How To Install PostfixAdmin on Rocky Linux 9

In this tutorial, we will show you how to install PostfixAdmin on Rocky Linux 9. Managing an email server can be a daunting task, especially when it comes to ensuring that everything runs smoothly and securely. PostfixAdmin is a powerful web-based management tool for Postfix, allowing administrators to manage email accounts, domains, and aliases easily. This guide will walk you through the process of installing PostfixAdmin on Rocky Linux 9, providing step-by-step instructions, troubleshooting tips, and additional resources to help you succeed.

Prerequisites

Before diving into the installation of PostfixAdmin, ensure that your server environment meets the following prerequisites:

• A server running Rocky Linux 9.
• Root or sudo privileges to perform administrative tasks.
• A valid domain name with appropriate DNS records pointing to your server.
• Installed packages: Postfix, Dovecot, MariaDB, and PHP.

By confirming these prerequisites, you set a solid foundation for a successful installation.

Step 1: Setting Up the Environment

Update System Packages

The first step in preparing your system is to ensure all packages are up-to-date. Open your terminal and run the following command:

sudo dnf update

This command updates all installed packages to their latest versions, which is crucial for security and stability.

Install Required Software

You will need to install several software components required by PostfixAdmin:

• Postfix: The mail transfer agent.
• Dovecot: The IMAP/POP3 server for retrieving emails.
• MariaDB: The database management system for storing configurations and user data.

Install these packages using the following commands:

sudo dnf install postfix dovecot mariadb-server

Start and Enable Services

After installation, start and enable the necessary services so they run automatically on boot:

sudo systemctl start postfix
sudo systemctl enable postfix
sudo systemctl start dovecot
sudo systemctl enable dovecot
sudo systemctl start mariadb
sudo systemctl enable mariadb

This ensures that your mail services are always available after a reboot.

Step 2: Configuring MariaDB

Secure MariaDB Installation

The next step is to secure your MariaDB installation. Run the following command to initiate the security script:

sudo mysql_secure_installation

This script will prompt you to set a root password, remove anonymous users, disallow remote root login, and remove test databases. Follow the prompts to enhance your database security.

Create Database and User for PostfixAdmin

You need to create a database specifically for PostfixAdmin. Log in to MariaDB with the following command:

sudo mysql -u root -p

Once logged in, execute the following SQL commands:

CREATE DATABASE postfixadmin;
CREATE USER 'postfixadmin'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'your_password';
GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON postfixadmin.* TO 'postfixadmin'@'localhost';
FLUSH PRIVILEGES;
EXIT;

This creates a dedicated database and user for PostfixAdmin with full privileges over that database.

Step 3: Installing PostfixAdmin

Download PostfixAdmin

The next step is to download the latest version of PostfixAdmin. You can use wget for this purpose. First, navigate to your web directory:

cd /var/www/html/

Then download the latest release from GitHub:

wget https://github.com/postfixadmin/postfixadmin/archive/refs/tags/postfixadmin-3.3.10.tar.gz

Extract and Move Files

Once the download is complete, extract the files using tar:

tar -xzf postfixadmin-3.3.10.tar.gz
mv postfixadmin-postfixadmin-3.3.10 postfixadmin
rm postfixadmin-3.3.10.tar.gz

Set Permissions

You must set appropriate permissions for the web server to access PostfixAdmin files:

chown -R apache:apache /var/www/html/postfixadmin
chmod -R 755 /var/www/html/postfixadmin

Step 4: Configuring Apache for PostfixAdmin

Install Apache Web Server

If you haven’t already installed Apache, do so now with the following command:

sudo dnf install httpd

Configure Virtual Host for PostfixAdmin

Create a new configuration file for PostfixAdmin in Apache’s configuration directory:

sud nano /etc/httpd/conf.d/postfixadmin.conf

Add the following configuration settings:

<VirtualHost *:80>
    ServerName yourdomain.com
    DocumentRoot /var/www/html/postfixadmin

    <Directory /var/www/html/postfixadmin>
        AllowOverride All
        Require all granted
    </Directory>
    
    ErrorLog /var/log/httpd/postfixadmin-error.log
    CustomLog /var/log/httpd/postfixadmin-access.log combined
</VirtualHost>

Enable and Start Apache

The final step in configuring Apache is enabling and starting the service:

sudo systemctl start httpd
sudo systemctl enable httpd

Step 5: Configuring PHP for PostfixAdmin

Install Required PHP Modules

Your server needs specific PHP modules for optimal performance of PostfixAdmin. Install them using Remi repository as follows:

sudo dnf install epel-release
sudo dnf install https://rpms.remirepo.net/enterprise/remi-release-9.rpm
sudo dnf module reset php
sudo dnf module enable php:remi-8.0
sudo dnf install php php-mysqlnd php-mbstring php-xml php-json php-curl

Edit PHP Configuration

Edit your PHP configuration file located at `/etc/php.ini` to adjust settings such as memory limit and upload size as needed. For example:

memory_limit = 128M
upload_max_filesize = 20M
post_max_size = 20M
date.timezone = "America/New_York"
error_reporting = E_ALL & ~E_NOTICE & ~E_DEPRECATED & ~E_STRICT
display_errors = Off
log_errors = On
error_log = /var/log/php_errors.log

Step 6: Finalizing PostfixAdmin Configuration

Accessing PostfixAdmin Setup Page

Your installation should now be accessible via a web browser at `http://yourdomain.com/setup.php`. Open this URL in your browser.

Complete Installation Wizard

The setup page will guide you through configuring PostfixAdmin. Fill in the required fields such as database connection details (database name, user, password) that you created earlier.

Setting Up Admin User

Create an admin user during this setup process; this user will manage email accounts and domains through the PostfixAdmin interface. Ensure that you choose a strong password for security purposes.

Troubleshooting Tips

• If you encounter issues accessing PostfixAdmin, check your firewall settings to ensure that HTTP (port 80) is open.
• If Apache fails to start, review the configuration files for syntax errors using `apachectl configtest`.
• If PHP errors occur, check `/var/log/php_errors.log` for detailed error messages that can help diagnose issues.
• If you cannot connect to MariaDB, verify that your credentials are correct and that MariaDB is running properly.
• If changes do not appear on the web interface after editing configuration files, clear your browser cache or try accessing from an incognito window.

Congratulations! You have successfully installed PostfixAdmin. Thanks for using this tutorial for installing the latest version of PostfixAdmin on Rocky Linux 9. For additional help or useful information, we recommend you check the official PostfixAdmin website.