Using IMAPd to send emails?

[Gregg Berkholtz]

On Fri, Jun 10, 2005 at 12:04:45AM +0200, Andrzej Adam Filip wrote:
> Gregg Berkholtz wrote:
> >This topic doesn't seem to be covered in the docs, FAQ, Wiki, mailing
> >list searches, or Google - so please forgive me if it's a FAQ...
> >
> >Many environments are seeing a steady increase in attachment sizes,
> >and hence are encountering growing issues associated with uploading
> >multi-megabyte emails twice (once as an SMTP message, and another as an
> >IMAP upload to the user's sent folder). 
> >
> >Some of my environments have users growing impatient with the time it
> >takes to upload sent emails, when "...opening emails/attachments take
> >half as long as sending them...".  We're seeking ways to minimize sent
> >message upload times for users not only on dialup, and low-upload-speed
> >broadband, but also for users on high upload/download speed links.
> >
> >One possibility being considered is eliminating the need for SMTP
> >uploads from the client. Though without the client sending SMTP
> >messages, we need a way for the client to "ask" the IMAP daemon to
> >copy/pass the already uploaded message into a nearby SMTP engine for
> >further transmission.  Does this functionality exist within Cyrus?
> >
> >Of-course something like this would require client-side support as well,
> >though there's no point in seeking client-side support if the server
> >and/or protocols can/will not support such functionality.
> 
> Sending "via IMAP" would require cooperation of client MUA.
> It may be easier to arrange making MTA deliver copies of sent messages 
> to "Sent" folder.
> 
> Which MTA do you use?
>

Exim versions 3.x and 4.x

MUA cooperation is a very valid concern - as I've yet to see anything
which hints towards such functionality. Though the thought of using the
MTA is very interesting:
 1) Is it possible to retain BCC information?
 2) What could sieve look for if/when deciding to store the message in
    the user's sent folder? Maybe the "From" header and SMTP AUTH
    details added by the MTA to the "Received" header?

Gregg

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