The mailserver performance requirments are minimal, I’ve got users running it on very old G4′s without any problem. The webserver is different, requirements here depend on the load.

Hope this helps…

Came across your excellent post! Couple of questions,

1. Have you tried running Mac OS X “server” on Macbook?
2. Any thoughts on performance, server on Macbook vc Mac mini?

Thanks.

1- it depends on your requirements, you’ve got a good firewall in OS X so use that. Postfix is configured to be safe and there are some measures to enhance security on SSH. OS X is pretty secure by itself. I’ve had no real issues after I secured SSH.

2- I haven’t tried cpanel but I know several people used webmin succesfully. I use postfix admin and the terminal sessions myself…

1. How is anti- hacking and security maintained

2. I am used to cpanel on a *NIX box what is the back end of this set up that you recommend like for ease of use and control once its installed

Specifically, in CAN-SPAM an Internet Access Service is defined by the act as:
“INTERNET ACCESS SERVICE- The term ‘Internet access service’ has the meaning given that term in section 231(e)(4) of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 231(e)(4)).” (15 U.S.C. § 7702(11))”

So, turning to Section of 231(e)(4) of the Communications Act of 1934 we find it in turn provides a broadly inclusive definition of Internet Access Service:

“The term ‘Internet access service’ means a service that enables users to access content, information, electronic mail, or other services offered over the Internet, and may also include access to proprietary content, information, and other services as part of a package of services offered to consumers. Such term does not include telecommunications services.” (47 U.S.C. 231(e)(4))”

Hypertouch owns and operates mail servers, web servers, and DNS (Domain Name Service) servers that are connected to and accessed over the Internet, so we qualify under CAN-SPAM. We now even have case law to prove it: in Hypertouch v. Kennedy-Western University, the court finally put to rest the spammers often asserted false claim that you have to be AOL or Earthlink with huge modem banks to qualify as an ISP. See http://spamlaws.com/cases/hypertouch-kwu.shtml.

IANAL, but have sued a number of spammers…

Really good set of articles and advice…There are a lot of us doing the same things and wrestling with the same issues, and the experience you provide here is invaluable.

One question: You give some instructions for launching mail services at start-up (automatically) and a few other related items. Are these instructions applicable to 10.3 or 10.4, since the start-up model changed drastically in 10.4?

I’ll also add a comment here on my experience which I think differs from yours. There is really no need to compile Apache, MySQL and PHP to so what you are trying to accomplish (and what I and others are trying to accomplish).

If you use the Apple-shipped Apache and PHP, they will do everything you need. (I know – they did for me for a long time). If you feel the need to upgrade PHP (a good idea), you can use Marc Liyanage’s package (currently 5.2.0) which works perfectly well, and is configured for the Mac environment (and comes in a Mac-style installer). Marc also distributes Apache2 binaries.

MySQL works better when it’s installed using the mac installer from mysql.com. I don’t know if your configuration works better, but I have found no limitations to the standard mac version – have you?

You do, however, need to re-compile postfix for MySQL support – I haven’t seen anyone who provides a package, and Apple does not provide that support. For anyone running a multiple-domain server in any model, this seems necessary.

However, you also note (in an old post) that postfix as provided by Apple does not support virtual domains. It does. It works fine for me based solely on the recipie in the postfix.com docs. However, UW-POP and UW-IMAP don’t out of the box – they require reconfiguration to do so, and the only configuration they accept is at compile time – there is no run-time configuration.

So I agree with your postfix/courier choice…and I thank you again for all the expertise and experience you are sharing with the mac community!

Oh, yea, the questions I had (buried in that tome):

1) are you start-up instructions applicable to 10.4+
2) have you found any limitations to the apache (apple provided), MySQL (mysql.com provided) and PHP (Marc Liyanage provided) that caused you to re-complile yourself?

Thanks!!