demo

Demo backup

In this docker-compose example, we will:

• Create a mail account test@example.com
• Setup the web email client for test@example.com
• Login to web email client and send a few emails to test@example.com
• Backup test@example.com using imap-backup

Usage

To start all services, run:

docker-compose up

The following services are now running:

• step-ca as our self-signed CA, to sign self-signed certs for docker-mailserver
• docker-mailserver as mail server
• snappymail as web email client
• imap-backup as IMAP backup client

1. Create email account

First, setup a docker-mailserver email account test@example.com and password test:

docker-compose exec docker-mailserver setup email add test@example.com

Once done, wait for about 10s and docker-mailserver will automatically setup the email account.

2. Setup web email client

Login to snappymail Admin Panel at http://localhost:8888/?admin. Username is admin. Get the Admin Panel password by running:

docker-compose exec snappymail cat /var/lib/snappymail/_data_/_default_/admin_password.txt

In snappymail Admin Panel, click Domains, and click + Add Domain button:

• In Name box, enter example.com
• Click IMAP tab:
  • In Server box, enter imap.example.com
  • In Secure dropdown, select SSL/TLS
  • In Port , enter 993
  • In Timeout, enter 300
  • Uncheck Use short login
  • Uncheck Require verification of SSL certificate
• Click SMTP tab:
  • In Server box, enter smtp.example.com
  • In Secure dropdown, select SSL/TLS
  • In Port , enter 465
  • In Timeout, enter 60
  • Uncheck Use short login
  • Check Use authentication
  • Check Use login as sender
  • Uncheck Require verification of SSL certificate
• At bottom right, click Test button:
  • Username: test@example.com
  • Password: test
  • Click on Test button. Tests should be green. Click Save button

3. Login to web email client and send a few emails to yourself

Login to snappymail at http://localhost:8888, using username test@example.com and password test.

Send a few emails to yourself at test@example.com.

4. Run IMAP backup

imap-backup config should have already been setup for test@example.com as part of docker-compose up.

View imap-backup config:

docker-compose exec imap-backup cat /root/.imap-backup/config.json

Now, run the backup (should take only 1 second):

docker-compose exec imap-backup imap-backup backup

Check backup integrity (not available on <= 9.2.0):

docker-compose exec imap-backup imap-backup local check

Print backup stats. You should see the correct number of emails for INBOX and Sent:

docker-compose exec imap-backup imap-backup stats test@example.com

List backup files:

docker-compose exec imap-backup ls -alR /root/.imap-backup

The backup is successful.

5. Delete all emails in Inbox

In snappymail, delete all emails in Inbox and Sent folders. Delete emails end up in the Trash folder.

6. Restore all emails to IMAP server

Restore all emails from the backup to the IMAP server (should take only 1 second):

docker-compose exec imap-backup imap-backup restore test@example.com

Optional: To see verbose logs, use the --verbose flag:

docker-compose exec imap-backup imap-backup restore test@example.com --verbose

See that all emails of Inbox and Sent folders are restored. The Trash folder remains with previously deleted emails.