multiserver - question...

[djcart]

Hello! I am in the process of configuring another server, which I want to connect to the current one using the multi-server option. I am wondering if it's possible for client account logins (regardless of the server) to occur from a single link, for example, my-server.com:2222, and also for Roundcube email logins to be conducted from just one URL.

 

[Richard G]

and also for Roundcube email logins to be conducted from just one URL.

You are confusing multi-server with redundant server.

The multi-server setup is not a redundant setup. It's just either another DA server or for example some 3rd party tool like Directslave, to have redundant DNS only.
In case it's another DA server, this one can be used as both DA server normally and as redundant DNS (multi-server) for the other DA server.
The multi-server setup is in no way a copy of the other server involved.

Your clients can login from a single link like my-server.com:2222 or my-server.com/webmail for all DA or webmail stuff on 1 server.
Since they don't have accounts on the other server, that is only possible on 1 server, not on both.

If you want something like that you have to search for a redundant setup if that is possible.

 

[djcart]

I'm not sure if I expressed myself clearly. Let me describe it again: suppose client A has an account on server 1 and client B has an account on server 2. Is it possible, with a multi-server configuration, for clients A and B to log into their accounts using a single link?

 

[Richard G]

I think I did give the correct answer.
Yes that is possible, but for client A only on server 1 and for client B only on server 2.
It is not possible to login via 1 single link to get mail which is present either on server 1 or 1.

The only possible way would for example be if you have client A on server 1 and client B's website on server 2, but his mail on server A.
Or the other way around for client A. So that would mean for both clients, all mail would be either on server 1 or on server 2.

But if you have mail both on server 1 (for client A) and mail on server 2 for client B, no then they need different login links.

Is that more clear for you?

 

[djcart]

Yes, now it's clearer to me. However, if I were to configure the multi-server option and set up Proxying with Rewrite Rules in LiteSpeed, would that work?

How does DirectSlave fare in terms of security if the main server goes down?

 

[Richard G]

and set up Proxying with Rewrite Rules in LiteSpeed, would that work?

I don't have knowledge about that. However I would wonder how, with a single link, some proxy or rewrite rule would have to define which server to look at. But if this is possible, maybe somebody else will know.

Directslave is just what multi-server setup is ment for, a secondary DNS. Multi-server setup has nothing to do with security. It's just redundant DNS as I said. Doesn't matter if you use that with DA, Directslave or any other system.
So if your main server goes down, then dns requests are made to Directslave (which is secondary nameserver). Since an answer is given about the domain existing, systems like mailsystems know the main server is just down and the domain is existing.
This way, mails from a sending system will get in a retry queue instead of being refused because of a non existing domain. Which might be possible if you have both nameserver ip's on the same server. Which is the reason this is not advised to do. And nowadays not even possible with several registrars anymore.

There might be other benefits but this seems the most important.

 

[djcart]

So, are you recommending DirectSlave more for my purposes?

 

[Richard G]

I don't know what your purposes are. If you want a single link for e-mail for users for 2 servers, then Directslave is not what you want.

If you want a cheap solution for having a secondary DNS if you want to run your own nameservers, yes then I recommend Directslave, because that is free and a DA personal license still costs 5/month.