Email Settings

Overview

Use Email Settings to configure the SMTP servers used for appliance email notifications. The workflow controls the primary SMTP server, optional backup SMTP server, authentication password handling, sender addresses, delivery timeout, and one-time test message delivery.

The same settings are available from the CLI through:

config system email
show system email

Typical Uses

Use this topic when appliance notifications should be sent through an external SMTP service, or when an operator needs to verify that the appliance can reach the configured mail relay.

Typical examples:

Show email settings:  show system email
Display from config:  config system email
Enable primary SMTP:
  config system email primary_enabled true primary_host smtp.example.com primary_port 587 primary_security starttls primary_from alerts@example.com
Enable primary SMTP with authentication:
  config system email primary_enabled true primary_host smtp.example.com primary_port 587 primary_security starttls primary_from alerts@example.com primary_username appliance primary_password_action update primary_password Secret123
Enable a backup SMTP server:
  config system email backup_enabled true backup_host smtp-backup.example.com backup_port 587 backup_security starttls backup_from alerts@example.com
Send a test message:
  config system email send_test_notification true test_server active test_recipient operator@example.com

Prerequisites

• Confirm that you have administrator permission to change system settings.
• Record the current settings with show system email.
• Confirm the primary SMTP server host name or IP address.
• Confirm the SMTP service port. Common values are 587 for STARTTLS, 465 for TLS, and 25 for plain SMTP.
• Confirm the SMTP transport security mode: none, starttls, or tls.
• Confirm the sender email address used in From Address.
• Confirm the optional Reply-To Address if replies should go somewhere other than the sender address.
• Confirm SMTP authentication requirements. If a username is configured, the matching password must be stored.
• Confirm the backup SMTP server settings if backup delivery is required.
• Confirm DNS, routing, firewall, and ACL rules from the appliance to each SMTP server.
• Confirm a valid recipient address before sending a test message.
• Use quotes for values that contain spaces or shell-special characters.
• Treat SMTP passwords as sensitive.

Workflow

1. Open System Settings.
2. Choose Email Settings.
3. Review Primary SMTP Server settings, including Enable Primary SMTP Server, Host, Port, Security, From Address, Username, Password Configured, and Timeout (sec.).
4. Configure Backup SMTP Server when a secondary SMTP path is required.
5. Set Password Action to Update Password when storing a new SMTP password, or Clear Password when removing the stored password.
6. Enable Send Test Message, select Test Server, and enter Test Recipient when you need to validate delivery.
7. Apply the workflow.
8. Verify the saved settings in the web view or with show system email.

Expected Behavior

The workflow displays the current email notification settings and applies selected changes to the saved notification configuration.

When an SMTP server is disabled, its settings are retained but that server is not used for email delivery. When an SMTP server is enabled, the workflow validates the host, port, security mode, sender address, optional reply-to address, timeout, and authentication password state.

If Username is set for an enabled server, a password must also be stored. Use Password Action to control the stored password:

• Keep Existing Password leaves the stored password unchanged.
• Update Password stores the value entered in Password.
• Clear Password removes the stored password.

Password Configured is read-only. It shows whether a password is currently stored for the corresponding SMTP server.

When Send Test Message is enabled, the workflow saves the SMTP settings and then sends a test email to Test Recipient. Test Server controls which server is used:

• Active Server tries the enabled primary server first, then the enabled backup server if the primary attempt fails.
• Primary Server tests only the primary server.
• Backup Server tests only the backup server.

Send Test Message, Test Server, and Test Recipient are workflow inputs for the test run. They are not persistent SMTP server settings.

In The Web UI

Review Email Settings

1. Open System Settings.
2. Choose Email Settings.
3. Review Primary SMTP Server.
4. Review Backup SMTP Server if backup delivery is configured.
5. Review Password Configured for each SMTP server that uses authentication.
6. Apply no changes if you only need to inspect the current settings.

Configure Primary SMTP

1. Set Enable Primary SMTP Server.
2. Enter Host.
3. Set Port.
4. Select Security.
5. Enter From Address.
6. Enter Reply-To Address if replies should use a different address.
7. Enter Username if the SMTP server requires authentication.
8. Select Password Action.
9. If Password Action is Update Password, enter Password.
10. Set Timeout (sec.).
11. Apply the workflow.
12. Verify the saved settings with show system email.

Configure Backup SMTP

1. Set Enable Backup SMTP Server.
2. Enter Host.
3. Set Port.
4. Select Security.
5. Enter From Address.
6. Enter Reply-To Address if needed.
7. Enter Username if the backup server requires authentication.
8. Select Password Action and enter Password when updating the stored password.
9. Set Timeout (sec.).
10. Apply the workflow.
11. Verify the saved settings with show system email.

Send A Test Email

1. Configure and enable at least one SMTP server.
2. Set Send Test Message.
3. Select Test Server.
4. Enter Test Recipient.
5. Apply the workflow.
6. Confirm that the recipient receives the test message.
7. Review the workflow log for the selected server and delivery result.

Check From The CLI

Use either command below to display the current email settings:

config system email
show system email

The config form without additional fields is display-only. It does not modify the configuration.

CLI Help Reference

Display the email fields:

config system email ?

Expected fields:

<Enter>                 - Display current settings
primary_enabled         - Enable this SMTP server
primary_host            - SMTP server host name or IP address
primary_port            - SMTP server TCP port
primary_security        - SMTP transport security mode
primary_from            - Sender address used for outgoing notifications
primary_reply_to        - Optional reply-to address
primary_username        - Optional SMTP authentication username
primary_password_action - Choose how to update the stored SMTP password
primary_password        - SMTP authentication password
primary_password_set    - Shows whether a password is currently stored
primary_timeout_sec     - SMTP connect and send timeout
backup_enabled          - Enable this SMTP server
backup_host             - SMTP server host name or IP address
backup_port             - SMTP server TCP port
backup_security         - SMTP transport security mode
backup_from             - Sender address used for outgoing notifications
backup_reply_to         - Optional reply-to address
backup_username         - Optional SMTP authentication username
backup_password_action  - Choose how to update the stored SMTP password
backup_password         - SMTP authentication password
backup_password_set     - Shows whether a password is currently stored
backup_timeout_sec      - SMTP connect and send timeout
send_test_notification  - Send a test email after applying these settings
test_server             - SMTP server to use for the test email
test_recipient          - Email address that receives the test message

Display value choices for enum fields:

config system email primary_security ?
config system email primary_password_action ?
config system email test_server ?

Change From The CLI

Enable primary SMTP with STARTTLS:

config system email primary_enabled true primary_host smtp.example.com primary_port 587 primary_security starttls primary_from alerts@example.com

Enable primary SMTP with authentication and store a password:

config system email primary_enabled true primary_host smtp.example.com primary_port 587 primary_security starttls primary_from alerts@example.com primary_username appliance primary_password_action update primary_password Secret123

Change the primary SMTP password only:

config system email primary_password_action update primary_password NewSecret123

Clear the primary SMTP password:

config system email primary_password_action clear

Enable the backup SMTP server:

config system email backup_enabled true backup_host smtp-backup.example.com backup_port 587 backup_security starttls backup_from alerts@example.com

Send a one-time test message through the active server selection:

config system email send_test_notification true test_server active test_recipient operator@example.com

Test only the backup SMTP server:

config system email send_test_notification true test_server backup test_recipient operator@example.com

Disable email delivery while retaining saved SMTP settings:

config system email primary_enabled false backup_enabled false

Field Reference

Confirmation And Rollback

Applying the workflow saves the email notification configuration. SMTP passwords are stored separately from the main notification configuration.

To roll back, reapply the previous values recorded from show system email. If a password was changed, use primary_password_action update or backup_password_action update to restore the previous password value.

To disable email delivery without deleting saved SMTP server settings:

config system email primary_enabled false backup_enabled false

If Send Test Message is enabled, the workflow saves the SMTP settings before attempting the test email. If the test email fails, review the saved settings with show system email, correct the cause, and run the test again.

Notes

• Email settings are stored in the appliance notification configuration.
• SMTP passwords are stored in the appliance notification secrets file.
• Password Configured is read-only and cannot be set directly.
• Use Keep Existing Password when editing non-password fields on an SMTP server that already has a stored password.
• A server with Username configured must also have a stored password.
• Send Test Message, Test Server, and Test Recipient are one-time workflow inputs and are not persistent SMTP server settings.
• The test email subject is generated by the appliance.

Troubleshooting

Test Email Is Not Received

Confirm that at least one SMTP server is enabled, that Test Recipient is a valid email address, and that Test Server selects an enabled server. Verify DNS, routing, firewall, SMTP port, security mode, and authentication settings.

Workflow Reports That The SMTP Host Is Required

An enabled SMTP server must have Host set. Enter the host name or IP address, or disable that SMTP server.

Workflow Reports That The Sender Address Is Invalid

Review From Address and Reply-To Address. Both fields must be valid email addresses when populated.

Workflow Reports That The Password Is Not Configured

If Username is set for an enabled SMTP server, a stored password is required. Set Password Action to Update Password and enter the SMTP password, or clear Username if the server does not require authentication.

Backup SMTP Is Not Used

Confirm that Enable Backup SMTP Server is enabled and that the backup server has valid host, port, security, sender, timeout, and authentication settings. A test with Test Server set to Backup Server uses only the backup server.

The Email Command Is Not Listed

Use config system ? and look for email. The command path is config system email.

Related Tasks

Use Remote Syslog when event forwarding should use syslog. Use SNMP and Trap Service when monitoring systems should poll the appliance or receive SNMP traps. Use Device Management Access ACL to control which clients can reach the management plane.