How to Install And Deploy IMAP Server

Background

Dovecot is the an imap and pop mail server.

Prerequisite

Installed Postfix MTA/MDA

Objectives

• Install and deploy Dovecot imap server on Centos 6.4.
• Configure dovecot such that users will access their email using their system account username and password.
• Configure an email account in Evolution MUA.

Environment

• Centos 6.4
• SELinux is turned on

Procedure

1. Install dovecot
   
   #yum install dovecot
2. Find and read the documentation
   
   #rpm -qd dovecot
3. Configure dovecot to authenticate users against their system account username and password.
   
   #vi /etc/pam.d/dovecot
   
   Example
   
   #%PAM-1.0
   auth required pam_unix.so
   account required pam_unix.so
4. Configure dovecot to accept request from MUA like Evolution and iPhone
   
   #vi /etc/dovecot/dovecot.conf
   
   protocols = imap pop3 lmtp
   listen = *, ::
   login_trusted_networks = 192.168.1.0/24,192.168.0.0/24
   mail_location = maildir:~/Maildir
5. Start dovecot services
   
   #service dovecot restart
6. Find the ports that Dovecot is listening on.
   
   #netstat -tulnp | grep dovecot && grep imap /etc/services
7. Turn on dovecot automatically
   
   #chkconfig --level 3 dovecot on
8. Let imap packets through the firewall
   
   #iptables -I INPUT 2 -p tcp --dport 143 -m state --state NEW -j ACCEPT
   #service iptables save
9. Create and activate a user account
   
   #useradd jarvis
   #passwd jarvis
10. Check that Maildir is created relative to user's home path
    
    #ls -ld /home/jarvis/Maildir
11. Install Evolution MUA
    
    #yum install evolution
12. Configure an email account in Evolution using the wizard.