LEPP VMS and UNIX Mail forwarding


We are encouraging people to use Cornell's central mail service instead of the aging and overloaded LEPP email servers. We anticipate that the LEPP email servers will be shut down in the not too distant future.

  • If you have a Cornell NetID, you should encourage your correspondents to send email to your NetID at Cornell.edu. Otherwise, use your favorite email service.

  • We no longer recommend that you use one of the following two LEPP email addresses, which will deliver your mail to either a LEPP VMS or Unix mail server:
    • LEPP Unix mail service: user@mail.lepp.cornell.edu
      This address is equivalent to user@lnscu5.lns.cornell.edu
    • LEPP VMS mail service: user@lepp.cornell.edu
      This address is equivalent to user@lns61.lns.cornell.edu
  • You should set your mail forwarding address on either the LEPP VMS or LEPP Unix (or both) mail systems so your mail will be sent to the system where you regularly receive your email. In other words, you should make sure mail will get to you no matter what address people use.

LEPP VMS Mail forwarding

  • To set mail forwarding for the LEPP VMS mail server, first login on LNS62 (NOT LNS61)
  • while logged in on LNS62, type the following sequence of commands:
    $ EMAIL
    EMAIL> SET FORWARD NetID@cornell.edu
    EMAIL> EXIT

  • In the above, replace NetID by your actual Cornell NetID address.
  • Or replace NetID@cornell.edu by your preferred mail address.

  • To see your mail forwarding for the LEPP VMS mail server while logged in on LNS62, type the following sequence of commands:
    $ EMAIL
    EMAIL> SHOW FORWARD
    Your mail is being forwarded to IN%"NetID@cornell.edu".
    EMAIL> EXIT

  • In the above, NetID@cornell.edu will be replaced by your actual forwarding address.

LEPP UNIX Mail forwarding

  • To set forwarding for the LEPP Unix mail server while logged in on any LEPP Unix or Linux system, you must create a file named .forward in the directory /nfs/mail/u/userid/ The file must contain your new address in the form: mailid@xxx.yyy.zzz
    • In the directory name above, "u" should be replaced by the first letter of your LEPP Unix userid,
    • "userid" should be replaced by the full spelling of your LEPP Unix userid, and
    • "mailid@xxx.yyy.zzz" should be replaced by your new email address.

  • To see your mail forwarding for the LEPP Unix mail server while logged in on any LEPP Unix or Linux sysem, type the command
cat /nfs/mail/u/user/.forward
  • In the directory name above, "u" should be replaced by the first letter of your LEPP Unix userid and
    • "user" should be replaced by the full spelling of your LEPP Unix userid.

  • Notes:
  1. The directory /nfs/mail is actually on the LEPP Unix mail server itself. Any .forward file in your default login directory is ignored.
  2. Do not use a softlink. The .forward file must be on the mail server's local disk, not on a networked file server.
  3. Verify that your .forward file is writable only by you. Use the command ls -la .forward The .forward file will be ignored and mail will not be forwarded if anyone else can write to your .forward file. Its protection should be -rw-r--r-- or -rw-------

  • If you have trouble with either of the procedures above or can't remember your password, send email to service-lepp@cornell.edu or call 255-4882 and ask for a member of the computer group.
  • Sophisticated processing of incoming messages is also possible.
    • Under VMS, one can use PMDF's facility DELIVER.
    • Under Unix, one can use procmail. Type the command man procmail for more information.

This topic: Computing > WebHome > VMSAndUNIXMailForwarding
Topic revision: 25 Mar 2009, SeldenBall
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