If you want to learn how to setup corporate email on high-performance hosting like Cloudways, you’ve likely realized that a standard 'one-click' install doesn't exist. Cloudways is an absolute beast when it comes to hosting performance, but their email situation is a pain in the neck for a beginner trying to set up a new business. If you’ve just moved to Cloudways, you’ve probably noticed the glaring omission—there is no built-in mail server.
For beginners, this feels like a missing limb. For pros, it’s a massive advantage because it decouples your communication from your hosting. If your website goes down, your email keeps running. If your website gets hacked, your private inboxes stay secure.
The secret to how to setup corporate email on high-performance cloud servers like Cloudways isn't just about picking a provider. It's about the DNS 'handshake.' Most setups fail because they use multiple SPF records. Our method combines your SMTP and Mailbox records into a single TXT entry to bypass common ISP filters.
To get this working, you have to manage two separate "pipes"—Transactional Email and Corporate Inboxes. Getting these to coexist in your DNS without landing in the spam folder is the single hardest part of the setup but his guide is here to help you get it right the first time.
Table of Contents
🛠️ The Master Tool
Don't waste time manual-coding your DNS strings or guessing syntax. Use our Cloudways DNS Config Generator to create perfectly merged SPF, DKIM, and MX records instantly. It handles the heavy lifting so you don't have to play "syntax tetris" with your registrar.
The Transactional Pipe (Brevo SMTP)
What it is and why you need it
When you are learning how to setup corporate email, the transactional side is often forgotten. Brevo handles the automated 'plumbing' so your primary inbox stays clean.
Transactional email is your website’s "automated voice." Think password resets, order confirmations, and contact form notifications. Cloudways servers aren't designed to send these. If you try to send them directly from the server, 90% of them will end up in junk.
Brevo (formerly Sendinblue) is a dedicated SMTP relay built specifically for high-volume automated traffic. By routing your website's system mail through Brevo, you protect the reputation of your primary corporate domain.
The DKIM Secret
DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail) is like a digital wax seal on your email. It proves that the email wasn't tampered with while traveling across the web.
Every Brevo account has a unique DKIM public key. You find this in your Brevo Dashboard under Senders & IP > Domains. You must copy this key into your DNS for the mail._domainkey host. If you leave this out, Gmail and Outlook will flag your site's automated mail as suspicious.
The Corporate Inbox Pipe (Rackspace)
How to Setup Corporate Email Professionally
Corporate email refers to the inboxes your team actually uses—like yourname@yourdomain.com. On Cloudways, the gold standard is the Rackspace Email add-on. For just $1/month per mailbox, you get professional-grade reliability and security.
This guide recommends Rackspace because it separates your mail server from your web server—a crucial step for agency security.
MX Records: Inbound Redundancy
MX (Mail Exchanger) records tell the internet where to send mail addressed to your domain. For a pro setup, "one" record isn't enough. Rackspace requires triple redundancy to ensure you never miss an email, even if one data center is down.
- Primary:
mx1.emailsrvr.com(Priority 10) - Secondary:
mx2.emailsrvr.com(Priority 20) - Tertiary:
mx3.emailsrvr.com(Priority 30)
The "Security Trio" (SPF, DKIM, and DMARC)
If you want to stay out of the spam folder, you need to master these three TXT records.
3.1 The SPF Merge Trap (Why Emails Bounce)
This is where 90% of Cloudways users fail. SPF (Sender Policy Framework) tells servers which IP addresses or services are allowed to send mail for your domain.
The Golden Rule: You can only have ONE SPF record per domain.
If you add one record for Brevo and a second for Rackspace, your DNS is broken. Receiving servers will see two records, get confused, and trigger a "Hard Fail". You must merge them into a single string: v=spf1 include:spf.sendinblue.com include:emailsrvr.com ~all
3.2 DKIM: The Account Identity
As mentioned, DKIM is account-specific. While the Rackspace part is largely managed, you must ensure your Brevo key is correctly formatted.
3.3 DMARC: The Reporting Shield
DMARC tells servers what to do if SPF or DKIM fail.
- p=none: This is "Monitoring Mode". It’s the safest way to start. It tells servers: "Let the mail through, but send me a report on who is sending mail on my behalf".
- rua=mailto:admin@yourdomain.com: This tells servers where to send those security reports.
The "Autodiscover" Secret (Making Outlook Work)
Have you ever tried to add your email to an iPhone or Outlook and it just spun forever before asking for "manual settings"? That happened because you were missing the Autodiscover record.
Autodiscover is a CNAME record that allows devices to find your server settings automatically.
- Type: CNAME
- Host:
autodiscover - Value:
autodiscover.emailsrvr.com
Add this, and suddenly your team can set up their phones in seconds without needing to know port numbers like 993 or 465.
Cloudflare Users—The "Orange Cloud" Trap
If you use Cloudflare (and you should), you have to be very careful with their "Proxy" feature. Cloudflare’s "Orange Cloud" is built for web traffic (browsers), not for mail traffic (IMAP/SMTP).
The Rule:
- Website (A Record): Orange Cloud ON (Proxy active).
- Mail Records (MX/CNAME): Grey Cloud ONLY (DNS only).
If you leave the orange cloud on for mail.yourdomain.com or autodiscover, your email clients won't be able to connect, and your mail will stop flowing.
Final Steps: How to Setup Corporate Email DNS
Step 6.1: Clean Your Domain
Before you begin, make sure you are working with your root domain. If you paste https://www.yourbrand.com/blog, the records will fail. Our DNS generator tool automatically scrubs this out for you.
Step 6.2: Using the Generator
- Input: Enter your domain name.
- Toggle: Select both Brevo SMTP and Rackspace.
- Brevo Key: Paste your long
p=key from Brevo into the input field. - Copy All: Hit "Copy All Records".
Step 6.3: Deploying to Your Registrar
Go to Cloudflare, GoDaddy, or Namecheap and paste the records exactly as they appear in the tool.
Advanced Troubleshooting FAQ
I added the records, but Brevo still says "Unverified."
DNS takes time. While Cloudflare is fast, it can still take 10–15 minutes. If it's been longer than an hour, check if you accidentally created a second SPF record.
My emails are going to spam despite a 10/10 score.
This is usually a "warm-up" issue. If you’ve never sent mail from this domain before, don't start by sending 1,000 emails. Start with 5–10 per day to build a reputation with Google and Outlook.
Can I use my own branded webmail login?
Yes! Create a CNAME for mail pointing to webmail.emailsrvr.com. Now your team can log in at https://mail.yourdomain.com.
Set It and Forget It
Setting up corporate email on Cloudways isn't hard once you understand the "Two-Pipe" logic. By using Brevo for your site's automated mail and Rackspace for your team's inboxes, you are building a professional infrastructure that will scale with your business.
Remember the three big rules:
- Never have two SPF records.
- Always include the Autodiscover record for mobile sync.
- Grey Cloud your mail records in Cloudflare.
Ready to get your DNS right? Launch the Cloudways DNS Config Generator →
