KumoMTA and KumoProxy

KumoMTA is the high-volume delivery engine path for PING8. KumoProxy is an optional SOCKS5 egress layer that lets KumoMTA route outbound delivery through a controlled proxy host.

For OS-specific installation details, use the official KumoMTA documentation. This section explains how to connect a self-hosted KumoMTA/KumoProxy deployment to PING8 safely.

When to use KumoMTA

Use KumoMTA when you need:

• Higher outbound throughput.
• More delivery telemetry.
• Explicit pool and source control.
• Lifecycle events for delivered, deferred, bounced, expired, and complained messages.
• A dedicated delivery path for a tenant or brand.

Stay with Local Postfix or external SMTP while you are still proving product fit, testing a tiny list, or operating a low-volume internal environment. KumoMTA is most valuable when delivery operations, lifecycle telemetry, and explicit routing control matter.

Safe rollout sequence

1. Verify domain DNS first.
2. Prepare the KumoMTA host.
3. Prepare KumoProxy only if you need remote egress IP control.
4. Put KumoMTA behind TLS and authentication.
5. Adapt the deployment files: environment, Nginx, init.lua, ports, and warmup.
6. Configure PING8 with campaign and Send API disabled.
7. Click Test on the KumoMTA Connection screen.
8. Enable Campaign sending or Send API only after the test passes.
9. Send one test email.
10. Confirm lifecycle events appear in PING8.
11. Increase volume gradually.

Deployment configuration

Use Deployment Files when you are ready to translate the reference KumoMTA deployment shape into your own hosts.

The deployment guide covers:

• Where the environment file, Nginx reverse proxy, and init.lua policy belong.
• Which ports must be open on the app, KumoMTA, and KumoProxy hosts.
• How PING8 injection auth differs from KumoMTA webhook auth.
• How KumoProxy changes the visible outbound SMTP source IP.
• How to warm up IPs and add traffic shaping safely.

PING8 screens covered

• KumoMTA Connection
• Configuration
• Runtime
• Policy Preview
• Webhook lifecycle events
• Queue and delivery troubleshooting

Operator mental model

PING8 prepares messages and decides whether a send is allowed. KumoMTA accepts injected messages, manages queues, delivers to recipient providers, and publishes lifecycle events back to PING8. KumoProxy, when used, controls the outbound egress path that recipient providers see.

Do not judge KumoMTA health from one signal. A healthy setup has:

• Passing connection test.
• Successful one-recipient injection.
• Low queue age under normal load.
• Webhook events returning to PING8.
• Provider responses visible in analytics or failure details.

First production rollout

1. Configure with sending disabled.
2. Save the connection fields.
3. Test injection and metrics reachability.
4. Preview policy and run dry run.
5. Enable Send API for one owned recipient.
6. Confirm lifecycle telemetry.
7. Enable campaign sending for a tiny group.
8. Increase volume gradually.