I recently learned I could read a POP3 mailbox on the i
The word "mailbox" may confuse some listeners in this thread. Messages received via POP are merely stored as stream files in the IFS under the /qtcptmm/mail/ directory. A stream file will be generated automatically from incoming email, but only for recipients who have directory entries. Use WRKDIRE to see people who may receive email. The POP server will only store messages for "known" recipients.
Some time ago I set up a midrange-list account that sent mail to our IBM i POP server. I then wrote a program to read the resulting stream files and store them in the database, for viewing, etc.
The "receive" process seems to be fairly simple and reliable. One could create a fully-scoped email service under IBM i, similar to Domino, using the native POP and SMTP servers for "receive" and "send" processing.
Some of our clients have lightly pressured us for that capability. My biggest concern would be having to deal with spammers. I began checking into using a cloud based service to filter spam before forwarding it to an IBM i server.
-Nathan
- if the POP server is running, it will deliver from a box named usrprfname@hostname - something like that.
Good luck emailing TO that address! I didn't have time to work that out - we will be reading a mailbox - all of ours can be reached with a POP3 client, as well as Outlook. We'll be using one of the 3rd-party tools, which will call a program for each message received.
But generally I'd say there's no need to be running the POP3 server on i.
Vern
----- Original Message -----
I know of a few products that use POP to receive email "replies" to automate some processing... I know Softlanding TurnOver has an email monitor job that may be used (or not) to update help tickets and whatnot... Or, messaging subsystems that allow emailed replies to console messages... Otherwise, I've never really seen POP being used on the platform...
-Eric DeLong
-----Original Message-----
From: midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Bob Cagle
Sent: Monday, April 01, 2013 2:50 PM
To: Midrange Systems Technical Discussion
Subject: RE: Is my 520 being hacked?
You are correct, I am only using SMTP to email reports.
I was thinking the same thing - why do I even need the POP service? So,
I have turned it off. I'm pretty sure it isn't needed, but I'll find
out pretty quick if something screams about it.
Thanks
Bob Cagle
IT Manager
Lynk, Inc.
Nathan Andelin
Sent: Monday, April 01, 2013 2:15 PM
To: Midrange Systems Technical Discussion
Subject: Re: Is my 520 being hacked?
Bob,
I don't think the POP servers are used at all for mail relay. They're
just used for receiving and storing mail "destined" for your domain.
Which begs the question, why run the POP service at all? Are you
providing full-service >email to your IBM i users? Or are you only using
the IBM i SMTP server to send outgoing email? If so, then don't start
the POP servers.
Mail relay restrictions are a SMTP configuration option, and for the
past 6 years or more, email has been restricted by default for IBM i.
If you do chose to activate POP, then be prepared for spammers, they
will try over and over again to send email to your server with random,
often nonsensical account names.
-Nathan
midrange.com
