Why do Ubiquity UniFi devices have 2 places where email servers can be configured?
My Ubiquiti UDR 7 has two places where you can configure email server settings:
- Under System -> Email Services
- Under Control Plane -> Console -> Email Services
System Email Services (UniFi Network Application)
This setting controls notifications generated specifically by the UniFi Network application. It handles alerts regarding your network hardware, topology, and client traffic.
Examples: A UniFi switch or access point disconnecting, a rogue AP detection, WAN failover events, or specific client connection rules being triggered.
Control Plane Console Email Services (UniFi Operating System)
This setting controls notifications generated by UniFi OS, the underlying host operating system running on my UDR7. It handles alerts regarding the physical hardware, system-wide administration, and OS-level events.
Examples: UniFi OS firmware updates, administrative logins to the console, internal storage or temperature warnings, and automated OS backup statuses.
Why do Ubiquiti UniFi devices have 2 separate Email Services then?
This is for historical reasons and to keep things separate:
The UniFi Network application was originally built as standalone software that could be self-hosted on any third-party server, so it has always had its own independent email configuration. UniFi OS was developed later as the dedicated host platform for Ubiquiti’s hardware gateways like my UDR7 so it needed its own email configuration.
