# iRedMail Easy: Best Practice

!!! attention

	 Check out the lightweight on-premises email archiving software developed by iRedMail team: [Spider Email Archiver](https://spiderd.io/).

!!! warning

    iRedMail Easy platform will be discontinued on Jan 25, 2026. [Get a FREE iRedMail Enterprise Edition license and migrate.](https://forum.iredmail.org/topic20762.html)

[TOC]

## How the fearless upgrade works

iRedMail Easy splits config files of software to 2 parts: Core and Custom,
this is the magic of fearless one-click upgrade.

iRedMail Easy maintains core config files to make sure everything works as
expected, but we understand that one rule doesn't work for everyone and you may
want to change/override some settings configured by iRedMail Easy.

Please follow some simple rules to store your custom settings, and do not
modify the core config files (manually) managed by iRedMail Easy.

### Including config files

A lot of software supports loading settings from extra config files with directives
like `include` (Nginx, Dovecot), `include_try` (Dovecot), `require_once` (PHP
applications). In this case, it will be configured to load extra config files
under `/opt/iredmail/custom/<software-name>/`. We use Dovecot for example to
explain the details.

Dovecot's main config file is `/etc/dovecot/dovecot.conf`, we have directives
at the bottom of `dovecot.conf` like this:

```
!include_try /etc/dovecot/conf-enabled/*.conf
!include_try /opt/iredmail/custom/dovecot/conf-enabled/*.conf
```

It will try to load all files ends with `.conf` under
`/etc/dovecot/conf-enabled/` first, then
`/opt/iredmail/custom/dovecot/conf-enabled/`.

Files under `/etc/dovecot/conf-enabled/` are maintained by iRedMail Easy, if
you want to override some settings, please create a file which ends with
`.conf` under `/opt/iredmail/custom/dovecot/conf-enabled/` with your custom
settings. for example, Dovecot is configured to enable services like below by
iRedMail Easy:

```
protocols = pop3 imap sieve lmtp
```

What can you do to disable `pop3` service without modify files under
`/etc/dovecot/`? Easy, just create a file, e.g. `custom.conf` under
`/opt/iredmail/custom/dovecot/conf-enabled/` with content below (note: service
name `pop3` is removed in this setting), then restart Dovecot service:

```
protocols = imap sieve lmtp
```

### Modify config files in-place

If software does not support loading settings from extra config files,
you may need to apply your own settings by running commands to modify its
config files under `/etc/`. For example, Postfix.

Postfix doesn't support directive like `include` to load extra config files,
you can change some settings by modifying its config files (e.g.
`/etc/postfix/main.cf`) directly, but next time you upgrade your iRedMail
server with iRedMail Easy, the config file will be rewritten by iRedMail Easy,
then you lose all custom settings.

Fortunately, iRedMail Easy supports executing a shell script each time it
deploying or upgrading a software. For Postfix, it's
`/opt/iredmail/custom/postfix/custom.sh`.

Let's say you want to add IP address `192.168.1.1` to Postfix parameter
`mynetworks`, instead of modifying `/etc/postfix/main.cf` directly, you can
write shell commands in `/opt/iredmail/custom/postfix/custom.sh` like below:

```
postconf -e mynetworks='127.0.0.1 192.168.1.1'
```

Then run it manually:

```
cd /opt/iredmail/custom/postfix/
bash custom.sh
```

When iRedMail Easy deploys or upgrades Postfix, it will run this script the
same way.

### Remove existing file and create a new one

Nginx supports loading extra config file with `include` directive, but it
doesn't support overriding existing parameters.  for example, if parameter
`client_max_body_size` is defined in one file, but you have `include` directive
to load same parameter in another file, Nginx will report duplicate parameter
and refuse to start. In this case, you have to remove existing config files
(which contains the parameter you want to customize) generated by iRedMail Easy
and create a new one. Let's use parameter `client_max_body_size` for example.

iRedMail Easy generates files under `/etc/nginx/conf-enabled/` for different
parameters, and parameter `client_max_body_size` is defined in
`/etc/nginx/conf-enabled/client_max_body_size.conf` like this:

```
client_max_body_size 15m;
```

You need to add a new file under `/opt/iredmail/custom/nginx/conf-enabled/`
first, then add shell command in `/opt/iredmail/custom/nginx/custom.sh` to
remove `/etc/nginx/conf-enabled/client_max_body_size.conf` like below:

```
rm -f /etc/nginx/conf-enabled/client_max_body_size.conf
```

Now run this script:

```
cd /opt/iredmail/custom/nginx/
bash custom.sh
```

When iRedMail Easy deploys or upgrades Nginx, it will run this script the
same way.

### The rest

* SOGo doesn't support any of the ways mentioned above, if you need to modify any settings, please either use `/opt/iredmail/custom/sogo/custom.sh` to modify please read [details below](#sogo).

## SSL cert

iRedMail Easy generates self-signed ssl cert by default, cert files are stored
under `/opt/iredmail/ssl/`:

* `key.pem`: private key
* `cert.pem`: certificate
* `combined.pem`: full chain

To get rid of self-signed cert, you can either:

* [Request a free cert from Let's Encrypt](./letsencrypt.html), or
* [Use a bought SSL certificate](./use.a.bought.ssl.certificate.html).

## Passwords

* iRedMail Easy doesn't store any SQL/LDAP passwords on its deployment servers,
  instead it generates and reads from files under `/root/.iredmail/kv/` on
  __YOUR__ server to get the passwords.
* Files under `/root/.iredmail/kv/` contain only one line.
* If you changed any of them, please update files under `/root/.iredmail/kv/`
  also, so that iRedMail Easy can get correct password when you perform upgrade.

Backend | File Name | Comment | Value could be found in file
---|---|---|---
LDAP, MySQL | `sql_user_root` | MySQL root password. | `/root/.my.cnf`
PostgreSQL | `sql_user_postgres` (Linux)<br/>`sql_user__postgresql` (OpenBSD) | PostgreSQL root password. | `/var/lib/pgsql/.pgpass` (CentOS), or `/var/lib/postgresql/.pgpass` (Debian/Ubuntu), `/var/postgresql/.pgpass` (OpenBSD)
LDAP | `ldap_root_password` | Password of LDAP root dn (cn=Manager,dc=xx,dc=xx) |
LDAP | `ldap_vmail_password` | Password of LDAP dn `cn=vmail,dc=xx,dc=xx` | `/etc/postfix/ldap/*.cf`
LDAP | `ldap_vmailadmin_password` | Password of LDAP dn `cn=vmailadmin,dc=xx,dc=xx` | `/opt/www/iredadmin/settings.py`
ALL | `sql_user_vmail` | Password of SQL user `vmail` | `/etc/postfix/mysql/*.cf` or `/etc/postfix/pgsql/*.cf`
ALL | `sql_user_vmailadmin` | Password of SQL user `vmailadmin` | `/opt/www/iredadmin/settings.py`
ALL | `sql_user_amavisd` | Password of SQL user `amavisd` | `/etc/amavisd/amavisd.conf` (Linux/OpenBSD)<br>`/etc/amavis/conf.d/50-user` (Debian/Ubuntu)
ALL | `sql_user_sa_bayes` | Password of SQL user `sa_bayes` | `/etc/mail/spamassassin/local.cf`
ALL | `sql_user_iredadmin` | Password of SQL user `iredadmin` | `/opt/www/iredadmin/settings.py`
ALL | `sql_user_iredapd` | Password of SQL user `iredapd` | `/opt/iredapd/settings.py`
ALL | `sql_user_roundcube` | Password of SQL user `roundcube` | `/root/.my.cnf-roundcube` or `/opt/www/roundcubemail/config/config.inc.php`
ALL | `sql_user_sogo` | Password of SQL user `sogo` | `/etc/sogo/sogo.conf`
ALL | `sql_user_netdata` | Password of SQL user `netdata` | `/root/.my.cnf-netdata` or `/opt/netdata/etc/netdata/my.cnf`
ALL | `iredapd_srs_secret` | The secret string used to sign SRS. | `/opt/iredapd/settings.py`, parameter `srs_secrets =`.
ALL | `sogo_sieve_master_password` | The Dovecot master user used by SOGo. | `/etc/sogo/sieve.cred`.
ALL | `roundcube_des_key` | The DES key used by Roundcube to encrypt the session. | `/opt/www/roundcubemail/config/config.inc.php`, parameter `$config['des_key'] =`.
ALL | `mlmmjadmin_api_token` | API token for authentication. | `/opt/mlmmjadmin/settings.py`, parameter `api_auth_tokens =`.
ALL | `first_domain_admin_password` | Password of the mail user `postmaster@<your-domain.com>`. | `your-domain.com` is the first mail domain name you (are going to) set in mail server profile page on iRedMail Easy platform, you can find it in mail server profile page, under tab `Settings`.

## Custom settings used by software

### MariaDB

- `/opt/iredmail/custom/mysql/`:
    - All files end with `.cnf` will be loaded by Mariadb.
    - It will override existing settings defined in files under `/etc/mysql/` (Linux)
      or `/usr/local/etc/mysql/` (FreeBSD).

        Sample config file, `/opt/iredmail/custom/mysql/custom.conf`:

```
[mysqld]
max_connections     = 1024
```

### OpenLDAP

- `/opt/iredmail/custom/openldap/schema/`

    Extra LDAP schema files must be stored in this directory, owned by OpenLDAP
    daemon user and group with permission 0640.

- `/opt/iredmail/custom/openldap/conf.d/global.conf`

    Extra global settings should be stored in this file. For example, you can
    load extra LDAP schema file by adding line below:

    ```
    include /opt/iredmail/custom/openldap/schema/custom.schema
    ```

- `/opt/iredmail/custom/openldap/conf.d/databases.conf`

    OpenLDAP is configured to run one database for mail domains and accounts
    by iRedMail Easy, if you want to run extra databases, you can add database
    related settings in this file. for example:

```
database    mdb
suffix      dc=my-ldap-suffix,dc=com
directory   /var/lib/ldap/my-ldap-suffix.com

rootdn      cn=Manager,dc=my-ldap-suffix,dc=com
rootpw      {SSHA}...

sizelimit   unlimited
maxsize     2147483648
checkpoint  128 3
mode        0700

index attr_1,attr_2,attr_3  eq,pres
index attr_4,attr_5,attr_6  eq,pres
```

### Nginx

- `/opt/iredmail/custom/nginx/custom.sh`: a bash shell script for advanced
  customization. This file will be executed every time iRedMail Easy deploys /
  upgrades the Nginx.

      For example, Nginx doesn't support override existing settings by loading
      same parameter from another config file, in this case you should run `rm`
      command in this file (`custom.sh`) to remove existing config file
      generated by iRedMail Easy and store custom settings in another file.

- `/opt/iredmail/custom/nginx/conf-enabled/`: additional Nginx global settings
  used inside `http {}` block.

    - If you want to override a parameter which is already defined in
      `/etc/nginx/conf-enabled/`, please update `/opt/iredmail/custom/nginx/custom.sh`
      to remove file under `/etc/nginx/conf-enabled/` first, then write your
      own config file under `/opt/iredmail/custom/nginx/conf-enabled/` to set
      a proper value.

- `/opt/iredmail/custom/nginx/sites-conf.d/default-ssl/`: additional settings
  for default https website (inside the `server {}` block).
- `/opt/iredmail/custom/nginx/sites-enabled/`: additional virtual web hosts.
- `/opt/iredmail/custom/nginx/webapps/`: additional settings for certain web
  applications, usually used to add ACL for the web applications. Including:

    - `adminer.conf`: loaded in file `/etc/nginx/template/adminer.tmpl`.
    - `iredadmin.conf`: loaded in file `/etc/nginx/template/iredadmin.tmpl`.
    - `netdata.conf`: loaded in file `/etc/nginx/template/netdata.tmpl`.
    - `roundcube.conf`: it will be loaded in file `/etc/nginx/templates/roundcube*.tmpl`.
    - `sogo.conf`: loaded in file `/etc/nginx/template/sogo.tmpl`.
    - `php_fpm_status.conf`: loaded in file `/etc/nginx/template/php_fpm_status.tmpl`.
    - `stub_status.conf`: loaded in file `/etc/nginx/template/stub_status.tmpl`.

iRedMail uses the directory structure recommended by Debian/Ubuntu:

```
/etc/nginx/                         # all config files

        |- conf-available/          # store settings used inside Nginx `http {}` block.
                                    # Note: files under this directory are NOT
                                    #       loaded by Nginx directly.

        |- conf-enabled/            # symbol links to files under `conf-available/`.
                                    # Note: files under this directory are
                                    #       loaded by Nginx directly.

        |- sites-available/         # store virtual web host config files.
                                    # Note: files under this directory are NOT
                                    #       loaded by Nginx directly.

        |- sites-enabled/           # symbol links to files under `sites-available/`.
                                    # Note: files under this directory are
                                    #       loaded by Nginx directly.

        |- sites-conf.d/
                |- default-ssl/     # modular config files used by default
                                    # virtual web host.

/opt/iredmail/custom/nginx/         # all custom config files.
                        |- conf-available/
                        |- conf-enabled/
                        |- sites-available/
                        |- sites-enabled/
                        |- webapps/         # config snippets for certain web applications.
                        |- custom.sh        # shell script used for advanced customization
```

### Postfix

Postfix doesn't support loading main settings (`/etc/postfix/main.cf` and
`/etc/postfix/master.cf`) from multiple files, so iRedMail Easy uses alternative
solution to split core and custom settings.

- The recommended way is using script `/opt/iredmail/custom/postfix/custom.sh`,
  modifying settings in `main.cf` and `master.cf` with command `postconf -e`.
  Details will be explained later in this section.
- If you have many custom settings, you can maintain your own copy of `main.cf`
  and `master.cf` under `/opt/iredmail/custom/postfix/` directory.
    - If file `/opt/iredmail/custom/postfix/main.cf` exists, iRedMail Easy will
      create `/etc/postfix/main.cf` as symbol link to this file.
    - If file `/opt/iredmail/custom/postfix/master.cf` exists, iRedMail Easy
      will create `/etc/postfix/master.cf` as symbol link to this file.

For other settings, Postfix is configured to load files under
`/opt/iredmail/custom/postfix/` first (they store custom settings and
maintained by you), then another one from `/etc/postfix/` (maintained by
iRedMail Easy and you should __NOT__ modify them). If rule defined in first one
matches, Postfix will skip the second file.

For example, Postfix is configured to load 2 files for HELO access check:

```
smtpd_helo_restrictions =
    ...
    check_helo_access pcre:/opt/iredmail/custom/postfix/helo_access.pcre
    check_helo_access pcre:/etc/postfix/helo_access.pcre
    ...
```

- The first one, `/opt/iredmail/custom/postfix/helo_access.pcre`, is used to
  store your cusotm HELO access rules. If rule in this file matched,
  Postfix will ignore other rules defined later in same file, also the second
  file `/etc/postfix/helo_access.pcre`. So you can write rule in first file
  for new HELO access, or write same rule with different action to override the
  one defined in `/etc/postfix/helo_access.pcre`.
- `/etc/postfix/helo_access.pcre`: This file is maintained by iRedMail Easy,
  please do NOT modify it.

You can find some other files for customization under
`/opt/iredmail/custom/postfix/`. For example:

- `body_checks.pcre`
- `header_checks.pcre`
- `command_filter.pcre`
- `postscreen_access.cidr`
- ...

There's also a (Bash) shell scripting for flexible customization:
`/opt/iredmail/custom/postfix/custom.sh`. It will be ran each time you perform
deployment or upgrade through iRedMail Easy platform.

For example, to set value of parameter `enable_original_recipient` to `yes`
(defaults to `no` set in `/etc/postfix/main.cf`), you can write  command in
`/opt/iredmail/custom/postfix/custom.sh` like below:

```
postconf -e enable_original_recipient=yes
```

To add new or update existing transport settings in `/etc/postfix/master.cf`,
you can run `postconf -M` and `postconf -P` (requires Postfix-2.11 or later
releases). For example, create new transport `465` for
[SMTPS (SMTP over SSL)](./enable.smtps.html):

```
postconf -M 465/inet="465 inet n - n - - smtpd"
postconf -P "465/inet/syslog_name=postfix/smtps"
postconf -P "465/inet/smtpd_tls_wrappermode=yes"
postconf -P "465/inet/smtpd_sasl_auth_enable=yes"
postconf -P "465/inet/smtpd_client_restrictions=permit_sasl_authenticated,reject"
postconf -P "465/inet/content_filter=smtp-amavis:[127.0.0.1]:10026"
```

It will generate new lines in `/etc/postfix/master.cf` like below:

```
465 inet n - n - - smtpd
  -o syslog_name=postfix/smtps
  -o smtpd_tls_wrappermode=yes
  -o smtpd_sasl_auth_enable=yes
  -o smtpd_client_restrictions=permit_sasl_authenticated,reject
  -o content_filter=smtp-amavis:[127.0.0.1]:10026
```

For more details about `postconf` command, please check its manual page:
[postconf(1)](http://www.postfix.org/postconf.1.html).

### Dovecot

Dovecot supports loading from mulitple config files, and settings will be
overrode by the last one.

- `/opt/iredmail/custom/dovecot/conf-enabled/`: store custom Dovecot settings.
- `/opt/iredmail/custom/dovecot/custom.sh`: a bash shell script used for advanced customization
- `/opt/iredmail/custom/dovecot/dovecot.sieve`: custom global sieve rule file.

    If this file exists, iRedMail Easy will link it to
    `/var/vmail/sieve/dovecot.sieve` as global sieve rule file.

### Roundcube

#### Custom global settings

All your custom settings should be placed in
__`/opt/iredmail/custom/roundcube/custom.inc.php`__, and do __NOT__
touch main config file `/opt/www/roundcubemail/config/config.inc.php`.

#### Third-party or custom plugins

All third-party or custom plugins should be placed under __`/opt/iredmail/custom/roundcube/plugins/`__.

Plugins will be linked to `/opt/www/roundcubemail/plugins/` automatically
during iRedMail Easy deployment, but you need to create the symbol
link manually if you don't want to run another deployment.

Don't forget to enable the plugin(s) in `/opt/iredmail/custom/roundcube/custom.inc.php`.
For example:

```
$config['plugins'] = array('managesieve', 'password', 'markasjunk', 'YOUR-PLUGIN-1', 'YOUR-PLUGIN-2');
```

#### Third-party or custom skins

All third-party or custom skins should be placed under __`/opt/iredmail/custom/roundcube/skins/`__.

Skins will be linked to `/opt/www/roundcubemail/skins/` automatically
during iRedMail Easy deployment, but you need to create the symbol link
manually if you don't want to run another deployment.

To use some third-party skin as the default one for all users, append a line
in `/opt/iredmail/custom/roundcube/custom.inc.php` like below:

```
$config['skin'] = 'YOUR-SKIN-NAME';
```

#### Custom settings for official plugins

iRedMail Easy enables 3 official plugins by default:

- `password`: used by end users to change their own passwords.
- `managesieve`: used by end users to custom mail filter rules.
- `markasjunk`: used by end users to report spam or ham.

If you have custom settings for plugins enabled by iRedMail Easy, please
put the custom settings in file
`/opt/iredmail/custom/roundcube/config_<plugin_name>.inc.php`.

For example:

- For `password` plugin: `/opt/iredmail/custom/roundcube/config_password.inc.php`
- For `managesieve` plugin: `/opt/iredmail/custom/roundcube/config_managesieve.inc.php`
- For `markasjunk` plugin: `/opt/iredmail/custom/roundcube/config_markasjunk.inc.php`

#### Custom settings for official plugins but not enabled by iRedMail

If you need to enable some Roundcube official plugin which is not enabled by
iRedMail Easy:

* Add shell commands like below in `/opt/iredmail/custom/roundcube/custom.sh`
(Note: replace `<plugin>` by the real plugin name):

```
cd /opt/www/roundcubemail/plugins/<plugin>/
cp config.inc.php.dist config.inc.php
echo 'require_once "/opt/iredmail/custom/roundcube/config_<plugin>.inc.php";' >> config.inc.php
```

* Create file `/opt/iredmail/custom/roundcube/config_<plugin>.inc.php` and
  store all your custom settings in this file. __WARNING__: this file must be a
  valid php file.

This way if iRedMail Easy enables this plugin in the future, it will
successfully load your own custom settings and not mess it up.

For example, if you have custom settings for official plugin `enigma`, you
should add shell commands like below in `/opt/iredmail/custom/roundcube/custom.sh`

```
cd /opt/www/roundcubemail/plugins/engima/
cp config.inc.php.dist config.inc.php
echo 'require_once "/opt/iredmail/custom/roundcube/config_enigma.inc.php";' >> config.inc.php
```

Then put all custom settings for plugin `enigma` to
`/opt/iredmail/custom/roundcube/config_enigma.inc.php`.

### SOGo

SOGo doesn’t support directive like `include` to load extra settings
from multiple files, so you have to either maintain your own SOGo config
file (`/opt/iredmail/custom/sogo/sogo.conf`) or use the `custom.sh`
shell script to do some customization based on the config file generated by
iRedMail Easy platform.

- File `/opt/iredmail/custom/sogo/sogo.conf`

    If this file exists, `/etc/sogo/sogo.conf` will be created as a symbol link
    to this file during iRedMail Easy deployment.

- Shell script `/opt/iredmail/custom/sogo/custom.sh`

    A bash shell script for advanced customization, you can customize SOGo
    config file with shell commands organized in this file.

    This file will be ran by iRedMail Easy deployment each time it deploys
    or upgrade SOGo component.

### iRedAPD

- File `/opt/iredmail/custom/iredapd/settings.py`

    All custom settings must be stored in this file.
    It will be linked to `/opt/www/iredapd/custom_settings.py` during iRedMail
    Easy deployment or upgrade.

### iRedAdmin

- File `/opt/iredmail/custom/iredadmin/settings.py`

    All custom settings must be stored in this file.
    It will be linked to `/opt/www/iredadmin/custom_settings.py` during iRedMail
    Easy deployment or upgrade.

### Amavisd

- Store custom settings in `/opt/iredmail/custom/amavisd/amavisd.conf`.
- Store all DKIM keys under `/opt/iredmail/custom/amavisd/dkim/`.
    - Note: iRedMail Easy maintains DKIM key for primary domain, please do not
      add duplicate dkim key for primary domain in `/opt/iredmail/custom/amavisd/amavisd.conf`.

### SpamAssassin

Store custom rules in `/opt/iredmail/custom/spamassassin/custom.cf`.

### Fail2ban

- `/opt/iredmail/custom/fail2ban/jail.local`: used to override settings in
  `[DEFAULT]` section of main fail2ban config file. For example, `maxretry`, `findtime`, `bantime`,
  `ignoreip`.
- `/opt/iredmail/custom/fail2ban/custom.sh`: used for advanced customization.
  for example, if you have some new jails, you can write jail config files under
  `/opt/iredmail/custom/fail2ban/` too (you're free to create sub-folder to
  store the jail config files), then use `custom.sh` to create symbol link
  of jails you want to enable under `/etc/fail2ban/jail.d/`.

## Backup

- iRedMail Easy generates daily cron jobs to backup mail accounts and SQL/LDAP
  databases (stored under `/var/vmail/backup/` by default), but not mailboxes, you
  need to backup mailboxes yourself.
- Files under `/opt/iredmail/custom/` contain all your custom settings. If you need to
  restore a iRedMail Easy server to another one, please copy `/opt/iredmail/custom/`
  to new server first, then perform the iRedMail Easy deployment.

## References

* [Dovecot: Including config files](https://wiki.dovecot.org/ConfigFile#Including_config_files)
