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

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