PROXYMAP(8)PROXYMAP(8)NAMEproxymap - Postfix lookup table proxy server
SYNOPSISproxymap [generic Postfix daemon options]
DESCRIPTION
The proxymap(8) server provides read-only table lookup service to Post‐
fix processes. The purpose of the service is:
· To overcome chroot restrictions. For example, a chrooted SMTP
server needs access to the system passwd file in order to reject
mail for non-existent local addresses, but it is not practical
to maintain a copy of the passwd file in the chroot jail. The
solution:
local_recipient_maps =
proxy:unix:passwd.byname $alias_maps
· To consolidate the number of open lookup tables by sharing one
open table among multiple processes. For example, making mysql
connections from every Postfix daemon process results in "too
many connections" errors. The solution:
virtual_alias_maps =
proxy:mysql:/etc/postfix/virtual_alias.cf
The total number of connections is limited by the number of
proxymap server processes.
The proxymap(8) server implements the following requests:
open maptype:mapname flags
Open the table with type maptype and name mapname, as controlled
by flags. The reply includes the maptype dependent flags (to
distinguish a fixed string table from a regular expression ta‐
ble).
lookup maptype:mapname flags key
Look up the data stored under the requested key. The reply is
the request completion status code (below) and the lookup result
value. The maptype:mapname and flags are the same as with the
open request.
There is no close command, nor are tables implicitly closed when a
client disconnects. The purpose is to share tables among multiple
client processes.
SERVER PROCESS MANAGEMENTproxymap(8) servers run under control by the Postfix master(8) server.
Each server can handle multiple simultaneous connections. When all
servers are busy while a client connects, the master(8) creates a new
proxymap(8) server process, provided that the process limit is not
exceeded. Each server terminates after serving at least $max_use
clients or after $max_idle seconds of idle time.
SECURITY
The proxymap(8) server opens only tables that are approved via the
proxy_read_maps configuration parameter, does not talk to users, and
can run at fixed low privilege, chrooted or not. However, running the
proxymap server chrooted severely limits usability, because it can open
only chrooted tables.
The proxymap(8) server is not a trusted daemon process, and must not be
used to look up sensitive information such as user or group IDs, mail‐
box file/directory names or external commands.
In Postfix version 2.2 and later, the proxymap client recognizes
requests to access a table for security-sensitive purposes, and opens
the table directly. This allows the same main.cf setting to be used by
sensitive and non-sensitive processes.
DIAGNOSTICS
Problems and transactions are logged to syslogd(8).
BUGS
The proxymap(8) server provides service to multiple clients, and must
therefore not be used for tables that have high-latency lookups.
CONFIGURATION PARAMETERS
On busy mail systems a long time may pass before proxymap(8) relevant
changes to main.cf are picked up. Use the command "postfix reload" to
speed up a change.
The text below provides only a parameter summary. See postconf(5) for
more details including examples.
config_directory (see 'postconf -d' output)
The default location of the Postfix main.cf and master.cf con‐
figuration files.
daemon_timeout (18000s)
How much time a Postfix daemon process may take to handle a
request before it is terminated by a built-in watchdog timer.
ipc_timeout (3600s)
The time limit for sending or receiving information over an
internal communication channel.
max_idle (100s)
The maximum amount of time that an idle Postfix daemon process
waits for the next service request before exiting.
max_use (100)
The maximal number of connection requests before a Postfix dae‐
mon process terminates.
process_id (read-only)
The process ID of a Postfix command or daemon process.
process_name (read-only)
The process name of a Postfix command or daemon process.
proxy_read_maps (see 'postconf -d' output)
The lookup tables that the proxymap(8) server is allowed to
access.
SEE ALSOpostconf(5), configuration parameters
master(5), generic daemon options
README FILES
Use "postconf readme_directory" or "postconf html_directory" to locate
this information.
DATABASE_README, Postfix lookup table overview
LICENSE
The Secure Mailer license must be distributed with this software.
HISTORY
The proxymap service was introduced with Postfix 2.0.
AUTHOR(S)
Wietse Venema
IBM T.J. Watson Research
P.O. Box 704
Yorktown Heights, NY 10598, USA
PROXYMAP(8)
