Question Correct way to configure mail/postfix for admin/root on a new installation?

[Martin_Sauer]

Situation:

• new Obsidian server on CentOS
• DNS is external (non plesk)
• Domain mail servers are external (non-plesk)
• WebSites _(the server) needs to send emails by e.g. webforms, mailing lists,...

Configuration:

• SPF in DNS

Question - What is the correct Plesk server configuration in above setting for:

1. Forward all internal (server user) emails or is it done automatically by Plesk?
2. Forward all internal root emails or is it done automatically by Plesk?
3. Is any additional configuration needed for postifx or any additional recommendations especially for compliance with gmail requirements?

(Just asking if plesk does it, before I start to do it all manually on the OS level)

 

[Martin_Sauer]

Anyone can help on what would be the best practice here?

 

[rootuser]

Anyone can help on what would be the best practice here?

If you've already got the MX running, you can forward e-mails through Plesk alone.

If you're wanting [email protected] to send e-mails,
then go to "Tools & Settings" in the menu, go down to "Mail" and click "Mail Server Settings", make sure "Enable mail management functions in Plesk" is checkmarked, make sure "Enable SMTP service on port 587 on all IP addresses" is checkmarked, for Outgoing mail mode select "Send from domain IP addresses and use domain names in SMTP greeting". Under "Relay options", select "authorization is required" and select "SMTP". Of course, provided DMARC, DKIM and SPF are set up, also make sure that "DMARC", "DKIM", and "SPF" are fully checkmarked, with "SPF checking mode" set to "Reject mail when SPF resolves to 'fail' (deny)". Click OK.
^^ With my settings all set up like this, Plesk has been able to send system e-mails from the admin e-mail address, which it sounds like what you're asking about.
>> If you're wanting the forms from your CMS to send e-mails (like a webform on WordPress), then that'll be set up through your website CMS.

Or if I misunderstood and you're wanting e-mail forwarding (e-mails sent to [email protected] are sent to [email protected]),
then click on "Mail" in the menu, click on the e-mail address you want to have forwarded, click on the "Forwarding" tab, checkmark "Switch on mail forwarding" and in the box, type in the e-mail address(es) you want it to be forwarded to (ie. [email protected]). Then click OK.

Does any of this answer the questions you were looking for, or is there something else?

 

[Martin_Sauer]

Great - thank you.

Two concerns remain, where I dont know Plesk for sure:
1. system user emails: I have 3 additional system users root, mylogin for suid and a third. How can I ensure those are send externally too? Configure on OS level or does Plesk handle those too? (In the past I just set forwards for those on the OS level - yet, this is the first server, where I try to stay within Plesk only, except some minor security configs).
2. I dont use mailboxes on the server and didnt configure any email address. How are emails handled sent by Wordpress via php, eg contact forms? What happens in replies, what do I need to configure there. I actually never understood how emails sent via contact form 7 for example are handled and what I need to do there on a plesk level.

 

[rootuser]

Question 1) I have no idea. Anyone else able to help here?

Question 2) You don't need to set up the mailboxes yourself in Plesk, and it's easy enough to create a new e-mail address from within the Plesk menu, and it's already pre-configured. You don't need to actually install and set up Postfix and Dovecot. Just create the e-mail addresses from within the Menu option.
>> After creating the e-mail address in Plesk, log into WordPress and enter your e-mail address and password in the Settings. I don't remember where exactly, been a while, but it should be found in something like Settings -> Outbound Mail. Whatever Forms plugin you use will integrate with the e-mail login info you provided. Consider also installing a Mail Log plugin for WordPress to monitor messages being sent.