[plug] Smallest MTA (Sendmail/SMTP) for Ubuntu

[Bernd Felsche]

Daniel Pittman <daniel at rimspace.net> wrote:
>Bernd Felsche <berfel at innovative.iinet.net.au> writes:
>> Tim <weirdit at gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>>So all I want basically is cron jobs, and database backups sent to my
>>>email. But, I don't want to setup a full MTA (SMTP server) and I don't
>>>want to relay through another SMTP server as I have no idea where my
>>>clients machines are going to be.
>>>So... What's the smallest MTA/SMTP server people know for Ubuntu, and
>>>easiest to configure for just basic sending only?

>> Do you need the SMTP server to cache?

>I think you mean "queue" rather than "cache".

For this purpose, it's functionally identical as far as the SMTP
client is concerned.

A queue implies order. If one isn't connected when mail is received
from the client, mail is stored in a "randomly"-ordered queue
position. Subsequent emails can jump the queue and be delivered
before email sent substantially earlier.

It's STORE-AND-FORWARD to be precise. But I'm about 10 years too old
for nit-picking.

>> You can write your own easily enough in Python; if you speak Python.
>> <http://docs.python.org/library/smtpd.html> It would only be _small_
>> if you already have Python installed for another reason.

>If you forgive me saying so, that is taking masochism to extremes that
>/I/ wouldn't want to visit. ;)

>Writing an MTA is a lot harder than it sounds, even a simple one.  The
>most basic level (submission to an existing SMTP server) is simple
>enough[1], but once you start adding features like SASL, MX lookup or
>other "easy" features of SMTP it gets hard.

RTFM. Python libraries do the hard work.
Basic functionality is not rocket science.
Accept emails and try to deliver them using SMTP.
Don't add other stuff. Featuritis is a terminal disease.

>Friends don't let friends reinventing the SMTP MTA wheel.

>Footnotes: 
>[1]  ...as long as you have libraries that deal with MIME for you.

MIME at the SMTPserver?
-- 
/"\ Bernd Felsche - Innovative Reckoning, Perth, Western Australia
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