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Should you own a dedicated email server?

dedicated serverI’m seeing some of my customers are hosting a hundred or more email accounts using cPanel or Plesk onyx. There is nothing wrong using these control panels, email service is free using either Exim or Postfix. There are free and open source email server. Anti-Spam features are limited to free and open source solutions.

They are still ok for daily usages. However, if you are relying on the webmail, the choice is limited to the free and open source solutions. They are not amazing until you have seen better webmail like SmarterMail.

Administrative functions are also limited on these email server. Creating, deleting mailboxes and updating password are likely what you need. A lot of the other features are not available or modify them using SSH shell command.

In my opinion, administrating email server, receiving and sending emails are important for an organization. I’m seeing a lot have neglected this area.

A good email server can save you a lot of troubles and enhance your email deliveries. They are equal to money. Basically, the return is higher than investing in terms of financial values.

Today, we introduce SmartMail DE250Lite at #188 per month. Lower by more than $100 with smaller disk space. The Lite version will ft those with a lower budget if they do not need the large disk space.

Enable DKIM in SmarterMail

DKIM has been popular to ensure email delivery, especially for bulk senders. You can enable DKIM signing on all your outgoing emails. The feature is handy for all SmarterMail administrators. The feature is located in Domain settings.

enable DKIM

DKIM key in SmarterMail

Create and copy the DKIM keys into your domain DNS txt record.

That’s all. Now, you have enabled DKIM.

How to check email header

This is essential for all. When someone is asking you to check email header? Or the sender? The most common mistake is looking the email itself and provides you with the screenshot of the sender, the recipient, the subject, date and time.

This not the email header and they should look like this;

Return-Path: <[email protected]>
Received: from mx67.antispamcloud.com (mx67.antispamcloud.com [212.32.243.83]) by mail.vastspace.net with SMTP
	(version=TLS\Tls12
	cipher=Aes256 bits=256);
   Thu, 24 Jan 2019 22:20:45 +0800
Received: from mta-d-130-99.infusionmail.com ([35.227.130.99])
	by mx67.antispamcloud.com with esmtp (Exim 4.89)
	(envelope-from <[email protected]>)
	id 1gmfrv-000Bqn-Vk
	for [email protected]; Thu, 24 Jan 2019 15:20:37 +0100
Received: from web-camp-022 ([10.128.0.187])
	by cmsmtp with ESMTP
	id mfrtgMALnAUyumfrtg68ym; Thu, 24 Jan 2019 09:20:33 -0500
DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha1; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=infusionmail.com;
	s=dkim1024; t=1548339633; bh=T8e73Ytejwe3n/oEKLULhvvQ35Q=;
	h=Date:From:To:Message-ID:Subject:MIME-Version:Content-Type:
	 List-Unsubscribe:List-Unsubscribe-Post;
	b=nsuC3AYthFHXtF7lyUWIUgbK7P74yImvCapr6GkHrIi6wlEER4RmZ8uc68Q3Tw0dr
	 xzGK+nvcVTFRPBM9x9kGaDBHEMVpH0WnCZGfWvVIVk1zzbX5jAaoczJVUWqnsxSp4T
	 Ec6zLw1EvO6agfiv2fhOIzKg219INbDOOSt9EKRo=
DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha1; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=linksmanagement.com;
	s=ec9f094c-c6b7-4732-88e6-8c40751673a2; t=1548339633;
	bh=T8e73Ytejwe3n/oEKLULhvvQ35Q=;
	h=Date:From:To:Message-ID:Subject:MIME-Version:Content-Type:
	 List-Unsubscribe:List-Unsubscribe-Post;
	b=kmr8frDHAklbdGZ+iNoD/KDUcQnjJOzHtVOGJzUbFt2+JA1qU5ZeBp3wNxbZg9OF4
	 IOaVbCMRTyk/z71nn3dIjSB0uroa8EA5414gx5zvKBHQjOHxZa913X40jMri3Sn4aq
	 5F6yJUTgzqeEFWj8UUJkBC7xGY5ENNJcBj55eN6M=
Date: Thu, 24 Jan 2019 09:20:29 -0500 (EST)
From: LinksManagement <[email protected]>
To: [email protected]
Message-ID: <[email protected]>
Subject: =?utf-8?Q?How_to_Master_2_Facets_of_SEO_&_Hit_Google=E2=80=99s_Top_10=3F?=
Errors-To: [email protected]
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: multipart/alternative; 
	boundary="----=_Part_70379_1270312306.1548339629827"
X-MailSentId: 5923486
X-campaignid: infusion_lmmn5923486
Feedback-ID: lmmn:lmmn_354244:primer:infusionsoft
X-BatchId: 354244
X-InfApp: lmmn
X-InfContact: 679550
X-InfSent: 64878116
X-inf-package: primer
X-inf-uflags: UE,WF
X-inf-iflags: UE,WF
X-inf-QETT: 0
X-inf-BlockName: mn93
X-inf-SRS: -7.0
X-inf-dkimSelector: ec9f094c-c6b7-4732-88e6-8c40751673a2
X-inf-dkimDomain: linksmanagement.com
X-infEng: 480
X-Inf-Src: 5
List-Unsubscribe: <https://lmmn.infusionsoft.com/app/optOut/noConfirm/64878116/c0481908947e63fc>, <mailto:[email protected]>
List-Unsubscribe-Post: List-Unsubscribe=One-Click
X-CMAE-Envelope: MS4wfNU43PWf9xzU9Cm0p0CF7meBRndYEwJXvQ8eHyp6nPoXG4EK6Y+fLJMWKtzV29ns6V02JdqmROQKkWpxSLnM01v5Ik/n3FYc6nfMk2vG20Vtx529X+8n
 Q8r1qLGO7USWxni6AgmpNL2vggM5w3qxQdC+LGsfBAh/U5WjnWSKOKzb
Received-SPF: pass (mx67.antispamcloud.com: domain of infusionmail.com designates 35.227.130.99 as permitted sender) client-ip=35.227.130.99; [email protected]; helo=mta-d-130-99.infusionmail.com;
X-SPF-Result: mx67.antispamcloud.com: domain of infusionmail.com designates 35.227.130.99 as permitted sender
Authentication-Results: mx67.antispamcloud.com; dmarc=pass header.from=linksmanagement.com
Authentication-Results: antispamcloud.com; spf=pass [email protected]; dkim=pass header.i=infusionmail.com; dkim=pass header.i=linksmanagement.com
X-Filter-Label: newsletter
X-Spampanel-Class: unsure
X-Spampanel-Evidence: Combined (0.50)
X-Recommended-Action: accept

 

The header provides you with details of the email received. This is useful when if possible to find out  the real sender, for example, you have received a spoofed email or blacklist an email server from sending you spam emails.

Today, we are going to show you do it with Outlook, Thunderbird and SmarterMail webmail. It is easy for Thunderbird and SmarterMail webmail users. There are more steps and complicated for some to get this option.

We show you on how for Thunderbird email application; Just go to the email, under more to view the source.

SmarterMail has the view header option in Webmail too. Go to that email, more option is the icon with 3 dots, then view header.

smartermail

It is a bit more steps for Outlook. But you only do it once to get this option permanently. Follows these steps. You need to go option from your file tab, add the message option to one of the new tabs. Once it is added, the message option will be permanently available for all emails.

IDS in email server?

ids in smartermailI have dealt with web hosting for many years now. SmarterMail is the only email server software comes with IDS. In case you didn’t know what is IDS? IDS is normally found in firewall known as intrusion detecting system. IDS has a set of rules if any connection has violated the rules, mitigation will kick in. The serve to minimize the risk of a server’s attack or hack.

SmarterMail as this to stop abnormal activities, like attempting to log in with failed passwords known as brute-force or similar. This has greatly reduced a compromised email account or server’s abuse. Base on my experience, SmarterMail email server has very low a compromised email account uses to send spam emails. Thanks to the IDS in SmarterMail.

Is SmarterMail a good email server software?

smartermailMany asked me this question, Is SmarterMail good? How good is good? I have used many email server software for the last 25 years. SmarterMail gives me the reason to acquire partnership. NOT that I said good because I’m selling them but the other way round.

I can still remember it was version 2 when I know the existence of SmaterMail through Plesk. It works on Windows Server and it has given me the perception it was a heavy software and it does simple email function and full stop.

Since then I didn’t pay much attention until version 13 or 14. I have SmarterMail has very intuitive GUI especially the Webmail. Coincidentally, I was turned down by the free webmail offer in many control panels. I was looking for something better but unfortunately. it runs only on a Windows server.

So, this is when I have asked my client to split their website and emails, rather you are putting them int the same server. Yes, you can do that and in a way, you are reducing your risk by having these functions on 2 separated servers. Of course, now can easily use SmarterMail as your email server while you can run your website and Linux Apache web server.

I have noticed those on SmarterMail has high retention rate than others. That’s mean to say, customers are satisfied. And I have noticed many have used webmail and the population on mail client applications like outlook has dropped. I personally use them, the webmail has many good features and it is easy to use.

For those managing a SmarterMail email server will agree with me. If you have administrated other email servers, you will find SmarterMaill is a breeze, it is so much easy to understand and operate. Even you do have a technical background, probably some guidance may do the job.

SmarterMail is built with IDS. We have yet to find any email server software come with an IDS. Brute-force is one common problem for all and SmarterMail has this protection and automatically block unwanted access. Not forgetting the anti-spam, anti-virus, exchange sync add-ons available to enhance users’ experience.

I’m very happy with SmarterMail and proud to be their partner. I have servers are serving a few thousand mailboxes, they are hardly giving me problems. It saves me a tremendous amount of time and efforts in administrating these servers. I love SmarterMail.

 

When do you lease or purchase a SmarterMail license?

smartermailWe offer both leased and buy licenses for SmarterMail licenses. But when do buy or leased a SmarterMail license? I wrote as a simple guide to help you decide to buy or lease a SmarterMail license.

  • If you are planning to use it up to 12 months or longer. You will save more in the long run if you buy a license.
  • If you don’t want to be bothered by the monthly invoice using leased license, buy a license.
  • If you are thinking there is a chance to downgrade the number of mailboxes, lease a license.
  • You don’t want to pay upfront with the result of a bigger amount, lease a license.
  • You need a shorter period of time but more than 30 days, lease a license.

Whether you are leasing or buying a SmarterMail license, they are the same. SmarterMail has 3 types of license, the free, the Pro and the Enterprise. If you have not more than 10 mailboxes, you can install a free copy of the SmarterMail onto your server.

Email servers are they different?

VIEW MAIL SMARTERMAILToday, I’m going to share a bit on the common type of email servers in the web hosting market and integrated into the web control panel. Most of us email and why should I know which type of email server is used. Aren’t they are the same. Actually, you are almost correct but how they have served and behaviour will affect the incoming and outgoing emails, and likely your mailbox too.

There are 4 common types of email servers; Exim in cPanel, Postfix in Plesk, Mailenable and Smartermail. All are free except SmarterMail if you are creating the No.11 mailbox you need to buy a license. Exim and Postfix are free and they are the popular choice in the Linux world. However, these known as MTA they are limited to SMTP, unlike Mailenable and SmarterMail, the email servers will take care of all protocols.

In fact, they all can rate limit the speed of connecting and sending emails. Exim is more flexible than Postfix, the more it is flexible, similarly, it will be more complex. To an end user, it will not make a difference unless you are administrating the mail server. These two MTA are Linux based, thus the commands are shell command line, while Mailenable and SmarterMail are Windows-based, you do not use the more complex PowerShell command, most things can be done from the server’s interface.

So far, only SmaterMail and Mailenable have their own webmail, Postfix is used by Plesk and Exim is used by cPanel, they use the free ones and opensource webmail like horde. The free webmails look boring. In your 1st glance, you are not likely to continue with webmail but maybe an Outlook or ThunderBird.

However, it is a big difference if you are using SmarterMail. The webmail is intuitive. The anti-spam and anti-virus come default can screen emails with the desired value of each RBL and many more. Even a non-technical savvy person will not take much time and set up those functions. In addition, the IDS protection is something you cannot find in any of those email servers.

I personally found the reports are useful in SmarterMail. There are usage statistic for mailboxes and domain, the type of traffic, the number of spam emails was received etc. These are especially good to pinpoint areas and downgrade or upgrade email server.

Despite that those MTA I have mentioned serve the purpose connecting people and send emails. If you drill down deeper, you can find actually email server by SmarterMail can do more and let you see better, Yes, SmarterMail is a paid software unless it is for 10 and below mailbox which is free, but I will opt or SmarterMail for the business collaboration tools, enhanced email functions and protections. In a way, it helps in email delivery, communication and administration, saved you a lot of money and time.

SmarterMail 17 is here soon

VIEW HEADER IN SMARTERMAILVersion 17 of SmarterMail is launching a couple of weeks, but it’s beta and available to test now!

This is your chance to work directly with the Developers in
the community to finalize the release. Please take this opportunity to ensure the upgrade and conversion process works flawlessly for your environment. Smartertools have spent an enormous amount of time on this release and want it to be the best possible experience for all customers, and your feedback is critical for that success!

What new features are waiting for you?

The entire backend of SmarterTools has been re-built on the latest technologies allowing for significant speed and memory improvements.
For extremely large installations, SmarterMail will load 2 to 3 times faster.
Extensive redesigns for all protocols (EAS, EWS and WebDAV) will offer faster and more consistent results. The SmarterTools team spend a couple weeks working with Microsoft in Redmond and made some amazing improvements as a result.
Team Workspaces now includes native video and audio conferencing via WebRTC. No more need for third party integrations.
Group Chat now includes native video and audio conferencing, and the ability to preview shared files and more.
Two-Step Authentication, for more secure access to your most important resource: your email account.
Indexing optimizations to reduce memory and CPU but speed up the indexing process.
Significantly more logging in all areas of the product.
Improved calendar sharing, including sharing secondary calendars and the ability to sync shared calendars with the most popular email clients when using EAS or EWS.
On-demand content filters that can be run any time you want.
The ability to customize replies to calendar invitations.
And HUNDREDS of backend improvements throughout SmarterMail.

If you have active Upgrade Protection, your license was already upgraded to the next release so you can run the BETA in production by simply installing and activating the product. You can also download it and run it as the free version for testing. Regardless, Smartertools are standing by and more than willing to help! For more information on the latest SmarterMail BETA build, and to download the installer, check out this SmarterMail BETA topic.

Get started today as our Developers are standing by for your feedback in the SmarterTools Community!