I want to set up an outgoing transactional email server for my small business. Do I need to purchase IP blocks? Given most IPs from VPS will have bad reputation.
Please respond only if you have ran an SMTP server. Not looking for heresay.
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I’ve ran postfix/dovecot for email in the past. Postfix would be the more important one as it’s the MTA. You’ll need at least one IP and a DNS registrar. That stuff isn’t so bad, the tricky part is ensuring your email doesn’t get sent straight to spam. I also configured dmarc, dkim, spf, etc to make sure my server was verifiable.
From what you’re saying; 100k emails a month from a new mail system is gonna get you on a spam list or blacklist. If no one reports you it might not be an issue. I don’t know if ISPs limit that stuff.
If you’re good with this stuff. You should be up and running in a day or so, but I’m curious to see how long the operation lasts. Most postfix how-to docs can get you started
Previously hosted email on a VPS. Had very few issues. Once in awhile Microsoft would throw a fit but they have a process to get whitelisted.
Currently running my own email services now (for my small business and some relatives) from a dedicated IP on a residential fiber line. Zero issues.
Running an email server is doable. Could there be some work depending on the IP address you get? Yes. If you don’t send out spam, then you should be good. Good luck!
Thanks man. Someone with some real thoughts and not just heresay. What software do you use for email server?
I run postfix with dovecot and rspamd for dkim and spam sorting.
For a person who’s asking for advice and getting pretty sound advice about how this is probably a bad idea… You’re real sassy
The first question to ask is why? Exchange on prem is nothing but a pending security breech. Especially at a small business without dedicated experts and resources. You’re realistically not going to save money either with how cheap hosted email is in comparison to a virtualization stack underlying storage, and monthly management time. You’ll also have less uptime than Microsoft.
Coming from someone who was managing exchange on prem 6 months ago until I left that train wreck of an environment.
A lot of work with no real profit.
Why bother with complexity? Just use a mail relay like SMTP2GO and all your potential problems will be solved regardless what self hosted email server solution you choose.
Have been managing email server for my friend’s small business but eventually we also decided to use vendor because the cost of maintenance is high.