A student group associated with a humanitarian university has control over an FTP server, a forum database, and three websites under one main domain and three subdomains.

 Although they have experience with forums and websites, they have never set up mailers before and require assistance from the system administrator. They are seeking guidance on what they need to request in order to create a mailer box, including an engine that closely resembles Gmail. However, the university will not support external services like Gmail as they already have their own mail server.
Despite finding resources on how to install Gmail and other mail services, they have not found a suitable solution.

Let's start with some basic questions:
Can you provide your domain name DNS?
Do you have the necessary access to modify it?
Why do you want a mailbox on your domain? Why doesn't the university arrange one?

The steps required to set up a mail server involve acquiring a server with an actual IP address and installing necessary software for SMTP reception and POP3/IMAP mail retrieval by users. A WWW-interface for mail is not essential.

As for whether or not the university can provide mail services for your domain, that would be a question for them. It would depend on their level of expertise with the software involved, as well as their willingness to provide such services.

To register an email address, you will need to create a regular mailbox on Mail.ru and connect your domain to their free business platform. This can be done by entering your domain in the provided field and clicking the "Connect" button. Afterward, you must complete the following five steps:

1. Domain Confirmation
2. Setting up an MX Record
3. Adding an SPF record
4. Adding a DKIM signature
5. Adding a new user

To confirm your domain, you must choose one of four methods: DNS verification, HTML file, meta tag, or DNS migration. These methods vary in complexity and requirements. For example, DNS verification is simple but requires access to edit DNS records, while HTML file and meta tag require website modification.

If you choose DNS migration, you will be required to transfer DNS records to Mail.ru servers, which will allow you to add MX, SPF, and DKIM records for Mail.ru mail in one step. However, this method should only be chosen if you are prepared to transfer DNS from your previous hosting and can make changes to DNS records in case of problems.

It is important to note that the DNS verification and HTML file confirmation methods may take time to update, and you may need to repeat the check after a while.

Once domain confirmation has been completed, you can proceed to configure the MX record and other settings for Mail.ru mail.

To create an email account on your domain, there are typically five necessary steps that cannot be skipped. These steps include:

Step 1: Domain Confirmation - This step involves confirming your corporate domain name to personalize the mailbox and avoid using a generic one like "google.com". A separate instruction will guide you through the confirmation process.

Step 2: Adding an MX Record - An MX record is an entry that points to the server that processes mail. Before adding one, you first need to choose which mail service you want to use and make sure no conflicts arise.

Step 3: Adding an SPF Record - This entry specifies the servers from which mail messages can be sent to reduce the risk of appearing as spam and increase security. Systems check for spam based on the SFP record.

Step 4: Adding a DKIM Signature - This signature proves the authenticity of the sender and prevents scam bots from sending fraudulent messages. Such messages are automatically placed in the inbox.

Step 5: Adding Users - This final step involves adding employees to the mail network, assigning them unique login details and their own passwords.

When creating a corporate mail account, it is important to choose tariffs that allow for modern business practices and meet all corporate needs. Basic mail may not suffice, even with proper configuration. Therefore, choosing the right system and creating employee accounts in the right location is crucial to save costs and time.

Quote from: lalmazl on Jul 05, 2022, 08:35 AMA student organization, a purely humanitarian university, has access to an FTP server, a database for a forum and three organization sites on one domain and 3 subdomains.
I have never deployed mailers and have no idea how to do it. I have some experience with forums  and sites.

What do I need to request from the system administrator to create a mailer box?
And what else is needed: an engine and everything like that to the smallest detail (it is desirable that it be very close to Gmail, if possible. )
If it is not very different from the others, I'll figure it out myself.
The university refuses to support the domain with external services such as Gmail and the like, because they have their own mail server.

PS Found only all sorts of ways to install mail on Gmail and a list of mail services for dummies.

If your question is still relevant, I can report the following. The domain administrator can not only register any mail address of the info@companyname mail type that is convenient for him. or sales@companyname. but also get direct access to data on an already existing address. This is extremely important in terms of information security.

In this case, since the university already has its own mail server, there is no need to set up an external mail service like Gmail. You can leverage the existing mail server to create a mailer box for your student group.

To set up a mailer box that closely resembles Gmail, you'll need to request the following from the system administrator:

1. SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol) access: This is necessary to send outgoing emails from your mailer box. Ensure that you have the required credentials, such as the SMTP server address, port number, username, and password.

2. IMAP (Internet Message Access Protocol) or POP3 (Post Office Protocol 3) access: This allows you to receive incoming emails on your mailer box. Again, obtain the necessary credentials, including the IMAP or POP3 server address, port number, username, and password.

3. Webmail interface: Request a web-based interface that allows users to access their emails through a web browser. This will provide a user-friendly experience similar to Gmail's interface.

Once you have these details from the system administrator, you can proceed with setting up the mailer box. You'll need to configure an email client, such as Mozilla Thunderbird or Microsoft Outlook, to connect to the university's mail server using the provided SMTP/IMAP/POP3 settings. Additionally, you may need to set up DNS records to ensure that your mail server is properly configured for sending and receiving emails.

additional steps you may need to take when setting up the mailer box for your student group:

1. DNS Configuration: Ensure that the necessary DNS records are set up correctly for your mail server. This typically involves creating MX (Mail Exchange) records that specify the mail server's address responsible for handling incoming emails. Consult with your system administrator or IT support to properly configure the DNS settings.

2. SSL/TLS Encryption: Determine if your mail server supports encrypted connections using SSL/TLS protocols. If so, ensure that you enable this feature to secure the communication between your mail clients and the server.

3. Authentication: Set up authentication mechanisms such as SMTP authentication or STARTTLS to ensure that only authorized users can send emails through the mail server. You may need to provide additional credentials or configure specific settings on your email clients to authenticate with the server.

4. Storage and Backup: Discuss storage options with your system administrator to determine how emails will be stored and backed up. It's important to have a system in place to protect against data loss and ensure the reliability of your mailer box.

5. Spam Filtering and Security: Consider implementing spam filtering mechanisms and security measures to protect your mail server from potential threats and ensure that unwanted emails are filtered out effectively.