SmarterMail HA

Question asked by Oliver - 5/26/2025 at 2:51 AM

Answered

Hello,

my question relates to the last blog entry regarding SmarterMail HA.

Is SmarterMail HA another paid feature of SM OnPrem to make it cluster capable?

Or is SmarterMail HA a separate cloud solution hosted by SmarterTools?

Regards

Oliver

12 Replies

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Jack. Replied

5/26/2025 at 8:42 AM

A very simple way that could be applied is if SmarterMail had API to import and export EML files, we could synchronize EML files

We could keep multiple SmarterMail servers synchronized without relying on a single server. Currently, this isn't possible because all emails are stored in a .gpr file. If we have an API to export and import EML emails, then we could synchronize them between servers.

Oliver Replied

5/26/2025 at 8:56 AM

Hello,

with my question I wanted to find out whether SM is now also going its own way into the cloud or whether this is a useful OnPrem extension.

After 25 years, I have become very cautious when a software provider goes down the path of offering its software itself as a cloud solution. There are many negative examples of where this has led.

To avoid much speculation, I was hoping for a timely response from ST.

Regards

Oliver

Jack. Replied

5/26/2025 at 9:13 AM

If you need a response from Smartermail then you should write them a ticket.

Oliver Replied

5/26/2025 at 9:14 AM

I wrote it here because I thought it might interest others.

Derek Curtis Replied

5/26/2025 at 9:11 PM

Employee Post Marked As Answer

Hi, Oliver

SmarterMail HA is not a hosted solution offered by us but essentially a new version/Edition of SmarterMail. SmarterMail Enterprise as it is today offers failover capabilities. SmarterMail HA will be a new licensing model for both hubs and nodes. So, to answer your question:

Is SmarterMail HA another paid feature of SM OnPrem to make it cluster capable? Yes.

Derek Curtis

CCO

SmarterTools Inc.

www.smartertools.com

Oliver Replied

5/26/2025 at 10:22 PM

Hello Derek,

Thank you for your reply.

Now I'm reassured!

Best regards

Oliver

CLEBER SAAD Replied

5/28/2025 at 4:55 AM

Hello,

This is a long-awaited configuration for us, using Smartermail in cluster mode just like postfix+dovecot works. Our only concern is a possible corruption of the .GRP files. Is there any safety mode to prevent this from happening?

Gerardo Altman Replied

6/11/2025 at 5:27 AM

Hi All

May I ask does this work like exchange on stand alone nodes with logging and syncing between nodes?

Or is there still a dependency on shared storage?

""Cheers

Matt Petty Replied

6/11/2025 at 7:23 AM

Employee Post

Nodes will be assigned a mount that they should use. Your nodes can have individual mounts along with the commands to mount and unmount the drive. SM will automatically perform these duties when it runs, or in the HA environment when we fail over, we will spin that machine down (if its running), and spin a backup server up with the same mount configuration (containing domain/user/logs, etc)
The only shared storage (that can have multiple reader/writers) will be the Hub servers that sit in front, those store some very basic cluster information that is synchronized (by your shared storage and our networking layer) with the other hubs. Should be plenty more information and guides coming soon.

Matt Petty

Senior Software Developer

SmarterTools Inc.

www.smartertools.com

Gabriele Maoret - SERSIS Replied

6/11/2025 at 8:27 AM

From what I understand, this all seems to be based on a third-party shared storage.

The phrase "Nodes will be assigned a mount that they will use" from what I understand means that I need a mount point (I think a network) where the data will be stored, so I definitely call it shared storage.

It is not specified if the "mount" is an "external storage system" (from a third-party provider like a SMB share, a SAN or some other system) or if SmarterMail creates and manages one somehow on its own.

If not, can you explain how it would work otherwise?

Is there a sort of integrated distributed HA storage cluster system built in with data redundancy, synchronization (possibly real time) and data integrity checking of all user databases on different Smarter Mail SERVERS?

Gabriele Maoret - Head of SysAdmins and CISO at SERSIS

Currently manages 7 SmarterMail installations (1 in the cloud for SERSIS which provides services to a few hundred third-party email domains + 6 on-premise for customers who prefer to have their mail server in-house)

Matt Petty Replied

6/11/2025 at 9:11 AM

Employee Post

It's based on a filepath thats local to the machine and a command that gets run when we run and a command that gets run when we shut down, you would theoretically mount and unmount using whatever mechanism you wish. It's not shared in the essence that different SM's are accessing the same folder, this is not the case, each SM will have its own partition, filepath, mount, however you decide to set it up. I'll let our upcoming information explain HA setups in more detail.

(PS. Our recently added Volume Mounts feature is what this system I'm talking about is, available right now per-server, HA will utilize this system)

Matt Petty

Senior Software Developer

SmarterTools Inc.

www.smartertools.com

Gerardo Altman Replied

6/11/2025 at 3:22 PM

@Matt Thanks for the explanation.

The reason for my question is that shared storage like a San or Nas is an antiquated concept for HA and it has its own issues to deal with.

Not having a reliance on San or Nas as a shared storage medium is the preferred modern way (distributed file system/ replication) for improved uptime.

What I'm asking here is do we need to use shared storage like a San or Nas to achieve HA as this was the previous requirement?

Will the new HA also work with Linux as this is our prefered OS.

""Cheers

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