Linux Harbour

Linux Email Server is a combination of SMTP server and POP/IMAP server running on a Linux system.
SMTP server is used to transfer email message between a number of email servers and clients on internet.

• SMTP stands for Simple Mail Transfer Protocol.
• Postfix is our recommendation on SMTP server or MTA.

POP/IMAP server is used to access user mailbox on the server in different protocols and methods.

• POP server allows users to getting their newly arrived emails from their own user mailboxes to its email clients.
  • POP stands for Post Office Protocol, which means its server acts as a "post office" in user view.
  • Less disk spaces, system load, and data traffic than IMAP.
  • Version 3 is latest POP version, so we also call it as POP3 server.
  • POP server is older and still common in uses for users to retieve their emails from email server.
• IMAP server allows users to access their mailboxes, email folders and emails stored on server.
  • IMAP stands for Internet Message Access Protocol, which means providing access to emails stored on server.
  • More disk storage is required to store all user emails on server.
  • Version 4 is latest IMAP version, so we also call it as IMAP4 server.
  • IMAP server is newer and hot in uses in recent years for users to access their emails, likes many webmail services available on internet.
    
• Courier IMAP server is our recommendation of POP/IMAP server.

Implemation of general Linux email server
To implement a Linux email server for general uses, the following are required.

• Installation and Configuration of Linux operation system;
• Installation and configuration of Postfix SMTP server;
• Installation and configuration of Courier IMAP/POP server;
• Installation and configuration of SSH (Secure Shell); (optionally)

Optional add-ons on Linux email server

• Secure Webmail system in SSL;
• Anti-virus and Anti-spam on Linux email server;
• Email archiving and CC-to-Boss;
• Regular email backup;
• and others