email-infra

name

email-infra

description

Set up and run cold email sending infrastructure (domains, DNS, mailboxes, warmup) through the ColdIQ marketplace Instantly endpoints. Use when sizing how many domains/mailboxes are needed, provisioning sending accounts, ordering done-for-you pre-warmed inboxes, enabling/monitoring warmup, checking domain availability, or troubleshooting deliverability before going live. Triggers on "email infra", "setup domains", "buy domains", "how many mailboxes", "mailbox setup", "warmup", "warm up", "DNS / SPF / DKIM / DMARC", "Instantly setup", "going live", "deliverability", "DFY inboxes", "pre-warmed domains". Do NOT use for writing campaign sequences or copy (see instantly-api / cold-email-copy) — this skill is about the sending infrastructure, not the campaigns that run on it.

Email Infrastructure

Take cold email infrastructure from zero to live: size it, provision mailboxes, warm them up, and verify health — using ColdIQ's resold Instantly account/warmup endpoints (BYOK, free, no ColdIQ credits). Once infra is healthy, hand off to instantly-api for campaigns.

ColdIQ Marketplace Endpoints

Task	Method	Path	Credits	Endpoint ID	Notes
Order DFY pre-warmed inboxes	POST	/v1/instantly/dfy-email-account-orders	free	instantly.dfy_orders.create	Fastest path to live
Check domain availability	POST	/v1/instantly/dfy-email-account-orders/domains/check	free	instantly.dfy_orders.domains_check	Before buying
List pre-warmed domains	POST	/v1/instantly/dfy-email-account-orders/domains/pre-warmed-up-list	free	instantly.dfy_orders.domains_prewarmed	Skip the 2-3 week warmup
Connect a mailbox	POST	/v1/instantly/accounts	free	instantly.accounts.create	Bring your own mailbox
List mailboxes	GET	/v1/instantly/accounts	free	instantly.accounts.list	Inventory
Get mailbox health	GET	/v1/instantly/accounts/{email}	free	instantly.accounts.get	Per-account status
Enable warmup	POST	/v1/instantly/accounts/warmup/enable	free	instantly.accounts.warmup_enable	Start 2-3 wks before sending
Disable warmup	POST	/v1/instantly/accounts/warmup/disable	free	instantly.accounts.warmup_disable	Avoid once campaigns live
Warmup analytics	POST	/v1/instantly/accounts/warmup-analytics	free	instantly.accounts.warmup_analytics	Health scores
Test account vitals	POST	/v1/instantly/accounts/test/vitals	free	instantly.accounts.test_vitals	Pre-launch check
Daily account analytics	GET	/v1/instantly/accounts/analytics/daily	free	instantly.accounts.analytics_daily	Monitor live sending

Critical rules (never break)

1. Never use your primary domain for cold outreach.
2. Max 2 mailboxes per domain.
3. One domain = one workspace (never mix).
4. Use multiple registrars (no single point of failure).
5. Warm up 2–3 weeks minimum before sending.
6. Never disable warmup once campaigns are running.
7. Start conservative, scale gradually.

Infrastructure sizing formula

• Monthly goal ÷ 20 working days = daily volume
• Daily volume ÷ 20–25 per mailbox = mailboxes needed
• Mailboxes × 1.5 (buffer) ÷ 2 = domains needed
• Provider split: 60% Google Workspace, 40% Microsoft 365

Example: 3,000/month → 150/day → 10–12 mailboxes → 5–6 domains.

DNS — all 4 records required

Record	Purpose
MX	Routes incoming email
SPF	Declares sending servers
DKIM	Digital signature authentication
DMARC	Policy for SPF/DKIM failures

(DNS is configured at the registrar/provider — ColdIQ doesn't set DNS. Use the DFY order to skip manual setup.)

Setup flow

1. Size the infra (formula above).
2. Fastest path — order done-for-you pre-warmed inboxes (skip manual domain/DNS/warmup). → POST /v1/instantly/dfy-email-account-orders · free · instantly.dfy_orders.create
   • First check what's available: → POST /v1/instantly/dfy-email-account-orders/domains/pre-warmed-up-list · free · instantly.dfy_orders.domains_prewarmed → POST /v1/instantly/dfy-email-account-orders/domains/check · free · instantly.dfy_orders.domains_check
3. BYO path — connect your own mailboxes, then enable warmup 2–3 weeks before sending. → POST /v1/instantly/accounts · free · instantly.accounts.create → POST /v1/instantly/accounts/warmup/enable · free · instantly.accounts.warmup_enable
4. Before launch, confirm health. → POST /v1/instantly/accounts/warmup-analytics · free · instantly.accounts.warmup_analytics → POST /v1/instantly/accounts/test/vitals · free · instantly.accounts.test_vitals
5. Go live (ramp), then monitor daily. → GET /v1/instantly/accounts/analytics/daily · free · instantly.accounts.analytics_daily

Warmup & ramp

Warmup: Week 1 foundation (no campaigns) · Week 2 building (no campaigns) · Week 3 ready (health 70%+, ideally 90%+). Going-live ramp/mailbox: Wk1 G 10–15 / MS 5–10 → Wk2–3 G 15–20 / MS 10–12 → Wk4+ G 20–25 / MS 12–15.

Healthy metrics

Open 50%+ · reply 2%+ · bounce <3% (target <2%) · spam <0.1% · deliverability >95%. If bounce climbs or vitals drop, pause that mailbox and re-check warmup analytics before resuming.