Managing mail with MMDF

The mmdftailor file

The /usr/mmdf/mmdftailor file defines all the MMDF mail attributes for the local machine, such as its host name, the domain, channel, and alias tables to use, as well as how to set up each channel, and how to perform logging.

MMDF is distributed with a simple mmdftailor file that is configured for local mail only. When you perform the initial MMDF configuration, the MMDF Configuration Manager modifies the organization of the default mmdftailor file. When you make changes using any of the MMDF administration managers or the MMDF Configuration Manager, modifications are made to this and other MMDF configuration files.

You can modify mmdftailor and other configuration files with a text editor. However, we recommend that you use the MMDF administration managers and the MMDF Configuration Manager whenever possible. When you do make changes with a text editor, be sure to rebuild the hashed database when you are finished.

This section describes some of the common MMDF keywords in mmdftailor. For a complete list, see the mmdftailor(F) manual page.

AUTHLOG controls authorization logging information. Example format:

   AUTHLOG	/tmp/mmdf/mmdfauth.log, level=FST, size=40, stat=some

The AUTHLOG level must be at least FST, or MMDF does not save any authorization logging information. See ``Specifying channel authorization levels'' and the section on MCHANLOG in the mmdftailor(F) manual page.

MFAILTIME is the time (in hours) a message can remain in a queue before MMDF sends a failed mail message to the sender and purges the message from the queue. Example format:

   MFAILTIME	168

MLCKTYPE specifies the locking protocol MMDF uses when locking users' mailboxes. This is useful if the users on the system use third-party MUA's that use a lock file that is different from the standard UNIX System V lock file. Example format:

   MLCKTYPE advisory

MMDF locking

keywords

advisory System V fcntl() kernel locking protocols.

v7 Version 7, System V Release 3, and earlier locking protocols. Creates a file called username.lock in /usr/spool/mail. username is the name of the user's mailbox.

xenix XENIX^® system locking protocols. Creates a file called /tmp/username.mlk. username is the name of the user's mailbox.

all All of the above locking protocols (default).

The default locking protocol is all; however the MMDF Configuration Manager sets MLCKTYPE to advisory.

MMDF locking
keywords
advisory	System V fcntl() kernel locking protocols.
v7	Version 7, System V Release 3, and earlier locking protocols. Creates a file called *username.lock in /usr/spool/mail. username* is the name of the user's mailbox.
xenix	XENIX^® system locking protocols. Creates a file called /tmp/*username.mlk. username* is the name of the user's mailbox.
all	All of the above locking protocols (default).

If you specify more than one locking protocol on the MLCKTYPE line, MMDF must satisfy all the locking protocols before a mailbox is considered locked. For example:

   MLCKTYPE advisory, xenix

In this case, MMDF must lock the mailbox, using the fcntl() kernel file locking protocol and create a file called /usr/spool/mail/username.lock. If it fails to perform both of these locks, MMDF releases the successful lock and tries again later.

MMAXHOPS specifies the maximum number of ``Received:'' or ``Via:'' lines a message can contain before the MMDF considers that the message is looping and rejects it. Example format:

   MMAXHOPS	20

MWARNTIME specifies the time (in hours) that a message can remain in a queue before MMDF sends a warning message about delayed delivery to the sender. Example format:

   MWARNTIME	72

MMSGLOG controls the logging information produced by the deliver(ADM) and submit(ADM) programs. Example format:

   MMSGLOG	/tmp/mmdf/mmdfmsg.log, level=FST, size=40, stat=some

See the logs(F) manual page and the section on MCHANLOG in the mmdftailor(F) manual page.

MCHANLOG controls MMDF logging, except for information controlled by AUTHLOG and MMSGLOG. See the mmdftailor(F) manual page for details.

MSLEEP specifies the number of seconds that the deliver daemon sleeps between scanning the queues. The default is 600 (10 minutes); we recommend 60 seconds. Example format:

   MSLEEP	  60