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Date:      Thu, 27 Dec 2007 00:13:50 +0100
From:      Peter Schuller <peter.schuller@infidyne.com>
To:        freebsd-questions@freebsd.org
Cc:        Andrew Falanga <af300wsm@gmail.com>
Subject:   Re: dovecot questions
Message-ID:  <200712270013.58919.peter.schuller@infidyne.com>
In-Reply-To: <200712261534.03553.af300wsm@gmail.com>
References:  <200712261534.03553.af300wsm@gmail.com>

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> configuration isn't quite so simple.  There were several in this list that
> suggested the use of Dovecot when I inquired for suggestions as to a good
> POP/IMAP server.

I'll add my recommendation to that (having used courier in the past).

> So, I'm hoping that these same folks can offer help in getting me running.
> The WIKI for Dovecot is helpful, but seems to assume much in terms of what
> the reader will understand.  How do I add users to the system?  If I've
> done my work correctly, I've setup my Dovecot system to store virtual use=
rs
> in a PostgreSQL database.  However, how do I add users?=20

Dovecot doesn't really care. You provide the method of obtaining the user l=
ist=20
from the database, in the form of SQL statements (assuming they differ from=
=20
defaults), and it's up to you to make sure this returns the appropriate=20
information (so in other words, dovecot doesn't add users for you).

I used to run a pg+dovecot+postfix, but have since moved away from it and I=
=20
don't have the configs easily accessible to check out specifics. But=20
googling, this should be useful in terms of providing a bunch of real-world=
=20
configuration examples:

   http://www.gjdv.at/snippets/linux/virtual_mail_hosting

> Also, with respect to the configuration file (dovecot.conf) why are there
> so many passdb/userdb?  If I have passdb sql "turned on", should I "turn
> off" all other passdb sections?  What is the significance of the userdb
> static { } section in that file?  It appears that it is necessary for use
> if using a single user to access several mailboxes (i.e. virtual users
> which is what I want to implement).  Is this true?

I can't answer each one of the above off hand, but things like uids is=20
controlled by the user database that it sounds like you want to keep in=20
PostgreSQL. This includes the ability to set the uid/gid, which you can hav=
e=20
different for each user, the same, or some combination thereof, on a per-us=
er=20
basis. Your exact table design is up to you, as long as you can give doveco=
t=20
the appropriate SQL statements for obtaining relevant information.

> If I'm understanding things correctly, the next, very important item, is
> how do I setup new users and how would those users then manage things like
> passwords, etc.?

This is up to you. dovecot does not provide and user interfaces for managin=
g=20
accounts (that I am aware of). Typically a reason to have the user database=
=20
in a relational database would be to enable the construction of such=20
interfaces, or perhaps use of existing tools. But unless I am missing=20
something, user management is beyond the scope of what dovecot itself is=20
providing.

=2D-=20
/ Peter Schuller

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