Subject: Re: Sendmail without (permanent) DNS access
To: Martin Husemann <martin@rumolt.teuto.de>
From: Marc Baudoin <Marc.Baudoin@solsoft.com>
List: current-users
Date: 10/29/1997 11:16:22
Martin Husemann <martin@rumolt.teuto.de> écrit :
> 
> My *.mc file looks like this:
> 
> ---8<---
> divert(-1)
> #
> #  HWART - forward all (even local) mail to rumolt
> #
> divert(0)
> include(`../m4/cf.m4')
> OSTYPE(bsd4.4)
> FEATURE(nodns)
> FEATURE(nocanonify)
> define(`confMESSAGE_TIMEOUT', 5d/2d)
> FEATURE(nullclient, rumolt.teuto.de)
> --->8---

I think FEATURE(nodns) does not work in modern sendmails.  It is
mentionned in the release notes or in cf/README.

> So, there simply must be a way to tell sendmail to never ever
> touch dns at all. This should be documented, in the install
> notes, in the FAQ and maybe asked for by the setup scripts, as
> many new users won't have DNS right from the start or ever at
> all.

You can use a service switch file:

define(`confSERVICE_SWITCH_FILE', `/usr/local/etc/mail/service.switch')dnl

skiff:~> cat /usr/local/etc/mail/service.switch  
hosts   files

So sendmail will only use /etc/hosts and it won't use DNS at all.

I also use:

define(`SMART_HOST', `smtp8:[mail.solsoft.com]')dnl

to send all my messages to a central mail hub so I don't have to
wait for timeouts and so on.  It works perfectly on my laptop.

> If there is no such feature, I sincereley ask for dropping
> sendmail completely.

Why?  Do you have a valid alternative?  qmail has some
interesting feature but sendmail is far beyond for most features.
Maybe Vmail when it will be out...

-- 
Marc Baudoin   -=-   <Marc.Baudoin@solsoft.com>
Security On-Line software