12.3 Aliases
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## 12.3 Aliases

Use aliases to create virtual email addresses. The principle of virtual addresses is best understood through examples:

1. Mr. Smith would like all his messages sent to `info@company.com` to be stored to the Info public folder. This can be achieved by the following alias:

   `info` → `#public/Info`

2. Messages sent to invalid addresses (addresses in which the part before `@` does not correspond with any user account nor alias) can be delivered to a specified user (typically to the administrator). Use the following alias to achieve this:

   `*` → `Admin`

   If this (or the next) alias is not defined, Kerio MailServer returns such messages to their senders as undeliverable.

3. The `*` symbol is used as a substitution of any number of characters in an alias (e.g.: `*sms*`, `a*00*`, etc.). The alias will be applied to all email addresses that conform to this mask.

4. To replace just one symbol or character in an alias, use the `?` symbol. (for example, `?ime` stands for `time`, `dime`, etc.).

5. Messages will be delivered to both addresses at once:

   `jwayne → info`

   `jwayne → jwayne`

   It is recommended to specify this alias directly in the user account settings (see chapter 8 Users), because it is more comprehensive.

Each account or group can be associated with any number of aliases. It is also possible to bind a new alias to an alias already existing. If a message is sent to a username, it is marked by a flag so that the aliases not get looped. If such message arrives to the username marked by the flag, it will be stored in the mailbox that belongs to the last unmarked alias:

`jwayne → wayne`

`wayne → john.wayne`

`john.wayne → wayne`

### Note

Aliases can be used also for assigning another email address to a user or a group, or forwarding messages for a user or a group to other addresses. However, it is recommended to specify these settings directly during the process of user definition (see chapter 8.2 Creating a user account), or group definition (see chapter 9.1 Creating a User Group).

### Defining Aliases

Define aliases in the Domain Settings → Aliases section.

First you need to choose a domain for which the aliases will be defined. Aliases always relate to one of the local domains. Therefore, you only need to use the local part of the email address (i.e. the part preceding `@`) in the alias header.

Add the alias by clicking on the Add button. The following dialog window will be displayed:

Figure 12.6. Defining Alias

Alias

  A virtual address (e.g. `sales` or `john.wayne`).

  Character type | Description
  --- | ---
  `a-z` | all lower-case letters except special characters (diacritics)
  `A-Z` | all upper-case letters except special characters (diacritics)
  `0-9` | all numbers
  `.` | dot
  `-` | dash
  `_` | underscore
  `?` | question mark
  `*` | asterisk

  Table 12.2. Symbols allowed in alias name

Description

  Text description of the alias. May be left blank.

Deliver To

  Where messages to this address will be sent to. Select the place where the messages will be stored:

  - Email address — an email address. Click Select to select a user or a group from the list.

  - Public folder — name of the public folder in this format: `#public/Folder`. This item is active only in case at least one public folder of Mail type has been created.

The same dialog window will be displayed by clicking on the Edit button. Remove the alias using the Remove button.

### Alias Check

When creating more complex aliases (multiple aliases), it is easy to make mistakes (e.g. by mistyping a name). Kerio MailServer has an Alias Check feature that displays a list of local accounts and external addresses to which the email will be delivered.

Use the Check Address button to check aliases. Enter the address that you would like to run a check on (if an alias is selected in a list, it will be displayed as a choice). After the check has been performed, the result is displayed (i.e. the list of addresses to which the alias will deliver messages).

Figure 12.7. Check Address

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