master.8.html revision 1.1.1.7
1 1.1 tron <!doctype html public "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN" 2 1.1 tron "http://www.w3.org/TR/html4/loose.dtd"> 3 1.1 tron <html> <head> 4 1.1.1.7 christos <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"> 5 1.1 tron <title> Postfix manual - master(8) </title> 6 1.1 tron </head> <body> <pre> 7 1.1 tron MASTER(8) MASTER(8) 8 1.1 tron 9 1.1 tron <b>NAME</b> 10 1.1 tron master - Postfix master process 11 1.1 tron 12 1.1 tron <b>SYNOPSIS</b> 13 1.1.1.6 christos <b>master</b> [<b>-Dditvw</b>] [<b>-c</b> <i>config</i><b>_</b><i>dir</i>] [<b>-e</b> <i>exit</i><b>_</b><i>time</i>] 14 1.1 tron 15 1.1 tron <b>DESCRIPTION</b> 16 1.1.1.4 tron The <a href="master.8.html"><b>master</b>(8)</a> daemon is the resident process that runs Postfix daemons 17 1.1.1.4 tron on demand: daemons to send or receive messages via the network, daemons 18 1.1.1.4 tron to deliver mail locally, etc. These daemons are created on demand up 19 1.1.1.4 tron to a configurable maximum number per service. 20 1.1.1.4 tron 21 1.1.1.4 tron Postfix daemons terminate voluntarily, either after being idle for a 22 1.1.1.4 tron configurable amount of time, or after having serviced a configurable 23 1.1.1.4 tron number of requests. Exceptions to this rule are the resident queue man- 24 1.1.1.4 tron ager, address verification server, and the TLS session cache and 25 1.1.1.4 tron pseudo-random number server. 26 1.1 tron 27 1.1.1.4 tron The behavior of the <a href="master.8.html"><b>master</b>(8)</a> daemon is controlled by the <a href="master.5.html"><b>master.cf</b></a> 28 1.1.1.4 tron configuration file, as described in <a href="master.5.html"><b>master</b>(5)</a>. 29 1.1 tron 30 1.1 tron Options: 31 1.1 tron 32 1.1 tron <b>-c</b> <i>config</i><b>_</b><i>dir</i> 33 1.1.1.4 tron Read the <a href="postconf.5.html"><b>main.cf</b></a> and <a href="master.5.html"><b>master.cf</b></a> configuration files in the named 34 1.1.1.4 tron directory instead of the default configuration directory. This 35 1.1.1.4 tron also overrides the configuration files for other Postfix daemon 36 1.1.1.4 tron processes. 37 1.1.1.4 tron 38 1.1.1.4 tron <b>-D</b> After initialization, run a debugger on the master process. The 39 1.1.1.4 tron debugging command is specified with the <b><a href="postconf.5.html#debugger_command">debugger_command</a></b> in the 40 1.1.1.4 tron <a href="postconf.5.html"><b>main.cf</b></a> global configuration file. 41 1.1.1.4 tron 42 1.1.1.4 tron <b>-d</b> Do not redirect stdin, stdout or stderr to /dev/null, and do not 43 1.1.1.4 tron discard the controlling terminal. This must be used for debug- 44 1.1.1.4 tron ging only. 45 1.1 tron 46 1.1 tron <b>-e</b> <i>exit</i><b>_</b><i>time</i> 47 1.1.1.4 tron Terminate the master process after <i>exit</i><b>_</b><i>time</i> seconds. Child pro- 48 1.1.1.4 tron cesses terminate at their convenience. 49 1.1.1.3 tron 50 1.1.1.6 christos <b>-i</b> Enable <b>init</b> mode: do not become a session or process group 51 1.1.1.6 christos leader; and similar to <b>-s</b>, do not redirect stdout to /dev/null, 52 1.1.1.6 christos so that "<a href="postconf.5.html#maillog_file">maillog_file</a> = /dev/stdout" works. This mode is 53 1.1.1.6 christos allowed only if the process ID equals 1. 54 1.1.1.6 christos 55 1.1.1.6 christos This feature is available in Postfix 3.3 and later. 56 1.1.1.6 christos 57 1.1.1.6 christos <b>-s</b> Do not redirect stdout to /dev/null, so that "<a href="postconf.5.html#maillog_file">maillog_file</a> = 58 1.1.1.6 christos /dev/stdout" works. 59 1.1.1.6 christos 60 1.1.1.6 christos This feature is available in Postfix 3.4 and later. 61 1.1.1.6 christos 62 1.1.1.4 tron <b>-t</b> Test mode. Return a zero exit status when the <b>master.pid</b> lock 63 1.1.1.4 tron file does not exist or when that file is not locked. This is 64 1.1.1.4 tron evidence that the <a href="master.8.html"><b>master</b>(8)</a> daemon is not running. 65 1.1.1.4 tron 66 1.1.1.4 tron <b>-v</b> Enable verbose logging for debugging purposes. This option is 67 1.1.1.4 tron passed on to child processes. Multiple <b>-v</b> options make the soft- 68 1.1.1.4 tron ware increasingly verbose. 69 1.1.1.4 tron 70 1.1.1.4 tron <b>-w</b> Wait in a dummy foreground process, while the real master daemon 71 1.1.1.4 tron initializes in a background process. The dummy foreground 72 1.1.1.4 tron process returns a zero exit status only if the master daemon 73 1.1.1.4 tron initialization is successful, and if it completes in a reason- 74 1.1.1.4 tron able amount of time. 75 1.1.1.4 tron 76 1.1.1.4 tron This feature is available in Postfix 2.10 and later. 77 1.1.1.3 tron 78 1.1 tron Signals: 79 1.1 tron 80 1.1.1.4 tron <b>SIGHUP</b> Upon receipt of a <b>HUP</b> signal (e.g., after "<b>postfix reload</b>"), the 81 1.1.1.4 tron master process re-reads its configuration files. If a service 82 1.1.1.4 tron has been removed from the <a href="master.5.html"><b>master.cf</b></a> file, its running processes 83 1.1.1.4 tron are terminated immediately. Otherwise, running processes are 84 1.1.1.4 tron allowed to terminate as soon as is convenient, so that changes 85 1.1.1.4 tron in configuration settings affect only new service requests. 86 1.1 tron 87 1.1 tron <b>SIGTERM</b> 88 1.1.1.4 tron Upon receipt of a <b>TERM</b> signal (e.g., after "<b>postfix abort</b>"), the 89 1.1.1.4 tron master process passes the signal on to its child processes and 90 1.1.1.4 tron terminates. This is useful for an emergency shutdown. Normally 91 1.1.1.4 tron one would terminate only the master ("<b>postfix stop</b>") and allow 92 1.1 tron running processes to finish what they are doing. 93 1.1 tron 94 1.1 tron <b>DIAGNOSTICS</b> 95 1.1.1.6 christos Problems are reported to <b>syslogd</b>(8) or <a href="postlogd.8.html"><b>postlogd</b>(8)</a>. The exit status is 96 1.1.1.6 christos non-zero in case of problems, including problems while initializing as 97 1.1.1.6 christos a master daemon process in the background. 98 1.1 tron 99 1.1 tron <b>ENVIRONMENT</b> 100 1.1 tron <b>MAIL_DEBUG</b> 101 1.1.1.4 tron After initialization, start a debugger as specified with the 102 1.1.1.4 tron <b><a href="postconf.5.html#debugger_command">debugger_command</a></b> configuration parameter in the <a href="postconf.5.html"><b>main.cf</b></a> configu- 103 1.1.1.4 tron ration file. 104 1.1 tron 105 1.1 tron <b>MAIL_CONFIG</b> 106 1.1 tron Directory with Postfix configuration files. 107 1.1 tron 108 1.1 tron <b>CONFIGURATION PARAMETERS</b> 109 1.1.1.4 tron Unlike most Postfix daemon processes, the <a href="master.8.html"><b>master</b>(8)</a> server does not 110 1.1.1.4 tron automatically pick up changes to <a href="postconf.5.html"><b>main.cf</b></a>. Changes to <a href="master.5.html"><b>master.cf</b></a> are 111 1.1.1.4 tron never picked up automatically. Use the "<b>postfix reload</b>" command after 112 1.1.1.4 tron a configuration change. 113 1.1 tron 114 1.1 tron <b>RESOURCE AND RATE CONTROLS</b> 115 1.1 tron <b><a href="postconf.5.html#default_process_limit">default_process_limit</a> (100)</b> 116 1.1.1.4 tron The default maximal number of Postfix child processes that pro- 117 1.1.1.4 tron vide a given service. 118 1.1 tron 119 1.1 tron <b><a href="postconf.5.html#max_idle">max_idle</a> (100s)</b> 120 1.1.1.4 tron The maximum amount of time that an idle Postfix daemon process 121 1.1.1.4 tron waits for an incoming connection before terminating voluntarily. 122 1.1 tron 123 1.1 tron <b><a href="postconf.5.html#max_use">max_use</a> (100)</b> 124 1.1.1.4 tron The maximal number of incoming connections that a Postfix daemon 125 1.1.1.4 tron process will service before terminating voluntarily. 126 1.1 tron 127 1.1 tron <b><a href="postconf.5.html#service_throttle_time">service_throttle_time</a> (60s)</b> 128 1.1.1.4 tron How long the Postfix <a href="master.8.html"><b>master</b>(8)</a> waits before forking a server 129 1.1.1.4 tron that appears to be malfunctioning. 130 1.1 tron 131 1.1 tron Available in Postfix version 2.6 and later: 132 1.1 tron 133 1.1 tron <b><a href="postconf.5.html#master_service_disable">master_service_disable</a> (empty)</b> 134 1.1.1.4 tron Selectively disable <a href="master.8.html"><b>master</b>(8)</a> listener ports by service type or 135 1.1.1.4 tron by service name and type. 136 1.1 tron 137 1.1 tron <b>MISCELLANEOUS CONTROLS</b> 138 1.1 tron <b><a href="postconf.5.html#config_directory">config_directory</a> (see 'postconf -d' output)</b> 139 1.1.1.4 tron The default location of the Postfix <a href="postconf.5.html">main.cf</a> and <a href="master.5.html">master.cf</a> con- 140 1.1.1.4 tron figuration files. 141 1.1 tron 142 1.1 tron <b><a href="postconf.5.html#daemon_directory">daemon_directory</a> (see 'postconf -d' output)</b> 143 1.1.1.4 tron The directory with Postfix support programs and daemon programs. 144 1.1 tron 145 1.1 tron <b><a href="postconf.5.html#debugger_command">debugger_command</a> (empty)</b> 146 1.1.1.4 tron The external command to execute when a Postfix daemon program is 147 1.1.1.4 tron invoked with the -D option. 148 1.1 tron 149 1.1 tron <b><a href="postconf.5.html#inet_interfaces">inet_interfaces</a> (all)</b> 150 1.1.1.4 tron The network interface addresses that this mail system receives 151 1.1.1.4 tron mail on. 152 1.1 tron 153 1.1.1.7 christos <b><a href="postconf.5.html#inet_protocols">inet_protocols</a> (see 'postconf -d output')</b> 154 1.1.1.4 tron The Internet protocols Postfix will attempt to use when making 155 1.1.1.4 tron or accepting connections. 156 1.1 tron 157 1.1 tron <b><a href="postconf.5.html#import_environment">import_environment</a> (see 'postconf -d' output)</b> 158 1.1.1.6 christos The list of environment parameters that a privileged Postfix 159 1.1.1.6 christos process will import from a non-Postfix parent process, or 160 1.1.1.6 christos name=value environment overrides. 161 1.1 tron 162 1.1 tron <b><a href="postconf.5.html#mail_owner">mail_owner</a> (postfix)</b> 163 1.1.1.6 christos The UNIX system account that owns the Postfix queue and most 164 1.1.1.4 tron Postfix daemon processes. 165 1.1 tron 166 1.1 tron <b><a href="postconf.5.html#process_id">process_id</a> (read-only)</b> 167 1.1.1.4 tron The process ID of a Postfix command or daemon process. 168 1.1 tron 169 1.1 tron <b><a href="postconf.5.html#process_name">process_name</a> (read-only)</b> 170 1.1.1.4 tron The process name of a Postfix command or daemon process. 171 1.1 tron 172 1.1 tron <b><a href="postconf.5.html#queue_directory">queue_directory</a> (see 'postconf -d' output)</b> 173 1.1.1.4 tron The location of the Postfix top-level queue directory. 174 1.1 tron 175 1.1 tron <b><a href="postconf.5.html#syslog_facility">syslog_facility</a> (mail)</b> 176 1.1 tron The syslog facility of Postfix logging. 177 1.1 tron 178 1.1 tron <b><a href="postconf.5.html#syslog_name">syslog_name</a> (see 'postconf -d' output)</b> 179 1.1.1.6 christos A prefix that is prepended to the process name in syslog 180 1.1.1.6 christos records, so that, for example, "smtpd" becomes "prefix/smtpd". 181 1.1.1.6 christos 182 1.1.1.6 christos Available in Postfix 3.3 and later: 183 1.1.1.6 christos 184 1.1.1.6 christos <b><a href="postconf.5.html#service_name">service_name</a> (read-only)</b> 185 1.1.1.6 christos The <a href="master.5.html">master.cf</a> service name of a Postfix daemon process. 186 1.1 tron 187 1.1.1.7 christos Available in Postfix 3.6 and later: 188 1.1.1.7 christos 189 1.1.1.7 christos <b><a href="postconf.5.html#known_tcp_ports">known_tcp_ports</a> (lmtp=24, smtp=25, smtps=submissions=465, submis-</b> 190 1.1.1.7 christos <b>sion=587)</b> 191 1.1.1.7 christos Optional setting that avoids lookups in the <b>services</b>(5) data- 192 1.1.1.7 christos base. 193 1.1.1.7 christos 194 1.1 tron <b>FILES</b> 195 1.1.1.7 christos To expand the directory names below into their actual values, use the 196 1.1.1.4 tron command "<b>postconf <a href="postconf.5.html#config_directory">config_directory</a></b>" etc. 197 1.1 tron 198 1.1 tron $<a href="postconf.5.html#config_directory">config_directory</a>/<a href="postconf.5.html">main.cf</a>, global configuration file. 199 1.1 tron $<a href="postconf.5.html#config_directory">config_directory</a>/<a href="master.5.html">master.cf</a>, master server configuration file. 200 1.1 tron $<a href="postconf.5.html#queue_directory">queue_directory</a>/pid/master.pid, master lock file. 201 1.1 tron $<a href="postconf.5.html#data_directory">data_directory</a>/master.lock, master lock file. 202 1.1 tron 203 1.1 tron <b>SEE ALSO</b> 204 1.1 tron <a href="qmgr.8.html">qmgr(8)</a>, queue manager 205 1.1 tron <a href="verify.8.html">verify(8)</a>, address verification 206 1.1 tron <a href="master.5.html">master(5)</a>, <a href="master.5.html">master.cf</a> configuration file syntax 207 1.1.1.2 tron <a href="postconf.5.html">postconf(5)</a>, <a href="postconf.5.html">main.cf</a> configuration file syntax 208 1.1.1.6 christos <a href="postlogd.8.html">postlogd(8)</a>, Postfix logging 209 1.1 tron syslogd(8), system logging 210 1.1 tron 211 1.1 tron <b>LICENSE</b> 212 1.1.1.4 tron The Secure Mailer license must be distributed with this software. 213 1.1 tron 214 1.1 tron <b>AUTHOR(S)</b> 215 1.1 tron Wietse Venema 216 1.1 tron IBM T.J. Watson Research 217 1.1 tron P.O. Box 704 218 1.1 tron Yorktown Heights, NY 10598, USA 219 1.1 tron 220 1.1.1.5 christos Wietse Venema 221 1.1.1.5 christos Google, Inc. 222 1.1.1.5 christos 111 8th Avenue 223 1.1.1.5 christos New York, NY 10011, USA 224 1.1.1.5 christos 225 1.1 tron MASTER(8) 226 1.1 tron </pre> </body> </html> 227
Indexes created Sun Jun 07 00:24:08 UTC 2026