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running debian etch w/ exim 4.

I want to setup exim to receive internet email, and accept/relay ONLY
emails to a recipient listed in a text file, on to my exchange server.
It will not send any outbound email.

I've been having a heck of a time getting this to work. been trying to
edit config files, make my own router etc...
I'm thinking I shouldn't need to make my own router, just mod an
existing one, but not sure which to use for sure....


Anyway - been having SO many problems getting this to work, I've
decided to start over again.
(1) i'm dpkg-reconfig 'g and I'm being asked "should this machine
consider itself the final destination". I'm not even 100% sure how to
answer this stupid question. What EXACTLY IS the final destination? is
my debian box the final destination even though it will relay all
email to an exchange server, and have NO "localhost" email boxes???
I use localhost, because I don't even know what "local" means!!!!!!!
What exactly is a local delivery? is email to the debian box local? to
my exchange server - is that local (only 1 domain)?

(2) recipient domains, that this sys will relay for. i'm ASSUMING that
I enter my domain.com here because I want this box to relay everything
to my exchange server. Then the screen says - "Do not mention local
domains here". BANG; now I have no idea what to put here. What exactly
is a "local domain" !?!?!?!?! is debian.domain.com a local domain?
is exchange.domain.com local ???
what if (it's NOT), but what if my mail server were on the internet
somewhere, and answers to mail.domain.com - is THAT local????

(3) what exactly is a "smarthost"?? is a system that does nothing
but relay valid Email to an exchange server a smart host? From what I
understand, a smart host is something that collects outbound email,
and manages that. So my applications should not be a ssmart host ?
right???? The question "machines to relay mail for", I can only
ASSUME should be left blank.

Since I have no idea what the implications are for answering these
questions 1 way or another - I'm not sure how to answer!?!
My WHOLE initial setup is a freaking guess!!!!
So then, if I go to mod the exim.conf.template file - I have NO IDEA
what to do in here, because it references all kinds of variables I
know nothing (or next to) about!


From everything I've read - exim is supposed to be much better than
sendmail. It's supposed to be more secure, and easier to setup.
Well - here's my take:
having a config file that uses arcane variables that they themselves
use more variables to control certain actions is INSANE! you have
var's that trigger something to happen somewhere, sometime and god
only knows where/when!!!
Give me a script file written in a language I've never seen before and
I can figure out what's going on 10 times faster.
In fact, give me a script file written in a [computer] language I've
never seen, written in a foreign [human] language, and I can figure
out what's happening 5 times faster. :O)

more secure - probably - I can't even run the dam setup (or more
properly, get exim itself running right)!!!! darn right it's more
secure ;o)


So - while I'm on my rant - what email server do SMART people run on
debian (what should I be using)?

TIA - Bob

On Wed, 05 Dec 2007 11:57:31 -0800, bobg.hahc wrote:

> So - while I'm on my rant - what email server do SMART people run on
> debian (what should I be using)?

Oxygen for a start. Take a deep breath, maybe walk around the block.
Leave the anger and sarcasm outside when you return to your desk.

Next, a little patience. No need to keep posting the same rant/query
under different titles.

Now, think about what you are trying to achieve. Try to write that down
in a neutral manner, and keep it short and specific. Read the Wikipedia
entry on SMTP and follow some links. Make sure you understand the
standard terminology of the area. Google to see if anyone else has had
your requirement - they may have solved it for you.

Ask here for answers to any questions that remain. You'll find that by
this time the questions will be quite specific, and no longer angry.

If you do that, you will, quite possibly, get a raft of useful replies.

Best wishes,
Mark
--
Signature would like to know if its author is a smart host at dinner.

On Dec 5, 2:20 pm, Mark South <mark.so...@null.invalid> wrote:
> Next, a little patience. No need to keep posting the same rant/query
> under different titles.
>

Hi Mark;

I didn't think my post sounded all that angry; but if you say so, then
I will try again.
I have used different titles in posts, because I believe it's the
subject that causes a post to be read. Often, a poor subject, or one
that doesn't grab attention will go un-read.

OK so let me try re-asking my question; I'll try to be brief:
running debian (etch) / exim4;

I'm having several problems:
(1) is my router valid? does it matter if "redirect_router" follows
"data" - or should it precede ? does simply having "allow_fail"
present set it to true? or must it be allow_fail = true ?
###### route only email addresses found in a file (1 per line)
valid_email:
driver = redirect
domains = +relay_to_domains
allow_fail
allow_defer
forbid_file
forbid_pipe
data = ${lookup($(local_part)@$(domain))lsearch(/etc/exim4/email-
accept){:fail: User unknown}}
redirect_router = hubbed_hosts
no_more
########

(2) does my router work the way I think it should work? Which is to
say, IF the recipient email address is NOT on file, shouldn't the
router fail immediately - WITHOUT queuing the Email ?? ( exim -bpr
show's email's that shouldn't be there)

(3) in exim4.conf.template - I have changed the retry entry to read:
* * F,15m,1m; G,16h,1h,1.5; F,4d,6h
I want it to retry (resend Emails in the que) every 1 minute.
I have also changed /etc/default/exim as follows:
QUEUEINTERVAL='1m' (i made this change only after my first was
unsuccessful).
My mainlog shows "retry time not reached", and it shows this every 1
minute.

TIA - Bob

On Dec 5, 5:31 pm, bobg.h...@gmail.com wrote:
> I'm having several problems:
>
> (3) in exim4.conf.template - I have changed the retry entry to read:
> * * F,15m,1m; G,16h,1h,1.5; F,4d,6h
> I want it to retry (resend Emails in the que) every 1 minute.
> I have also changed /etc/default/exim as follows:
> QUEUEINTERVAL='1m' (i made this change only after my first was
> unsuccessful).
> My mainlog shows "retry time not reached", and it shows this every 1
> minute.
>

While I believe I may have resolved some of my problems.... #3 is
still unclear...

also - I've now made my own exim.conf file.
I think my last question is - where does this file go?
Should it replace the exim4.conf.template file?

TIA - Bob

bobg.hahc@gmail.com wrote:
> On Dec 5, 5:31 pm, bobg.h...@gmail.com wrote:
>> I'm having several problems:
>>
>> (3) in exim4.conf.template - I have changed the retry entry to read:
>> * * F,15m,1m; G,16h,1h,1.5; F,4d,6h
>> I want it to retry (resend Emails in the que) every 1 minute.
>> I have also changed /etc/default/exim as follows:
>> QUEUEINTERVAL='1m' (i made this change only after my first was
>> unsuccessful).
>> My mainlog shows "retry time not reached", and it shows this every 1
>> minute.
>>
>
> While I believe I may have resolved some of my problems.... #3 is
> still unclear...
>
> also - I've now made my own exim.conf file.
> I think my last question is - where does this file go?
> Should it replace the exim4.conf.template file?

I honestly wouldn't be touching the template file.

Also, having it retry every minute is a bit much, don't you think? Just
think if others did the same, and how it'd affect other peoples' mail
server, and how much unnecessary congestion it'd cause on the Internet.
The default retry intervals work perfectly fine, but if you still find
an urgent need to modify it, check out these web pages:

http://www.exim.org/exim-html-4.68/d...3.html#SECID20

http://www.exim.org/exim-html-4.68/d...html/ch32.html

- Ken