Silas Snider, Blogger

Problems with postfix

This is something I’d normally post on twitter, but postfix configs don’t fit in 140 characters.

I’ve just installed postfix on Ubuntu 8.04, and run through the autoconfigurator. I also set up saslauthd, and ssl using the official walkthrough.

The output of postfix -n is:

vps# postconf -n
alias_database = hash:/etc/aliases
alias_maps = hash:/etc/aliases
append_dot_mydomain = no
biff = no
broken_sasl_auth_clients = yes
config_directory = /etc/postfix
inet_interfaces = all
inet_protocols = all
mailbox_size_limit = 0
mydestination = silassnider.com, vps.swsnider.com, localhost.swsnider.com, localhost
myhostname = silassnider.com
mynetworks = 127.0.0.0/8 [::ffff:127.0.0.0]/104 [::1]/128
myorigin = /etc/mailname
readme_directory = no
recipient_delimiter = +
relayhost =
smtp_tls_note_starttls_offer = yes
smtp_tls_security_level = may
smtp_tls_session_cache_database = btree:${data_directory}/smtp_scache
smtpd_banner = $myhostname ESMTP $mail_name (Ubuntu)
smtpd_recipient_restrictions = permit_sasl_authenticated,permit_mynetworks,reject_unauth_destination
smtpd_sasl_auth_enable = yes
smtpd_sasl_local_domain =
smtpd_sasl_security_options = noanonymous
smtpd_tls_CAfile = /etc/ssl/certs/cacert.pem
smtpd_tls_auth_only = no
smtpd_tls_cert_file = /etc/ssl/certs/smtpd.crt
smtpd_tls_key_file = /etc/ssl/private/smtpd.key
smtpd_tls_loglevel = 1
smtpd_tls_received_header = yes
smtpd_tls_security_level = may
smtpd_tls_session_cache_database = btree:${data_directory}/smtpd_scache
smtpd_tls_session_cache_timeout = 3600s
smtpd_use_tls = yes
tls_random_source = dev:/dev/urandom

The problem is this: When I try to send email to a server other than my own through the postfix daemon, it fails.

Example:

vps# telnet localhost 25
Trying 74.63.15.135...
Connected to vps.swsnider.com.
Escape character is '^]'.
220 silassnider.com ESMTP Postfix (Ubuntu)
helo silassnider.com
250 silassnider.com
mail from: root@silassnider.com
250 2.1.0 Ok
rcpt to:swsnider@gmail.com
554 5.7.1 <swsnider@gmail.com>: Relay access denied

Which I don’t think should happen — I’m not sure what’s going on, and I’m pretty sleepy, so it could be brain fog :(

Please help!

Dune (SPOILER)

WARNING: SPOILER ALERT

This post contains a spoiler for the novel Dune by Frank Herbert YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!

I’ve recently finished re-reading Dune for the umpteenth time, and I was reminded again of the subtle joke included at the top of every chapter. Located there are excerpts from books written by Princess Irulan. As you continue reading Dune, it becomes clear that this princess must have written several million volumes in order to fill the top of the chapter.

Then, you come to this passage at the end:

“See that princess standing there, so haughty and confident. They say she has pretensions of a literary nature. Let us hope she finds solace in such things; she’ll have little else.” A bitter laugh escaped Jessica. “Think on it, Chani: that princess will have the name, yet she’ll live as less than a concubine — never to know a moment of tenderness from the man to whom she’s bound. While we, Chani, we who carry the name of concubine — history will call us wives.”

Engaged!

So, most of you know by now, but for those that didn’t hear:

I got engaged!

I flew to Eugene for Memorial Day weekend in order to propose to Elisabeth. Quite the exciting time, especially as I was able to keep it a secret that I was flying in from her. You can read all about it on her blog, just wanted to mention this on my blog to fill some sadly vacant space.