Transferring Mailboxes Contents

[Mlima]

Hi friends:

I am transfering several Domains from one server to another one, both running Linux. The former is something
"black box" for me, but I found out they use Apache 1.3.12 and that the mailboxes are at /var/spool/mail.
The new one runs Linux Mandrake 7.2 with its whole distribution package.

At these several Domains I have hundreds of mailboxes, and I'm sure you already got the point: how to
transfer, in the easiest way, all these mailboxes to the new server so that it is transparent to the
users? Is there any program or procedure I could use, or the only way is to ask these mailboxes' owners
to empty them before changing the servers?

I thank any of you a lot for this,

Mario Lima./

 

[GunJack]

I don't think you'll have any problems just copying the mailboxes over as they're just files. I would setup a test mailbox on the "blackbox" and send it a number of messages including ones with various attachements and such. Then copy it over to the new machine and send more messages and attachments. Then check the account and see if all the mail downloads fine. The only problem I could see is if the two boxes use different mailers/delivery agents that have incompatible formats but I don't think this will be the case as the formats should be pretty standard.

If the test goes well, I would shut down the smtp service on the "blackbox" and start copying the files over. If there are any problems, you still have all the original accounts on the older server.

Good luck,
GJ