[nmglug] POP3 Server::Request for Info

[Gary Sandine]

Hi,

On Sat, 2007-03-10 at 09:57 -0800, luis pena wrote:
[..]
> We have and exchange 2003 sever and a 2003 domain controller that
> provides internal authentication and email services. One of the
> features of exchange is 
> outlook web access (similar to squirrel mail) which allows people
> outside of our internal network to check the email.
> 
> I have been tasked with finding a solution for configuring a POP
> 3server to sit in the DMZ of the firewall. This server will provide
> several functions:
> - Serve up Outlook Web Access on an Apache Server(which will require
> communications with the LDAP-based active directory?)
> - Be configured have the exchange server initiate the opening of port
> 25 on the POP 3 server to download email. It is preferred that
> incoming mail be housed on the POP 3serve after hitting the spam
> filtration device.

So... the pop server will basically be a mail server for the Exchange
server, in order to not expose the Exchange server to the Internet?  Or
am I missing something (I think I am...)?  I have never heard of a mail
server pop-downloading mail from another mail server, but I have no
experience with Exchange servers so far; perhaps that's a normal way to
set one up.

This does not address your question, but it's good to think about.  pop
and Web mail (actually, POP and reading mail with more than one mail
reader, such as Outlook, whatever, plus Web mail) do not work well
together.  If local clients are configured to use pop, it's often the
case that there will be no mail on the server (or only the newest
messages that haven't yet been pop downloaded then deleted from the
server) to see with Web mail.

> Here are my questions:
> - Is the solution of placing a POP3 server in the DMZ my best option
> for protecting my exchange server and serving up web access to email?
> - Are there any items that I have not considered?
> - Will I need LDAP running on Linux boxen to ""talk" to active
> directory
> - What would be the best way to set up a testing sandbox (ad hoc,
> through the PIX, etc...)

More on these later I think.  I don't really understand the goal.

> Thanks to Ed Brown for pointing me towards dovecot as a solution for
> my POP3 needs. I hope I have been clear and have provided enough
> information... I am still learning. Thank you in advance.

I second the dovecot suggestion (for a pop or imap server, or both).