Feature and Configuration Questions

[Matthew Sgarlata <sg...@crystalcognition.com>]

Hello,

I have a few questions about Apache James that I didn't see answered in the
FAQ.  I am working on a web-based application that needs to automatically
generate email messages.  We have had problems with client-generated emails,
so we would like to move to server-generated emails.  Here are our
questions:

- Can James be configured to send out emails using the standard ports used
for HTTPS?  Will this conflict with a web server running on the same machine
and serving up web content via HTTPS? (I am guessing the answer to this
second question is yes)
- Does James support sending emails with binary attachments?
- How difficult is it to send HTML emails?
- Are there any special server configuration requirements that I need to be
aware of to make James work?  (e.g. - other required software, a static IP
address, etc.)
- Are there any special network configuration requirements to make Apache
James work (e.g. - does the server need to have a hostname or not be located
behind a firewall?)
- Can James make emails look like they come from any email address? (we will
be sending emails on the behalf of our users)

Thanks!

Matt

Re: Feature and Configuration Questions

[Serge Knystautas <se...@lokitech.com>]

Matthew Sgarlata wrote:
> I have a few questions about Apache James that I didn't see answered in the
> FAQ.  I am working on a web-based application that needs to automatically
> generate email messages.  We have had problems with client-generated emails,
> so we would like to move to server-generated emails.  Here are our
> questions:
> 
> - Can James be configured to send out emails using the standard ports used
> for HTTPS?  Will this conflict with a web server running on the same machine
> and serving up web content via HTTPS? (I am guessing the answer to this
> second question is yes)

James is a mail server, so it doesn't have anything to do with 
HTTP/HTTPS.  Should be no conflicts.

> - Does James support sending emails with binary attachments?

Yes.  See below.

> - How difficult is it to send HTML emails?

James is an email server.  If you want to create an email, you should 
check whatever language you're using now.  If it's Java, use JavaMail. 
Otherwise Perl, Python, PHP, even ASP have their own ways of generating 
an email.

> - Are there any special server configuration requirements that I need to be
> aware of to make James work?  (e.g. - other required software, a static IP
> address, etc.)

Not per se.  James needs Java 1.3 or better, that's about it.  You need 
root on a *nix box since it uses port 25.  Odd networks can sometimes be 
an issue (cable modems or otherwise your ISP might block some sending).

> - Are there any special network configuration requirements to make Apache
> James work (e.g. - does the server need to have a hostname or not be located
> behind a firewall?)

Nope.

> - Can James make emails look like they come from any email address? (we will
> be sending emails on the behalf of our users)

Again this really doesn't have much to do with James.  This depends on 
how you create the email.  You can setup James to trust any locally 
generated email and send it however you like.  In fact this is how it is 
configured out-of-the-box.

-- 
Serge Knystautas
President
Lokitech >> software . strategy . design >> http://www.lokitech.com
p. 301.656.5501
e. sergek@lokitech.com