OS X Server as eMail Server

[Hexley]

I am looking to get a mail server for our org that has 350 employees with expandability to double that

Instead of Microsoft solution or Linux-based one I was thinking of using one for Mac OS X Server.

Is it good enough? The clients connecting to the server will mostly be Windows based with a few iOS, OS X, Android & Blackberry.

This mail server will be handling emails from 2-3 differing domain names.

Ideally each user should have a 1GB archive for send/receive messages

The mail server should record all email address that passes through it.

Clients cannot delete messages off the server.

The server should filter out spam & sanitize email with viruses or whatnot.

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Target hardware is the Mac mini. Hopefully Apple will release the Haswell units soon.

 

[Ripmax2000]

Its not very capable, you should look into something like Kerio instead.

Of course Exchange would be the best, but needs a lot more in depth management and knowledge. Also costs a lot more.

 

[jfwx5]

OS X Server as Email Server

Hi,

Do yourself a favor get Microsoft Exchange Online aka office 365.

works great with Apple Mail, Calendar, contacts and iPad/iPhone.

Filters out spam and virus / malware before entering firewall.

Good Luck

 

[ChrisA]

I am looking to get a mail server for our org that has 350 employees with expandability to double that

Instead of Microsoft solution or Linux-based one I was thinking of using one for Mac OS X Server....

A MUCH more important question then the kind of computer is which mail server software will you use? This matters a LOT more.

The old standard was "sendmail" but the lerning curve in that was a bear. You had to actually know how email works. But a low-end PC running Linux and sendmail could handle thousands of clients.

Even more important is the over all setup of the system. Make sure you have redundant DNS servers (this is likely NOT run by you but outsource to a service. But make sure they have a rebuts system with backup servers.) Next make sure you have multiple MX records. People expect emailto ALWAYS work even if you mail server catches fire and explodes. You need multiple MX records pointing to multiple email servers.

OK once you have this the rest matters less. What are you using sendmail, postfix or something else.

I don't see any advantage to using Mac OS X for a mail server. What you want is RELIAIBILTY and Apple does not make server class hardware. A good server class machine will have TWO power supplies each with it's own AC power cord. Plus each into it's own UPS. Also get a good disk array with hot spares. And of course at least two servers.

This is one area where failures are not tolerated. We waited until we have multiple Internet lines from different ISPs before we move mail in-house, you want to survive an ISP outage too. If you can't have that try a co-location. They are cheaper then building out your own space for only a few servers.

Look into Sun SPARK too. They have good "lights out" management. You can do just about anything from the serial console port and never have to go into the server room.