Why the Module for the on-premise Bitrix24 is better than the rest of the "tricks"

"There are at least three ways out of every hopeless situation", says folk wisdom, and it is partially true. Avivi developers receive several requests to install the SMTP Module every day from all over the world, but we also receive many questions. And in personal communication with clients, the methods they tried to get rid of the problem that our product solves are revealed. We want to voice some of them to illustrate that the comprehensive solution we have eliminates risks and satisfies the needs of customers more effectively than other half-assed methods.

About modules in general

Before moving on to the main topic, we would like to pay attention to modules for Bitrix24 in general. The ability to connect various add-ons to the system is a big advantage of Bitrix24 over other similar solutions, which do not have this feature. Modules are independent components that can interact with the main software, but at the same time do not interfere with the operation of the kernel. Thus, the presence of one, several or even many modules in your system cannot "break down" Bitrix24, but only expands its functionality. Therefore, the SMTP Module from the Avivi company will definitely not harm your server or the functions of the Portal.

A solution by camouflage

One of the interesting methods of solving the problem of sending mail from the on-premise Bitrix24, at first glance, may seem to be the use of ALIAS-mail. For those who have encountered such a concept for the first time, we will briefly explain that ALIAS is an e-mail redirector. This method will be suitable, for example, if you have all clients writing to a single corporate mail, and different employees have to receive letters at the same time.

Since ALIAS itself is an intermediary, and not a mailbox in the usual sense, it is necessary to connect it to Bitrix24 in a "cunning" way. Integration with mail, as you know, requires a login and password, but in this case there is neither. That is, ALIAS can be used in Bitrix24 only as a sender. Thus, this method can solve the problem of sending letters only by half. In addition, it will also be extremely difficult for an outsider to make the necessary settings.

The solution is radical and global

The second interesting method can get rid of the problem completely and even increase the speed of sending letters (from a fraction of a second to several seconds). However, this decision is indirectly related to Bitrix24 and is more aimed at the work of system administrators, rather than integrators or developers. Yes, we are talking about Postfix.

The idea is simple: if the difficulties with sending mail in the on-premise Bitrix24 are related to SMTP (msmtp), then you need to get rid of it — and the fish in the net. This is where Postfix comes to the rescue — free software for operating systems of the UNIX family, which allows you to organize the work of the mail server. The program is less resource-intensive and has a simple architecture, which allows you to increase the speed of sending letters. But first, you need to properly configure the server on which your Bitrix24 is hosted.

And when the sysadmin is done, you and your staff can take the hassle out of using an on-premise SMTP server. However, in this case, there are much more risks than it seems at first glance:

• Postfix refers to the server part, not Bitrix24 components. In case of problems, there is no guarantee that your Partner will be able to solve them quickly;

• When changing the server and moving the on-premise Bitrix24, these settings will have to be repeated, which is additional difficulties and costs;

• Only a UNIX-like operating system is required to install Postfix.

Thus, Postfix cannot be a panacea in solving the problem of sending mail via SMTP, although it looks very promising.

The stupid solution

We will not dwell on it for a long time, but it is worth mentioning. It is possible to solve the problem using an SMTP relay server, where there is no additional verification. Everything will work, but almost all letters will very soon begin to end up in the recipient's SPAM. It is clear that such a decision is not justified at all.

And now there is a complex solution

As you can see, it is possible to really find a solution to the mail problem. However, you always have to choose between integrity, reliability or common sense. In modern business, partial solutions are unacceptable, because a lot can depend on them. And in fact, only a complex specialized solution that always works, is not afraid of anything and is "sharpened" specifically for a certain need or task is reliable. At Bitrix24, such solutions are only modules, and for the correct operation of mail on the on-premise — the SMTP module from our team.

With a one-time installation, once and for all, you get a reliable solution that can be taken with the on-premise even in case of transfer to another server:

1. Work with sending letters from the "Mail" and "CRM" modules.

2. Eliminating the need to transit outgoing letters through the portal's main mail.

3. Simultaneous use of mailboxes of different postal systems (incoming and outgoing letters).

4. Connection of personal mailboxes in the "Mail" module using the standard interface of integration with mail in Bitrix24.

5. Support for the main mail systems — Gmail, Outlook, Office365, Yandex, Mail.ru, Exchange, iCloud. IMAP connection requires additional settings for the selected provider.

6. Automatic reloading of the Mail page after sending a letter for instant processing.

7. Sending letters to several recipients (CC, BCC).

8. Sending letters with attachments.

9. Resistance to Bitrix24 system updates.

10. When transferring to another server, you only need to specify the new value of the IP address.