickson
Colby College

On Thu, 21 Apr 2005, Bram Mertens wrote:
> Date: Thu, 21 Apr 2005 12:56:08 +0200
> From: Bram Mertens <bram-mertens at linux.be>
> To: mailing list dovecot <dovecot at dovecot.org>
> Subject: [Dovecot] about filtering and dovecot
> 
> Hi
>
> I would like to set up a local mailserver but I'm getting lost with all
> the available options. As I have already decided to use dovecot I hope
> someone here will be able to point me to the right docs/HOWTO's/...
>
> Here's my wish-list:
> 1) download mail from my ISP's POP3-server
> 2) scan with spamassassin
> 3) scan with ClamAV
> 4) filter messages (mailing lists/sender/...)
> 5) store messages in dovecot
> 6) be able to read messages on my desktop (where all of the above will
> be running) and on my laptop
> 7) be able to send messages (currently using evolution) from both my
> desktop and laptop so sent messages are stored in dovecot (the idea is
> to be able to see all sent messages on both PC's)
>
> I have already created a test-account om my ISP's POP3-server,
installed
> and configured fetchmail and dovecot. Exim has been installed as well
> but I haven't touched it's configuration yet. Running fetchmail
manually
> collects the mail and stores it in /var/mail/m8ram where dovecot finds
> it.
>
> So I would like to know (how to find out) how I can achieve 2), 3), 4)
> and 7).
>
> I have looked around and have discovered that there are many programs
> that can do some or all of this. But I haven't been able to figure out
> how to get them to work with dovecot.
>
> e.g. I don't understand what I would have to change to dovecot's
config
> if exim or procmail or whatever moves certain messages to different
> folders (or even where these folders would be created).
>
> Perhaps I'm missing a HOWTO that explains all this, if so please let me
> know.
>
> TIA
>
> Bram
> -- 
> # Mertens Bram "M8ram"   <bram-mertens at linux.be>   Linux
User #349737 #
> # debian testing            kernel 2.6.8-1-686     i686     512MB RAM #
> # 12:40:02 up 26 days, 18:53,  9 users,  load average: 0.56, 0.46, 0.29 #
>