1

Topic: Backup mail inboxes

==== Required information ====
- iRedMail version (check /etc/iredmail-release):
- Linux/BSD distribution name and version:
- Store mail accounts in which backend (LDAP/MySQL/PGSQL):
- Web server (Apache or Nginx):
- Manage mail accounts with iRedAdmin-Pro?
- Related log if you're reporting an issue:
====

Good day!

I would like to ask for your help on how to backup mail inboxes. I already read the guide on how to backup and restore but it is only for mail accounts.

Kindly help.

Thanks!

----

Spider Email Archiver: On-Premises, lightweight email archiving software developed by iRedMail team. Supports Amazon S3 compatible storage and custom branding.

2

Re: Backup mail inboxes

justasking wrote:

==== Required information ====
- iRedMail version (check /etc/iredmail-release):
- Linux/BSD distribution name and version:
- Store mail accounts in which backend (LDAP/MySQL/PGSQL):
- Web server (Apache or Nginx):
- Manage mail accounts with iRedAdmin-Pro?
- Related log if you're reporting an issue:
====

Good day!

I would like to ask for your help on how to backup mail inboxes. I already read the guide on how to backup and restore but it is only for mail accounts.

Kindly help.

Thanks!

You can recursively copy the contents of /var/vmail/vmail1 which contains the mailboxes.
I use rsync to send to a different server.

rsync -av --rsh=ssh /var/vmail offsite.hostname:/backup

3

Re: Backup mail inboxes

lkgboater71 wrote:
justasking wrote:

==== Required information ====
- iRedMail version (check /etc/iredmail-release):
- Linux/BSD distribution name and version:
- Store mail accounts in which backend (LDAP/MySQL/PGSQL):
- Web server (Apache or Nginx):
- Manage mail accounts with iRedAdmin-Pro?
- Related log if you're reporting an issue:
====

Good day!

I would like to ask for your help on how to backup mail inboxes. I already read the guide on how to backup and restore but it is only for mail accounts.

Kindly help.

Thanks!

You can recursively copy the contents of /var/vmail/vmail1 which contains the mailboxes.
I use rsync to send to a different server.

rsync -av --rsh=ssh /var/vmail offsite.hostname:/backup

So I need to back up first the mail accounts, and then backup the contents of /var/vmail?

Can I ask how do you open your backup mail inboxes? Do I just need to put it on /var/vmail again?

4

Re: Backup mail inboxes

The path to mailbox is defined in SQL database (vmail.mailbox), it must match the real mailbox which is stored on file system.

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Re: Backup mail inboxes

ZhangHuangbin wrote:

The path to mailbox is defined in SQL database (vmail.mailbox), it must match the real mailbox which is stored on file system.

I already found the path of mailboxes.

Is there any way to read the emails itself?

6

Re: Backup mail inboxes

justasking wrote:

Is there any way to read the emails itself?

What do you mean "read the emails itself"?
Email message is a plain text file, you can read it with 'less', 'cat', etc.

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Re: Backup mail inboxes

ZhangHuangbin wrote:
justasking wrote:

Is there any way to read the emails itself?

What do you mean "read the emails itself"?
Email message is a plain text file, you can read it with 'less', 'cat', etc.

Sorry I didn't make it clear.

I installed phpMyAdmin to look for the path of Mailboxes. What I want to ask is there any way to read the mails on phpMyAdmin, or even export them?

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Re: Backup mail inboxes

Hello justasking,

I think not because as Zhang told you, the mails are not stored inside the database, they are stored in plain text file in /var/vmail/vmail1

Also If that could help you, I wrote a small program on windows that used WinSCP to automaticly make a differential backup of everything needed to restore iredmail from sratch.

9

Re: Backup mail inboxes

Neutro wrote:

Hello justasking,

I think not because as Zhang told you, the mails are not stored inside the database, they are stored in plain text file in /var/vmail/vmail1

Also If that could help you, I wrote a small program on windows that used WinSCP to automaticly make a differential backup of everything needed to restore iredmail from sratch.

That program would be definitely helpful for users who are not really familiar with iRedmail. But is it for free?