open source email server

[SLEE]

I am looking for an email server to run on perferably windows server or linux server.
i need to be able to allow a client to login and have the ability to add their own email addresses and view their emails via webmail as well as on their own machine.

Any ideas on any software i could use?

I have checked out the pricing for using something like Plesk or Cpanel with squirrel mail but the costs are quite high.

[spannaa]

hMailServer is worth a look.

The next version (hMailServer 5.4) will be released as open source (as were all pre v5 versions).

[SLEE]

I was looking at that but will that allow a client to add their own email address ?

[spannaa]

Can you clarify what you mean by "allow a client to add their own email address"

If want clients to be able to open new email accounts then yes - there's a couple of PHP scripts available on the hMailServer forums that'll do this.

[suedenem]

£~265/yr doesn't seem that much for what cPanel offers (including self-service for your clients)?

Setting, securing and maintaining an email server is probably more hassle than its worth if it's not one of your core services.  If you want go down this route, do you know your SPF from your IMAP?  Would you know how to go about installing and configuring server-side spam filters and AV when you client (inevitably) demands them?  Do you want the hassle of supporting the client when they want to set up an alias rather than POP3 account?  Are email headers like a second language - would you be able to diagnose why an email didn't reach the intended recipient, or work out why your server misconfiguration has led to your client's domain to be blacklisted?

(You may well be equipped for all this.  Just playing devil's advocate).

If you're still up for installing a mail server, you could look at the Enterprise Open Source thread - Zimbra might do the job.

Alternatively, save the hassle and look at hosted exchange services, and let someone else worry about config, etc.

[SLEE]

hmail sounds good i will have a dig around the forums for that script.

With the cpanel route i would much prefer to use it but to install it on the current server it will cause problesm with the existing sites same with plesk.
we looked into a cheap cloud hosting to use it for email but the plesk license or cpanel license and hosting costs are too much for what we need right now.

I know a bit about ther email stuff but we have giys here that will sort it all out we need this solution for one clietn for now so we need to keep the costs down.

[spannaa]

hmail sounds good i will have a dig around the forums for that script.

It's here.

[SLEE]

excellent thanks for link