Adding and Removing Domain Aliases

A domain alias is an alternate name for an email domain. Your users can receive messages sent to an alias and, when enabled, send messages that appear to come from the alias address. This article shows you how to add and remove domain aliases in the Reseller Control Panel, the Mail Administration Console (MAC), and through the OpenSRS email API.

About domain aliases

OpenSRS offers domain aliases as an alternative to catch-all mailboxes, which are prone to brute-force and dictionary attacks. An alias lets a user behind one primary domain also receive mail addressed to another domain name without creating duplicate accounts.

Each domain alias needs its own DNS configuration to receive mail. There is no separate DNS process for an alias: for DNS purposes it is treated like any other domain, so it needs the same MX and CNAME records. You can create up to 1,000 aliases per domain.

Before you begin

• Confirm your permission level. Domain admins and higher can enable webmail domain alias support, but only company admins can create domain aliases.
• Plan the DNS records. Each alias needs its own MX and CNAME records to receive mail. See Configuring DNS for OpenSRS Hosted Email.

Step 1: Create domain aliases in the Control Panel

Use the Reseller Control Panel to add an alias to an existing email domain.

1. In the email section of the Control Panel, select the Email Domains tab, then select the domain name.
2. Click the Settings tab.
3. In the domain overview section, click Edit.
4. Under Aliases, click the plus sign (+) to display a blank text field.
5. Enter the alias in the text field. To permit sending as the alias address, select Enable under webmail domain alias. Click Save.

Step 2: Create domain aliases in the MAC

You can also add aliases from the Mail Administration Console.

1. Sign in to the Mail Administration Console (MAC).
2. Navigate to the domain you want to modify.
3. In the Aliases text box, enter the aliases you want to create. To permit sending as the alias, select the webmail domain alias checkbox. Click Update.

Step 3: Delete domain aliases in the Control Panel

Remove an alias by clearing it from the domain's alias field.

1. In the email section of the Control Panel, select the Email Domains tab, then select the domain name that has the aliases you want to delete.
2. Click the Settings tab.
3. In the domain overview section, click Edit.
4. Delete the alias names from the Aliases text box, then click Save.

Step 4: Delete domain aliases in the MAC

You can also remove aliases from the MAC.

1. Sign in to the MAC.
2. Navigate to the domain you want to modify.
3. Delete the alias name from the Aliases text box.
4. Click Update.

Add or change domain aliases via the API

You can also manage domain aliases programmatically with the OpenSRS email API. Use the change_domain command and specify the alias attribute to add a new alias or modify an existing one.

Next steps

• Set up DNS for each alias. Add the required MX and CNAME records so the alias can receive mail. See Configuring DNS for OpenSRS Hosted Email.
• Review admin roles. Confirm who can create aliases and enable webmail alias support. See the admin roles guide.

Questions? Contact OpenSRS Support.