easy admin mail server recommendation requested

[Sami J. Juvonen]

On Wed, Apr 13, 2005 at 11:33:44AM -0700, Sam Hahn wrote:
> Gurus - I'm considering running Linux (preferably Debian) mailserver for 
> one of my domains, vs an ISP (currently Verio - high rates). Do you (one 
> or all) recommend a particular package that has easy simple admin in 
> Debian (which distro?), and is reliable as a rock? Would it be PostFix, 
> qmail, sendmail, etc? I would like mail handling (receive, send), POP3 
> and IMAP access, spam blocking, virus blocking, and (extra-credit) 
> mailing list management with self-administration (change address, 
> digestify, archives, etc). I'd like LDAP or other directory integration 
> to be optional, not required. (Do any of the Exchange work-alikes look 
> ready?) (If this is a FAQ, please redirect, and apologies in advance for 
> the bandwidth.) Thanks - Sam

The functions you describe do not exist in a single package.

For mail transfer, postfix.
For POP/IMAP, dovecot is easy to set up, courier and cyrus have longer
histories and known large scale deployments.
Spam/virus: on Debian, use amavisd-new, plug in clamav and spamassassin,
maybe dspam (not in Debian), postgrey, investigate real time block lists
that fill your needs.
For mailing lists: mailman (used on this list too).

This is not a trivial undertaking and it's easy to shoot yourself in the
foot in the process... but it'll make you into a better person ;-)

-- 
"If class warfare is being waged in America, my class is clearly winning."
 --Warren Buffett, 2004