Pkg exim4 users - Jan 2009 - Multiple smart hosts in random order

Hi,

I am wanting to do the following:

Setup Exim4 on Debian as a mail hub between our mail server on the LAN and
between the external smart hosts.

All outgoing emails go through one of two smart hosts (chosen in a random
fashion), and if those two fail, then they get sent off to a backup smart host.

Incoming mail gets routed onto the email server in the LAN.

Reading the spec.txt file and the Debian README, I am wondering whether I need
to do the following:

1.  Install Exim4 package, set it to use a smart host during initial config, and
set the smart host to
host1.external.com:host2.external.com:+:backupserver.domain.com
2. Edit the file 200_exim4-config_primary, and in the smart host part, add the
line hosts_randomize=true
3. Create the file hubbed_users and point the incoming domains at the relevant
internal server

Is there a better way of doing this?

Thanks.
Andrew.

Hi Andrew

I have to do this (for some of the domains we host).  This is a router I 
have

smart_route:
   driver = manualroute
   transport = remote_smtp
   domains = !+local_domains
   senders = *@+emailsystems_domains
   route_list = * post8a.emailfiltering.com:post8b.emailfiltering.com

So look up the manualroute router in the documentation as you can see, 
thats the type of router I''m using here.

The route_list is the list of smart hosts to use, in order.  There is no 
need to tell Exim4 to use a smart host, just make sure this router is 
the first outgoing router in use.

By default, if you don''t set Exim to use a smarthost it will use the 
dnslookup_relay_to_domains: router so ensure yours comes before that.

If you are using a split configuration, then create your router in a new 
file under /etc/exim4/conf/routers with a name that comes before the 
router I mentioned.  If you''re using a non-split config, ensure you
edit
the /etc/exim4/exim4.conf.template file and put your router 
configuration before the one I mentioned.

Oh, by the way, you probably won''t need the senders directive.  As I 
said, I only have to do what you want to do for *some* of the domains on 
our server.

HTH

Regards
Neil


Andrew Hodgson wrote:
> Hi,
> 
> I am wanting to do the following:
> 
> Setup Exim4 on Debian as a mail hub between our mail server on the LAN and
between the external smart hosts.
> 
> All outgoing emails go through one of two smart hosts (chosen in a random
fashion), and if those two fail, then they get sent off to a backup smart host.
> 
> Incoming mail gets routed onto the email server in the LAN.
> 
> Reading the spec.txt file and the Debian README, I am wondering whether I
need to do the following:
> 
> 1.  Install Exim4 package, set it to use a smart host during initial
config, and set the smart host to
host1.external.com:host2.external.com:+:backupserver.domain.com
> 2. Edit the file 200_exim4-config_primary, and in the smart host part, add
the line hosts_randomize=true
> 3. Create the file hubbed_users and point the incoming domains at the
relevant internal server
> 
> Is there a better way of doing this?
> 
> Thanks.
> Andrew.
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Pkg-exim4-users mailing list
> Pkg-exim4-users at lists.alioth.debian.org
> http://lists.alioth.debian.org/mailman/listinfo/pkg-exim4-users
> 
>
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Scanned for viruses, spam and offensive content by CensorNet MailSafe
> 
> Try CensorNet free for 14 days. Provide Internet access on your terms.
> Visit www.censornet.com for more information.
> 
> 
-- 
Neil Briscoe
CensorNet Ltd - professional & affordable Web & E-mail filtering
neil.briscoe at censornet.com web: www.censornet.com
tel: 0845 230 9592 / fax: 0845 230 9591 / main office: 0845 230 9590
snail: The Old Post Office, Bristol Rd, Hambrook, Bristol BS16 1RY. UK.
MSN: nbriscoeuk at hotmail.co.uk

CensorNet Ltd is a registered company in England & Wales No. 05518629
VAT registration number 901-2048-78

Any views expressed in this email communication are those
of the individual sender, except where the sender specifically states
them to be the views of a member of CensorNet Ltd.  CensorNet Ltd does not
represent, warrant or guarantee that the integrity of this communication
has been maintained nor that the communication is free of errors or
interference.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Scanned for viruses, spam and offensive content by CensorNet MailSafe

Try CensorNet free for 14 days. Provide Internet access on your terms.
Visit www.censornet.com for more information.

Neil S. Briscoe wrote:
>Hi Andrew
>I have to do this (for some of the domains we host).  This is a router I
>have
>smart_route:
>   driver = manualroute
>   transport = remote_smtp
>   domains = !+local_domains
>   senders = *@+emailsystems_domains
>   route_list = * post8a.emailfiltering.com:post8b.emailfiltering.com
I did think of doing something like this, but wanted to do the random connection
to the specific smart host, then back off to our backup machine (via a private
link) if the Internet was down.  I believed that the way I had outlined gave
this, with modifying only one configuration file.

I am using a system similar to Email Systems, and I want the Exim server to be
between the filtering service and the Exchange server.  One of the requirements
is that several smart hosts are used, with no preference to which one gets used.

Thanks.
Andrew.