Question - where did MX records go??

  • Ok - first - I have to admit that I had to make manual changes to make this work under ispcp - outside of the panel itself ;)


    But under imscp (1.1.0-rc4.4) , I cant even make the basic setup.


    I have a domain, that uses an external mail server. It also needs a Mailman list server.


    Under ispcp I added an "A" record for lists.domain.tld and an additional MX for domain.tld that I then modified in the bind file to point to lists.domain.tld, and told postfix to route all the email for domain.tld to the external email server, and the lists subdomain to mailman by creating records in postfix's transport database.


    I couldnt have "lists" being its own subdomain under ispcp because mailman wants to serve that up... the "A" record and modified "MX" record were the only way around it.0


    And it worked perfectly. Externally and internally to the host and hosted email was routed properly.


    However, under 1.1.0-rc4.4, I can no longer add MX records under the DNS editor. That is a regression in functionality that hurts.


    Additionally, When setting up the external mail server, the panel only allows me to create 1 entry for a given domain.tld (MX should really be providing 2 records for failover/fallback so that service providers can take either offline for maintenance)


    Any chance we can regain what was lost, and perhaps add in the ability to support MX records on arbitrary names?

    Edited once, last by NexusAdmin ().


  • Hello ;


    What you mean by "MX records on arbitrary names" exactly ?


    You mean an MX acting for a specific subdomain which is part of your zone?


    zone: domain.tld


    Code
    1. list.domain.tld. IN MX 10 smtp.external.tld.com.


    Where list is a subdomain having a A record:


    Code
    1. list.domain.tld. IN A 192.168.xxx.xxx


    [hr]


    The external mail feature as currently implemented doesn't allow that. i'll review it ASAP.

    badge.php?id=1239063037&bid=2518&key=1747635596&format=png&z=547451206

    Edited once, last by Nuxwin ().


  • Correct.


    I have 3 entities in play.


    (a) the imscp host and it's mail system
    (b) the external mail system
    (c) the subdomain mail system


    On the old ispcp server, (c) is actually (a) -- but in the generic case, (c) could be a 3rd server entirely.


    With the current "external mail" set up - everything goes to (b). I thought I read a thread about being able to use (a) and (b) at the same time, but it doesnt seem possible under 1.1.0-rc4.4.


    However the true missing piece I feel is that there is no longer support for (c) - as there is no way way to add a custom MX.


    As it sits in 1.1.0-rc4.4, I can add a mail server to any domain added through the GUI. However, that assumes that the domain (or domain alias) is actually part of the domain hosted on the i-mscp server, and managed through i-mscp.


    If we're dealing with a subdomain (such as a list server in my case) on or off the server, the lack of ability to add a custom MX server prevents mail being routed to that subdomain independantly of the main domain.


    I realize this is a more complex routing situation than a simple website is likely to run into - but its one that could be set up under ispcp, with a little manual work.. and it doesnt even seem possible under imscp.


    Thanks

  • Just as a bit of an update...


    If I drop the required records directly into the database, the backend process produces the correct lines in the .db file... so it's just a shortcoming of the frontend - and can be worked around.


    (providing no later commits drop this function from the backend processing)

  • create your mx records in external mail feature. you can create multiple records there.
    the first record should be
    domain IN MX 10 mail.domain.tld


    after that go to custom dns interface and create a IN A record for subdomain mail (to readd it to the zone after external mail feature removes it)
    mail IN A ip-of-the-imscp-server


    now is both working, relay domains map and mailboxes/alias map (even when virtual domains map is dactivated)
    if you add mailboxes on imscp server, they will receive mails as expected, if email is sent to an not existing mailbox it will be relayed to next mx in dns prioririty. when imscp server down, ofc. the next mx in dns priority will receive all mails.

    Edited once, last by flames ().


  • Thanks - but thats not quite what I'm looking to do :D


    I really have 3 separate email servers in play, all providing unique mail services. This is not a fail-over situation. This is one step beyond split domain routing.


    I have the email services of the I-MSCP server (call this server "A")


    I have an external hosted email service for Hosted Exchange email (call this server "B")


    I also have a "subdomain" hosting a mailman list that is on the same system that houses the website. Mailman will get mail forwarded to it through a change to the transport maps of Postfix


    Note that this "subdomain" is not a subdomain according to I-MSCP - it is only an "A" record in DNS pointing where I want it to go.


    With 1.1.0-rc4 I enable external email, and it lets me create MX records for the primary domain. (if I add additional MX for the list server here it puts it within the same $ORIGIN - which I believe is going to confuse SMTP servers)


    Code
    1. $ORIGIN domain.tld.
    2. autodiscover CNAME autodiscover.emailsrvr.com.
    3. blog A xx.xx.xx.xx
    4. MX 10 mx1.emailsrvr.com.
    5. MX 10 lists.domain.tld
    6. MX 20 mx2.emailsrvr.com.


    lists.domain.tld has nothing to do with email destined for domain.tld... so it shouldnt be part of that $ORIGIN.


    I can add new email accounts server A - so I think I can manage the split domain routing - have to try this when the site goes live. Thats really up to the hosted email provider to route that mail back to I-MSCP and then hopefully Postfix will accept it for the locally defined mailboxes.


    What I cant do, is add an "A" record to point to the host of the list server, AND add an associated MX record for that "A" record through the GUI. I can add it through the database, and it seems to process fine.. but the support is not there in the GUI.


    The functionality to add "MX" used to be available in ISPCP - but was removed in I-MSCP.


    Nuxwin's response as to what I am looking for is correct... I'm just hoping a pending release has this