[thelist] Webserver separate from mail server?

[Shawn K. Quinn]

On Tue, 2006-12-12 at 21:28 -0500, Flavia Tarzwell (FayeC) wrote:
> Can anybody tell me if it's possible to run a mail server separately 
> from the web server?

It's definitely possible, and in some cases it's even unavoidable when a
Web host does not handle e-mail. I'll explain with a real-life example
("$" is a GNU bash command prompt, edited to remove extra info):

$ host evolt.org
evolt.org has address 67.19.100.194
evolt.org mail is handled by 10 mail.evolt.org.
evolt.org mail is handled by 20 relay.evolt.org.
$ host mail.evolt.org
mail.evolt.org is an alias for aa.dallas.tx.us.evolt.org.
aa.dallas.tx.us.evolt.org has address 67.19.100.194
mail.evolt.org is an alias for aa.dallas.tx.us.evolt.org.
mail.evolt.org is an alias for aa.dallas.tx.us.evolt.org.
$ host www.evolt.org
www.evolt.org is an alias for aa.dallas.tx.us.evolt.org.
aa.dallas.tx.us.evolt.org has address 67.19.100.194
www.evolt.org is an alias for aa.dallas.tx.us.evolt.org.
www.evolt.org is an alias for aa.dallas.tx.us.evolt.org.

Currently, mail.evolt.org and www.evolt.org happen to point to the same
computer. However, this need not be the case. The MX record ("mail is
handled by" above) could just as easily point to just about any other
machine on the planet (assuming sufficient bandwidth and a static IP
address). It is worth noting that in the past, full-time Internet
connections were not as common as they are today, and this is the MX
record's primary reason for existence.

Note also, lists.evolt.org points to a different computer, so if you
were to offer mailing lists under a different hostname in the same
domain. In fact, since I know I owe at least two tips:

<tip type="Researching domain usage" author="Shawn K. Quinn">
It's quite possible to register a domain name and use it only for e-mail
or other purposes besides a Web site, so don't assume a domain is not in
active use just because the host "www" under it doesn't resolve.
</tip>

-- 
Shawn K. Quinn <skquinn at speakeasy.net>