1. Goal
Serve local mail over IMAP with readable mailboxes and an explicit path.
2. Files and components involved
/etc/dovecot/dovecot.conf
/etc/dovecot/conf.d/10-mail.conf
/etc/rc.d/rc.dovecot3. Operational flow
vi /etc/dovecot/dovecot.conf
set mail_location
chmod +x /etc/rc.d/rc.dovecot
/etc/rc.d/rc.dovecot start4. Operational verification
doveconf -n
ss -lntup
grep 143
openssl s_client -connect 127.0.0.1:143 -starttls imap5. Practical notes
For mail services, test from the LAN first, check the logs, and limit public exposure to the functions that are actually necessary.
Compare the logs immediately after sending or receiving a test email: it is the fastest way to see whether the chain is complete.
Quick checklist
[ ] Backup or copy of the existing configuration completed
[ ] Files and commands updated as expected
[ ] Local test completed successfully
[ ] Logs or final output verified
[ ] Rollback procedure documented