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Re: [LUG] backup MX



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Simon Waters wrote:

... Snip explanation that doesn't maintain list of acceptable email
boxes to the backup MX.

The first question is "why would you do this?".

It is not uncommon for servers trying to send you mail to have very short, 
perhaps only about 1 day, queueing lengths. This situation has been caused by 
the massive amount of virus and spam mail filling up queues. 

What if my server was on an ADSL connection and I moved say from my term time 
address to my home address over Easter?. My main MX on ADSL may be offline 
for 3 or 4 days. My backup MX on the net will hold everything. It's 
*extremely* simple to setup and takes no maintainance.

Blind (not knowing vaid user names) backup MXes generate bounces if the
spammed address does not exist, and are routinely targetted by spammers
to offload spam quicker.

I don't really understand this argument. Having an address aware backup MX 
doesn't save bounces. The messages are just bounced earlier, at the backup MX 
rather than when they can be delivered to the primary MX. I accept that 
secondary MX servers are targetted by spammers but I'd much rather have a bit 
more spam than risk losing email.

I'm proposing this as being a generally good thing for people using ADSL 
connections and serving a few domains/addresses. I appreciate that in a 
multi-domain, large number of addresses environment where you can be sure 
your server will be up 99% of the time it can be more of a hinderance.

The benefit - well for the 1% or so of the time your email server is
unavailable you can get mail marginally quicker (if you can be bothered
to force a queue flush).

Like I said earlier, many people will face the situation where their main ADSL 
hosted mail server could be off for days. Backup MX ensures you get the email 
full stop, rather than just getting it a bit quicker.

I'm happy to host non address-aware backup MX for anyone in dclug who would 
like. Offering address aware services is too inconvenient for me at present.

Interestingly, I actually want spam at the moment for a dissertation project, 
I'm not out to stop it dead!

- -- 
Dave Trudgian - Cornish Dave
- ----------------------------
[w] www.trudgian.net
[e] dave@xxxxxxxxxxxx
[j] trudgiad@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

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