path: root/man/man1/postmulti.1

.TH POSTMULTI 1 
.ad
.fi
.SH NAME
postmulti
\-
Postfix multi\-instance manager
.SH "SYNOPSIS"
.na
.nf
.fi
.ti -4
\fBEnabling multi\-instance management:\fR

\fBpostmulti\fR \fB\-e init\fR [\fB\-v\fR]

.ti -4
\fBIterator mode:\fR

\fBpostmulti\fR \fB\-l\fR [\fB\-aRv\fR] [\fB\-g \fIgroup\fR]
[\fB\-i \fIname\fR]

\fBpostmulti\fR \fB\-p\fR [\fB\-av\fR] [\fB\-g \fIgroup\fR]
[\fB\-i \fIname\fR] \fIpostfix\-command...\fR

\fBpostmulti\fR \fB\-x\fR [\fB\-aRv\fR] [\fB\-g \fIgroup\fR]
[\fB\-i \fIname\fR] \fIunix\-command...\fR

.ti -4
\fBLife\-cycle management:\fR

\fBpostmulti\fR \fB\-e create\fR [\fB\-av\fR]
[\fB\-g \fIgroup\fR] [\fB\-i \fIname\fR] [\fB\-G \fIgroup\fR]
[\fB\-I \fIname\fR] [\fIparam=value\fR ...]

\fBpostmulti\fR \fB\-e import\fR [\fB\-av\fR]
[\fB\-g \fIgroup\fR] [\fB\-i \fIname\fR] [\fB\-G \fIgroup\fR]
[\fB\-I \fIname\fR] [\fBconfig_directory=\fI/path\fR]

\fBpostmulti\fR \fB\-e destroy\fR [\fB\-v\fR] \fB\-i \fIname\fR

\fBpostmulti\fR \fB\-e deport\fR [\fB\-v\fR] \fB\-i \fIname\fR

\fBpostmulti\fR \fB\-e enable\fR [\fB\-v\fR] \fB\-i \fIname\fR

\fBpostmulti\fR \fB\-e disable\fR [\fB\-v\fR] \fB\-i \fIname\fR

\fBpostmulti\fR \fB\-e assign\fR [\fB\-v\fR] \fB\-i \fIname\fR
[\fB\-I \fIname\fR] [\-G \fIgroup\fR]
.SH DESCRIPTION
.ad
.fi
The \fBpostmulti\fR(1) command allows a Postfix administrator
to manage multiple Postfix instances on a single host.

\fBpostmulti\fR(1) implements two fundamental modes of
operation.  In \fBiterator\fR mode, it executes the same
command for multiple Postfix instances.  In \fBlife\-cycle
management\fR mode, it adds or deletes one instance, or
changes the multi\-instance status of one instance.

Each mode of operation has its own command syntax. For this
reason, each mode is documented in separate sections below.
.SH "BACKGROUND"
.na
.nf
.ad
.fi
A multi\-instance configuration consists of one primary
Postfix instance, and one or more secondary instances whose
configuration directory pathnames are recorded in the primary
instance's main.cf file. Postfix instances share program
files and documentation, but have their own configuration,
queue and data directories.

Currently, only the default Postfix instance can be used
as primary instance in a multi\-instance configuration. The
\fBpostmulti\fR(1) command does not currently support a \fB\-c\fR
option to select an alternative primary instance, and exits
with a fatal error if the \fBMAIL_CONFIG\fR environment
variable is set to a non\-default configuration directory.

See the MULTI_INSTANCE_README tutorial for a more detailed
discussion of multi\-instance management with \fBpostmulti\fR(1).
.SH "ITERATOR MODE"
.na
.nf
.ad
.fi
In iterator mode, \fBpostmulti\fR performs the same operation
on all Postfix instances in turn.

If multi\-instance support is not enabled, the requested
command is performed just for the primary instance.
.PP
Iterator mode implements the following command options:
.SH "Instance selection"
.IP \fB\-a\fR
Perform the operation on all instances. This is the default.
.IP "\fB\-g \fIgroup\fR"
Perform the operation only for members of the named \fIgroup\fR.
.IP "\fB\-i \fIname\fR"
Perform the operation only for the instance with the specified
\fIname\fR.  You can specify either the instance name
or the absolute pathname of the instance's configuration
directory.  Specify "\-" to select the primary Postfix instance.
.IP \fB\-R\fR
Reverse the iteration order. This may be appropriate when
updating a multi\-instance system, where "sink" instances
are started before "source" instances.
.sp
This option cannot be used with \fB\-p\fR.
.SH "List mode"
.IP \fB\-l\fR
List Postfix instances with their instance name, instance
group name, enable/disable status and configuration directory.
.SH "Postfix\-wrapper mode"
.IP "\fB\-p \fIpostfix\-command\fR"
Invoke \fBpostfix(1)\fR to execute \fIpostfix\-command\fR.
This option implements the \fBpostfix\-wrapper\fR(5) interface.
.RS
.IP \(bu
With "start"\-like commands, "postfix check" is executed for
instances that are not enabled. The full list of commands
is specified with the postmulti_start_commands parameter.
.IP \(bu
With "stop"\-like commands, the iteration order is reversed,
and disabled instances are skipped. The full list of commands
is specified with the postmulti_stop_commands parameter.
.IP \(bu
With "reload" and other commands that require a started
instance, disabled instances are skipped. The full list of
commands is specified with the postmulti_control_commands
parameter.
.IP \(bu
With "status" and other commands that don't require a started
instance, the command is executed for all instances.
.RE
.IP
The \fB\-p\fR option can also be used interactively to
start/stop/etc.  a named instance or instance group. For
example, to start just the instances in the group "msa",
invoke \fBpostmulti\fR(1) as follows:
.RS
.IP
# postmulti \-g msa \-p start
.RE
.SH "Command mode"
.IP "\fB\-x \fIunix\-command\fR"
Execute the specified \fIunix\-command\fR for all Postfix instances.
The command runs with appropriate environment settings for
MAIL_CONFIG, command_directory, daemon_directory,
config_directory, queue_directory, data_directory,
multi_instance_name, multi_instance_group and
multi_instance_enable.
.SH "Other options"
.IP \fB\-v\fR
Enable verbose logging for debugging purposes. Multiple
\fB\-v\fR options make the software increasingly verbose.
.SH "LIFE-CYCLE MANAGEMENT MODE"
.na
.nf
.ad
.fi
With the \fB\-e\fR option \fBpostmulti\fR(1) can be used to
add or delete a Postfix instance, and to manage the
multi\-instance status of an existing instance.
.PP
The following options are implemented:
.SH "Existing instance selection"
.IP \fB\-a\fR
When creating or importing an instance, place the new
instance at the front of the secondary instance list.
.IP "\fB\-g \fIgroup\fR"
When creating or importing an instance, place the new
instance before the first secondary instance that is a
member of the specified group.
.IP "\fB\-i \fIname\fR"
When creating or importing an instance, place the new
instance before the matching secondary instance.
.sp
With other life\-cycle operations, apply the operation to
the named existing instance.  Specify "\-" to select the
primary Postfix instance.
.SH "New or existing instance name assignment"
.IP "\fB\-I \fIname\fR"
Assign the specified instance \fIname\fR to an existing
instance, newly\-created instance, or imported instance.
Instance
names other than "\-" (which makes the instance "nameless")
must start with "postfix\-".  This restriction reduces the
likelihood of name collisions with system files.
.IP "\fB\-G \fIgroup\fR"
Assign the specified \fIgroup\fR name to an existing instance
or to a newly created or imported instance.
.SH "Instance creation/deletion/status change"
.IP "\fB\-e \fIaction\fR"
"Edit" managed instances. The following actions are supported:
.RS
.IP \fBinit\fR
This command is required before \fBpostmulti\fR(1) can be
used to manage Postfix instances.  The "postmulti \-e init"
command updates the primary instance's main.cf file by
setting:
.RS
.IP
.nf
multi_instance_wrapper =
        ${command_directory}/postmulti \-p \-\-
multi_instance_enable = yes
.fi
.RE
.IP
You can set these by other means if you prefer.
.IP \fBcreate\fR
Create a new Postfix instance and add it to the
multi_instance_directories parameter of the primary instance.
The "\fB\-I \fIname\fR" option is recommended to give the
instance a short name that is used to construct default
values for the private directories of the new instance. The
"\fB\-G \fIgroup\fR" option may be specified to assign the
instance to a group, otherwise, the new instance is not a
member of any groups.
.sp
The new instance main.cf is the stock main.cf with the
parameters that specify the locations of shared files cloned
from the primary instance.  For "nameless" instances, you
should manually adjust "syslog_name" to yield a unique
"logtag" starting with "postfix\-" that will uniquely identify
the instance in the mail logs. It is simpler to assign the
instance a short name with the "\fB\-I \fIname\fR" option.
.sp
Optional "name=value" arguments specify the instance
config_directory, queue_directory and data_directory.
For example:
.RS
.IP
.nf
# postmulti \-I postfix\-mumble \e
        \-G mygroup \-e create \e
        config_directory=/my/config/dir \e
        queue_directory=/my/queue/dir \e
        data_directory=/my/data/dir
.fi
.RE
.IP
If any of these pathnames is not supplied, the program
attempts to generate the pathname by taking the corresponding
primary instance pathname, and by replacing the last pathname
component by the value of the \fB\-I\fR option.
.sp
If the instance configuration directory already exists, and
contains both a main.cf and master.cf file, \fBcreate\fR
will "import" the instance as\-is. For existing instances,
\fBcreate\fR and \fBimport\fR are identical.
.IP \fBimport\fR
Import an existing instance into the list of instances
managed by the \fBpostmulti\fR(1) multi\-instance manager.
This adds the instance to the multi_instance_directories
list of the primary instance.  If the "\fB\-I \fIname\fR"
option is provided it specifies the new name for the instance
and is used to define a default location for the instance
configuration directory (as with \fBcreate\fR above).  The
"\fB\-G \fIgroup\fR" option may be used to assign the instance
to a group. Add a "\fBconfig_directory=\fI/path\fR" argument
to override a default pathname based on "\fB\-I \fIname\fR".
.IP \fBdestroy\fR
Destroy a secondary Postfix instance. To be a candidate for
destruction an instance must be disabled, stopped and its
queue must not contain any messages. Attempts to destroy
the primary Postfix instance trigger a fatal error, without
destroying the instance.
.sp
The instance is removed from the primary instance main.cf
file's alternate_config_directories parameter and its data,
queue and configuration directories are cleaned of files
and directories created by the Postfix system. The main.cf
and master.cf files are removed from the configuration
directory even if they have been modified since initial
creation. Finally, the instance is "deported" from the list
of managed instances.
.sp
If other files are present in instance private directories,
the directories may not be fully removed, a warning is
logged to alert the administrator. It is expected that an
instance built using "fresh" directories via the \fBcreate\fR
action will be fully removed by the \fBdestroy\fR action
(if first disabled). If the instance configuration and queue
directories are populated with additional files (access and
rewriting tables, chroot jail content, etc.) the instance
directories will not be fully removed.
.sp
The \fBdestroy\fR action triggers potentially dangerous
file removal operations. Make sure the instance's data,
queue and configuration directories are set correctly and
do not contain any valuable files.
.IP \fBdeport\fR
Deport a secondary instance from the list of managed
instances. This deletes the instance configuration directory
from the primary instance's multi_instance_directories list,
but does not remove any files or directories.
.IP \fBassign\fR
Assign a new instance name or a new group name to the
selected instance.  Use "\fB\-G \-\fR" to specify "no group"
and "\fB\-I \-\fR" to specify "no name".  If you choose to
make an instance "nameless", set a suitable syslog_name in
the corresponding main.cf file.
.IP \fBenable\fR
Mark the selected instance as enabled. This just sets the
multi_instance_enable parameter to "yes" in the instance's
main.cf file.
.IP \fBdisable\fR
Mark the selected instance as disabled. This means that
the instance will not be started etc. with "postfix start",
"postmulti \-p start" and so on. The instance can still be
started etc. with "postfix \-c config\-directory start".
.SH "Other options"
.IP \fB\-v\fR
Enable verbose logging for debugging purposes. Multiple
\fB\-v\fR options make the software increasingly verbose.
.RE
.SH "ENVIRONMENT"
.na
.nf
.ad
.fi
The \fBpostmulti\fR(1) command exports the following environment
variables before executing the requested \fIcommand\fR for a given
instance:
.IP \fBMAIL_VERBOSE\fR
This is set when the \-v command\-line option is present.
.IP \fBMAIL_CONFIG\fR
The location of the configuration directory of the instance.
.SH "CONFIGURATION PARAMETERS"
.na
.nf
.ad
.fi
.IP "\fBconfig_directory (see 'postconf -d' output)\fR"
The default location of the Postfix main.cf and master.cf
configuration files.
.IP "\fBdaemon_directory (see 'postconf -d' output)\fR"
The directory with Postfix support programs and daemon programs.
.IP "\fBimport_environment (see 'postconf -d' output)\fR"
The list of environment parameters that a privileged Postfix
process will import from a non\-Postfix parent process, or name=value
environment overrides.
.IP "\fBmulti_instance_directories (empty)\fR"
An optional list of non\-default Postfix configuration directories;
these directories belong to additional Postfix instances that share
the Postfix executable files and documentation with the default
Postfix instance, and that are started, stopped, etc., together
with the default Postfix instance.
.IP "\fBmulti_instance_group (empty)\fR"
The optional instance group name of this Postfix instance.
.IP "\fBmulti_instance_name (empty)\fR"
The optional instance name of this Postfix instance.
.IP "\fBmulti_instance_enable (no)\fR"
Allow this Postfix instance to be started, stopped, etc., by a
multi\-instance manager.
.IP "\fBpostmulti_start_commands (start)\fR"
The \fBpostfix\fR(1) commands that the \fBpostmulti\fR(1) instance manager treats
as "start" commands.
.IP "\fBpostmulti_stop_commands (see 'postconf -d' output)\fR"
The \fBpostfix\fR(1) commands that the \fBpostmulti\fR(1) instance manager treats
as "stop" commands.
.IP "\fBpostmulti_control_commands (reload flush)\fR"
The \fBpostfix\fR(1) commands that the \fBpostmulti\fR(1) instance manager
treats as "control" commands, that operate on running instances.
.IP "\fBsyslog_facility (mail)\fR"
The syslog facility of Postfix logging.
.IP "\fBsyslog_name (see 'postconf -d' output)\fR"
A prefix that is prepended to the process name in syslog
records, so that, for example, "smtpd" becomes "prefix/smtpd".
.PP
Available in Postfix 3.0 and later:
.IP "\fBmeta_directory (see 'postconf -d' output)\fR"
The location of non\-executable files that are shared among
multiple Postfix instances, such as postfix\-files, dynamicmaps.cf,
and the multi\-instance template files main.cf.proto and master.cf.proto.
.IP "\fBshlib_directory (see 'postconf -d' output)\fR"
The location of Postfix dynamically\-linked libraries
(libpostfix\-*.so), and the default location of Postfix database
plugins (postfix\-*.so) that have a relative pathname in the
dynamicmaps.cf file.
.SH "FILES"
.na
.nf
$meta_directory/main.cf.proto, stock configuration file
$meta_directory/master.cf.proto, stock configuration file
$daemon_directory/postmulti\-script, life\-cycle helper program
.SH "SEE ALSO"
.na
.nf
postfix(1), Postfix control program
postfix\-wrapper(5), Postfix multi\-instance API
.SH "README FILES"
.na
.nf
.ad
.fi
Use "\fBpostconf readme_directory\fR" or "\fBpostconf
html_directory\fR" to locate this information.
.nf
.na
MULTI_INSTANCE_README, Postfix multi\-instance management
.SH HISTORY
.ad
.fi
.ad
.fi
The \fBpostmulti\fR(1) command was introduced with Postfix
version 2.6.
.SH "LICENSE"
.na
.nf
.ad
.fi
The Secure Mailer license must be distributed with this software.
.SH "AUTHOR(S)"
.na
.nf
Victor Duchovni
Morgan Stanley

Wietse Venema
IBM T.J. Watson Research
P.O. Box 704
Yorktown Heights, NY 10598, USA

Wietse Venema
Google, Inc.
111 8th Avenue
New York, NY 10011, USA