[Cc-webedit] Proposal: move our email addresses to our own server

[JimDog]

Hey.

I also have experience with setting up and administering email servers, mainly exim4 and squirrelmail (as used by riseup) so Jon wouldn't be totally alone. As ever I don't have masses of time but will commit to backing up Jon if required. There are some fine mail admins at aktivix too should things go completely tits up in an emergency.

I've been an advocate of bringing email in house for some time.

I think we need another look at the security of the server before we open any more ports however (as a matter of sensible practise). There's still a lot of break in attempts looking at the auth logs, thankfully none achieved as yet.

Jimdog

http://northern-indymedia.org

----- Reply message -----
From: "Jonathan Stevenson" <jjjstevenson at fastmail.fm>
Date: Mon, Oct 25, 2010 21:06
Subject: [Cc-webedit] Proposal: move our email addresses to our own	server
To: <cc-webedit at lists.aktivix.org>

Hi all - having looked at the user interface at http://roundcube.net I broadly agree with Jon's proposal, but I wonder if we should move step 3 up to the top?

Ie. we should email all CC email addresses saying that this is what we're planning to do, send them the link to the user interface, explain the rationale for doing so, give them the date that we plan to switch over, and tell them to let us know in time for the Manchester gathering if they've got any alternative suggestions. Then we can take a proper decision at the gathering, having had a bit of time to chew it over. What do you reckon?

Also I've also got one concern, which is whether this leaves us excessively dependent on Jon's skills for our email list functionality. To some extent this is already the case with the website and while I hugely appreciate all Jon's work and amazingess, if for whatever reason you're out of action it's quite a bottleneck. Eg. if Jon was on holiday is it possible that all CC email addresses could go 'down' til he's back? Some reassurance on that (and/or some effort to recruit further techies willing to give some time to CC) would be useful.

cheers :-)
Jonathan


On 20/10/2010 18:54, Jon Leighton wrote:
> Hiya,
>
> We have talked in the past about how the nologic mail service leaves
> something to be desired. I also understand that some people are using
> gmail accounts for things which is a shame.
>
> I suggest that we setup iRedMail on our own server instead:
> http://www.iredmail.org/. This is basically a package of software which
> comes with an installer and does the configuration work for you.
>
> What this will give us:
>
> * SSL encrypted access to email (i.e. when you download the emails, the
> connection will be encrypted, this is not to say the emails themselves
> will be encrypted)
>
> * Spam filtering!
>
> * IMAP access for those who want to use a desktop mail program
>
> * A much nicer, more modern webmail program called Roundcube (it has an
> address book too): http://roundcube.net/
>
> All in favour say Ay?
>
> Currently we have our email at nologic and our website on the tachanka
> server. nologic also manage the climatecamp.org.uk domain. If we move
> the email to tachanka, it seems a bit bizarre to have them just managing
> the domain. So I'd suggest we at the same time ask them to transfer the
> domain to our ownership - I'm happy to be the "registered keeper" on
> behalf of climate camp. That would mean that we are able to manage the
> DNS settings ourself, which in general would be good.
>
> So, the plan would go something like this:
>
> 1. Speak to nologic, thank them for supporting us over the years but
> explain that we would like to move our email and domain "in house"
> 2. Co-ordinate with nologic to transfer the domain to us
> 3. Email all current email addresses to notify them of the planned
> switch over, asking for a response so we know it is still in use. Ask
> for a non-climatecamp email address to contact if anything goes wrong /
> to exchange details, etc.
> 4. Setup iRedMail on the tachanka server and test it
> 5. Set a date and time (v early morning) for the switch over and inform
> mail users. Tell them the new details of how to check emails.
> 6. Do the switch over. This will involve changing the MX records and
> (hopefully) getting nologic to help us transfer the emails currently
> stored on their server onto our tachanka server (so that none get lost)
> 7. Everything works, I celebrate, everyone stops complaining about
> SquirrelMail and we get on with doing more action.
>
> I'm happy to do this. It will probably have to happen over a period of a
> few weeks but I can get it done. Let me know your thoughts.
>
> Jon
>


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