[Dovecot] SMTP Auth Issue for non /etc/passwd accounts

[Mark R. Baith]

Folks - With Dovecot 1.0.7, we're seemingly unable to
authenticate users for out-going SMTP access who are
not residing directly within the main system passwd/shadow
files.

(I.e. the users seeded within our non-system "dovecot"
userdbs & passwd files have no "smtp-auth" joy!  (Ye
olde "Relaying denied. Proper authentication required")

I've mucked around with this from several different
angles and clearly saslauthd is the sticking point
in terms of "locking-in" on the /etc system files ONLY for
smtp-auth. Our defined dovecot user/passwd files are
entirely ignored.  Can anyone provide a direction regarding
the appropriate smtp-auth in-road?  Thanks, -M

Regards, M