Why Running Email Servers Feels Crazy
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Email looks simple on the surface, but it’s full of hidden complexity. Between IP reputation, sending limits, and blocked ranges, you quickly realize why whole companies exist just to handle email delivery.
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Outline
- Why email feels simple but isn’t
- The difference between marketing and transactional emails
- The hidden limits of running your own server
- IP reputation problems
- Why email delivery is harder than expected
Why Email Feels Simple but Isn’t
At first glance, email looks basic. All you need is a server, some open-source software, and you’re up and running. But once you try to scale, you realize that sending and delivering emails reliably is far from easy.
Marketing vs Transactional Emails
Email is usually split into two groups: marketing and transactional. Marketing emails are sales-driven, like promotions or campaigns. Transactional emails are functional, like password resets. Both are essential, but they follow different rules.
The Hidden Limits of Running Your Own Server
When you host your own email server, you soon run into hidden limits. Gmail, for example, will block you if you send more than 500 messages in a batch. That’s nothing if you have thousands or millions of users.
IP Reputation Problems
Your ability to send email doesn’t only depend on you. If someone used your IP range for spam in the past, your messages can be blocked too. I’ve had cases where even my own customers couldn’t receive my emails until I proved my IP was clean.
Why Email Delivery Is Harder Than Expected
The hardest part isn’t just sending emails it’s making sure they’re delivered. Providers require proof from your server host and DNS provider to show you’re legitimate. It might seem as unnecessary complexity, but it help protect internet from abusers like spammers.
