summaryrefslogtreecommitdiffstats
path: root/html/virtual.5.html
blob: 7e9061efa69d5883e13d776ff55fdde04dc22e87 (plain)
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210
211
212
213
214
215
216
217
218
219
220
221
222
223
224
225
226
227
228
229
230
231
232
233
234
235
236
237
238
239
240
241
242
243
244
245
246
247
248
249
250
251
252
253
254
255
256
257
258
259
260
261
262
263
264
265
266
267
268
269
270
271
272
273
274
275
276
277
278
279
280
281
282
283
284
285
286
287
288
289
290
291
292
293
294
295
<!doctype html public "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN"
        "http://www.w3.org/TR/html4/loose.dtd">
<html> <head>
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8">
<link rel='stylesheet' type='text/css' href='postfix-doc.css'>
<title> Postfix manual - virtual(5) </title>
</head> <body> <pre>
VIRTUAL(5)                                                          VIRTUAL(5)

<b>NAME</b>
       virtual - Postfix virtual alias table format

<b>SYNOPSIS</b>
       <b>postmap /etc/postfix/virtual</b>

       <b>postmap -q "</b><i>string</i><b>" /etc/postfix/virtual</b>

       <b>postmap -q - /etc/postfix/virtual</b> &lt;<i>inputfile</i>

<b>DESCRIPTION</b>
       The  optional  <a href="virtual.5.html"><b>virtual</b>(5)</a>  alias table rewrites recipient addresses for
       all local, all virtual, and all  remote  mail  destinations.   This  is
       unlike  the  <a href="aliases.5.html"><b>aliases</b>(5)</a> table which is used only for <a href="local.8.html"><b>local</b>(8)</a> delivery.
       This feature is implemented in the  Postfix  <a href="cleanup.8.html"><b>cleanup</b>(8)</a>  daemon  before
       mail is queued.

       Virtual  aliasing  is  recursive; to terminate recursion for a specific
       address, alias that address to itself.

       The main applications of virtual aliasing are:

       <b>o</b>      To redirect mail for one address to one or more addresses.

       <b>o</b>      To implement virtual  alias  domains  where  all  addresses  are
              aliased to addresses in other domains.

              Virtual  alias  domains  are not to be confused with the virtual
              mailbox domains that are implemented with the Postfix <a href="virtual.8.html"><b>virtual</b>(8)</a>
              mail  delivery agent. With <a href="ADDRESS_CLASS_README.html#virtual_mailbox_class">virtual mailbox domains</a>, each recipi-
              ent address can have its own mailbox.

       Virtual aliasing is applied only to recipient envelope  addresses,  and
       does  not  affect message headers.  Use <a href="canonical.5.html"><b>canonical</b>(5)</a> mapping to rewrite
       header and envelope addresses in general.

       Normally, the <a href="virtual.5.html"><b>virtual</b>(5)</a> alias table is specified as a text  file  that
       serves as input to the <a href="postmap.1.html"><b>postmap</b>(1)</a> command.  The result, an indexed file
       in <b>dbm</b> or <b>db</b> format, is used for fast searching  by  the  mail  system.
       Execute  the  command  "<b>postmap  /etc/postfix/virtual</b>"  to  rebuild  an
       indexed file after changing the corresponding text file.

       When the table is provided via other means such as NIS,  LDAP  or  SQL,
       the same lookups are done as for ordinary indexed files.

       Alternatively,  the  table  can be provided as a regular-expression map
       where patterns are given as regular  expressions,  or  lookups  can  be
       directed  to a TCP-based server. In those case, the lookups are done in
       a slightly different way as described below under  "REGULAR  EXPRESSION
       TABLES" or "TCP-BASED TABLES".

<b>CASE FOLDING</b>
       The  search string is folded to lowercase before database lookup. As of
       Postfix 2.3, the search string is not case folded with  database  types
       such  as  <a href="regexp_table.5.html">regexp</a>: or <a href="pcre_table.5.html">pcre</a>: whose lookup fields can match both upper and
       lower case.

<b>TABLE FORMAT</b>
       The input format for the <a href="postmap.1.html"><b>postmap</b>(1)</a> command is as follows:

       <i>pattern address, address, ...</i>
              When <i>pattern</i> matches a mail address, replace it  by  the  corre-
              sponding <i>address</i>.

       blank lines and comments
              Empty  lines and whitespace-only lines are ignored, as are lines
              whose first non-whitespace character is a `#'.

       multi-line text
              A logical line starts with  non-whitespace  text.  A  line  that
              starts with whitespace continues a logical line.

<b>TABLE SEARCH ORDER</b>
       With  lookups  from  indexed files such as DB or DBM, or from networked
       tables such as NIS, LDAP or SQL,  each  <i>user</i>@<i>domain</i>  query  produces  a
       sequence of query patterns as described below.

       Each query pattern is sent to each specified lookup table before trying
       the next query pattern, until a match is found.

       <i>user</i>@<i>domain address, address, ...</i>
              Redirect mail for <i>user</i>@<i>domain</i> to <i>address</i>.   This  form  has  the
              highest precedence.

       <i>user address, address, ...</i>
              Redirect  mail  for  <i>user</i>@<i>site</i>  to <i>address</i> when <i>site</i> is equal to
              $<b><a href="postconf.5.html#myorigin">myorigin</a></b>, when <i>site</i> is listed in $<b><a href="postconf.5.html#mydestination">mydestination</a></b>, or when it  is
              listed in $<b><a href="postconf.5.html#inet_interfaces">inet_interfaces</a></b> or $<b><a href="postconf.5.html#proxy_interfaces">proxy_interfaces</a></b>.

              This  functionality overlaps with the functionality of the local
              <i>aliases</i>(5) database. The difference is that  <a href="virtual.5.html"><b>virtual</b>(5)</a>  mapping
              can be applied to non-local addresses.

       @<i>domain address, address, ...</i>
              Redirect  mail  for other users in <i>domain</i> to <i>address</i>.  This form
              has the lowest precedence.

              Note: @<i>domain</i> is a wild-card. With this form, the  Postfix  SMTP
              server  accepts  mail for any recipient in <i>domain</i>, regardless of
              whether that recipient exists.  This may turn your  mail  system
              into  a  backscatter  source:  Postfix  first  accepts  mail for
              non-existent recipients and then tries to return  that  mail  as
              "undeliverable" to the often forged sender address.

              To  avoid  backscatter with mail for a wild-card domain, replace
              the wild-card mapping with  explicit  1:1  mappings,  or  add  a
              <a href="postconf.5.html#reject_unverified_recipient">reject_unverified_recipient</a> restriction for that domain:

                  <a href="postconf.5.html#smtpd_recipient_restrictions">smtpd_recipient_restrictions</a> =
                      ...
                      <a href="postconf.5.html#reject_unauth_destination">reject_unauth_destination</a>
                      <a href="postconf.5.html#check_recipient_access">check_recipient_access</a>
                          <a href="DATABASE_README.html#types">inline</a>:{example.com=<a href="postconf.5.html#reject_unverified_recipient">reject_unverified_recipient</a>}
                  <a href="postconf.5.html#unverified_recipient_reject_code">unverified_recipient_reject_code</a> = 550

              In the above example, Postfix may contact a remote server if the
              recipient is aliased to a remote address.

<b>RESULT ADDRESS REWRITING</b>
       The lookup result is subject to address rewriting:

       <b>o</b>      When the result has the form @<i>otherdomain</i>,  the  result  becomes
              the  same  <i>user</i>  in  <i>otherdomain</i>.  This works only for the first
              address in a multi-address lookup result.

       <b>o</b>      When "<b><a href="postconf.5.html#append_at_myorigin">append_at_myorigin</a>=yes</b>", append "<b>@$<a href="postconf.5.html#myorigin">myorigin</a></b>" to  addresses
              without "@domain".

       <b>o</b>      When "<b><a href="postconf.5.html#append_dot_mydomain">append_dot_mydomain</a>=yes</b>", append "<b>.$<a href="postconf.5.html#mydomain">mydomain</a></b>" to addresses
              without ".domain".

<b>ADDRESS EXTENSION</b>
       When a mail address localpart contains the optional recipient delimiter
       (e.g.,  <i>user+foo</i>@<i>domain</i>),  the  lookup  order becomes: <i>user+foo</i>@<i>domain</i>,
       <i>user</i>@<i>domain</i>, <i>user+foo</i>, <i>user</i>, and @<i>domain</i>.

       The  <b><a href="postconf.5.html#propagate_unmatched_extensions">propagate_unmatched_extensions</a></b>  parameter  controls   whether   an
       unmatched address extension (<i>+foo</i>) is propagated to the result of a ta-
       ble lookup.

<b>VIRTUAL ALIAS DOMAINS</b>
       Besides virtual aliases, the virtual alias table can also  be  used  to
       implement  virtual  alias  domains.  With  a  <a href="ADDRESS_CLASS_README.html#virtual_alias_class">virtual alias domain</a>, all
       recipient addresses are aliased to addresses in other domains.

       Virtual alias domains are not to be confused with the  virtual  mailbox
       domains  that are implemented with the Postfix <a href="virtual.8.html"><b>virtual</b>(8)</a> mail delivery
       agent. With <a href="ADDRESS_CLASS_README.html#virtual_mailbox_class">virtual mailbox domains</a>, each recipient  address  can  have
       its own mailbox.

       With  a  <a href="ADDRESS_CLASS_README.html#virtual_alias_class">virtual alias domain</a>, the virtual domain has its own user name
       space. Local (i.e. non-virtual) usernames are not visible in a  virtual
       alias  domain.  In particular, local <a href="aliases.5.html"><b>aliases</b>(5)</a> and local mailing lists
       are not visible as <i>localname@virtual-alias.domain</i>.

       Support for a <a href="ADDRESS_CLASS_README.html#virtual_alias_class">virtual alias domain</a> looks like:

       /etc/postfix/<a href="postconf.5.html">main.cf</a>:
           <a href="postconf.5.html#virtual_alias_maps">virtual_alias_maps</a> = <a href="DATABASE_README.html#types">hash</a>:/etc/postfix/virtual

       Note: some systems use <b>dbm</b> databases instead of <b>hash</b>.  See  the  output
       from "<b>postconf -m</b>" for available database types.

       /etc/postfix/virtual:
           <i>virtual-alias.domain    anything</i> (right-hand content does not matter)
           <i>postmaster@virtual-alias.domain postmaster</i>
           <i>user1@virtual-alias.domain      address1</i>
           <i>user2@virtual-alias.domain      address2, address3</i>

       The <i>virtual-alias.domain anything</i> entry is required for a virtual alias
       domain. <b>Without  this  entry,  mail  is  rejected  with  "relay  access</b>
       <b>denied", or bounces with "mail loops back to myself".</b>

       Do  not specify <a href="ADDRESS_CLASS_README.html#virtual_alias_class">virtual alias domain</a> names in the <a href="postconf.5.html"><b>main.cf</a> <a href="postconf.5.html#mydestination">mydestination</a></b>
       or <b><a href="postconf.5.html#relay_domains">relay_domains</a></b> configuration parameters.

       With a <a href="ADDRESS_CLASS_README.html#virtual_alias_class">virtual alias domain</a>, the Postfix SMTP server accepts  mail  for
       <i>known-user@virtual-alias.domain</i>, and rejects mail for <i>unknown-user</i>@<i>vir-</i>
       <i>tual-alias.domain</i> as undeliverable.

       Instead of specifying the  virtual  alias  domain  name  via  the  <b><a href="postconf.5.html#virtual_alias_maps">vir</a>-</b>
       <b><a href="postconf.5.html#virtual_alias_maps">tual_alias_maps</a></b>  table,  you  may  also specify it via the <a href="postconf.5.html"><b>main.cf</a> <a href="postconf.5.html#virtual_alias_domains">vir-</b>
       <b>tual_alias_domains</a></b> configuration parameter.  This latter parameter uses
       the same syntax as the <a href="postconf.5.html"><b>main.cf</a> <a href="postconf.5.html#mydestination">mydestination</a></b> configuration parameter.

<b>REGULAR EXPRESSION TABLES</b>
       This  section  describes how the table lookups change when the table is
       given in the form of regular expressions. For a description of  regular
       expression lookup table syntax, see <a href="regexp_table.5.html"><b>regexp_table</b>(5)</a> or <a href="pcre_table.5.html"><b>pcre_table</b>(5)</a>.

       Each  pattern  is  a  regular  expression that is applied to the entire
       address being looked up. Thus, <i>user@domain</i> mail addresses are not  bro-
       ken  up  into their <i>user</i> and <i>@domain</i> constituent parts, nor is <i>user+foo</i>
       broken up into <i>user</i> and <i>foo</i>.

       Patterns are applied in the order as specified in the  table,  until  a
       pattern is found that matches the search string.

       Results  are the same as with indexed file lookups, with the additional
       feature that parenthesized substrings from the pattern can be  interpo-
       lated as <b>$1</b>, <b>$2</b> and so on.

<b>TCP-BASED TABLES</b>
       This  section  describes  how the table lookups change when lookups are
       directed  to  a  TCP-based  server.  For  a  description  of  the   TCP
       client/server  lookup  protocol,  see  <a href="tcp_table.5.html"><b>tcp_table</b>(5)</a>.   This  feature is
       available in Postfix 2.5 and later.

       Each lookup operation uses the entire address once.  Thus,  <i>user@domain</i>
       mail  addresses  are  not  broken  up  into their <i>user</i> and <i>@domain</i> con-
       stituent parts, nor is <i>user+foo</i> broken up into <i>user</i> and <i>foo</i>.

       Results are the same as with indexed file lookups.

<b>BUGS</b>
       The table format does not understand quoting conventions.

<b>CONFIGURATION PARAMETERS</b>
       The following <a href="postconf.5.html"><b>main.cf</b></a> parameters are especially relevant to this topic.
       See the Postfix <a href="postconf.5.html"><b>main.cf</b></a> file for syntax details and for default values.
       Use the "<b>postfix reload</b>" command after a configuration change.

       <b><a href="postconf.5.html#virtual_alias_maps">virtual_alias_maps</a> ($<a href="postconf.5.html#virtual_maps">virtual_maps</a>)</b>
              Optional lookup tables that alias  specific  mail  addresses  or
              domains to other local or remote addresses.

       <b><a href="postconf.5.html#virtual_alias_domains">virtual_alias_domains</a> ($<a href="postconf.5.html#virtual_alias_maps">virtual_alias_maps</a>)</b>
              Postfix  is the final destination for the specified list of vir-
              tual alias domains, that is, domains for which all addresses are
              aliased to addresses in other local or remote domains.

       <b><a href="postconf.5.html#propagate_unmatched_extensions">propagate_unmatched_extensions</a> (canonical, virtual)</b>
              What  address  lookup  tables copy an address extension from the
              lookup key to the lookup result.

       Other parameters of interest:

       <b><a href="postconf.5.html#inet_interfaces">inet_interfaces</a> (all)</b>
              The network interface addresses that this mail  system  receives
              mail on.

       <b><a href="postconf.5.html#mydestination">mydestination</a> ($<a href="postconf.5.html#myhostname">myhostname</a>, localhost.$<a href="postconf.5.html#mydomain">mydomain</a>, localhost)</b>
              The  list of domains that are delivered via the $<a href="postconf.5.html#local_transport">local_transport</a>
              mail delivery transport.

       <b><a href="postconf.5.html#myorigin">myorigin</a> ($<a href="postconf.5.html#myhostname">myhostname</a>)</b>
              The domain name that locally-posted mail appears to  come  from,
              and that locally posted mail is delivered to.

       <b><a href="postconf.5.html#owner_request_special">owner_request_special</a> (yes)</b>
              Enable  special  treatment  for  owner-<i>listname</i>  entries  in the
              <a href="aliases.5.html"><b>aliases</b>(5)</a>  file,  and  don't  split  owner-<i>listname</i>  and  <i>list-</i>
              <i>name</i>-request  address localparts when the <a href="postconf.5.html#recipient_delimiter">recipient_delimiter</a> is
              set to "-".

       <b><a href="postconf.5.html#proxy_interfaces">proxy_interfaces</a> (empty)</b>
              The network interface addresses that this mail  system  receives
              mail on by way of a proxy or network address translation unit.

<b>SEE ALSO</b>
       <a href="cleanup.8.html">cleanup(8)</a>, canonicalize and enqueue mail
       <a href="postmap.1.html">postmap(1)</a>, Postfix lookup table manager
       <a href="postconf.5.html">postconf(5)</a>, configuration parameters
       <a href="canonical.5.html">canonical(5)</a>, canonical address mapping

<b>README FILES</b>
       <a href="ADDRESS_REWRITING_README.html">ADDRESS_REWRITING_README</a>, address rewriting guide
       <a href="DATABASE_README.html">DATABASE_README</a>, Postfix lookup table overview
       <a href="VIRTUAL_README.html">VIRTUAL_README</a>, domain hosting guide

<b>LICENSE</b>
       The Secure Mailer license must be distributed with this software.

<b>AUTHOR(S)</b>
       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

                                                                    VIRTUAL(5)
</pre> </body> </html>