diff --git a/files/bashscripts/debian/debian-essentials.sh b/files/bashscripts/debian/debian-essentials.sh
index 3466b17..dd4fac4 100755
--- a/files/bashscripts/debian/debian-essentials.sh
+++ b/files/bashscripts/debian/debian-essentials.sh
@@ -143,3 +143,51 @@ if [ $isInFile -eq 0 ]
         echo "# nfs shares" >> /etc/fstab
         echo "192.168.1.41:/mnt/data /mnt/truenasdata nfs defaults,nolock,soft,vers=4.2 0 0" >> /etc/fstab
 fi
+
+# configure email for sending notifications
+isInFile=$(cat /etc/postfix/main.cf | grep -c "gmail")
+if [ $isInFile -eq 0 ]
+    then
+        DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive apt install -y libsasl2-modules mailutils postfix postfix-pcre
+        echo "smtp.gmail.com notify.akanealw@gmail.com:leawkqqpthbwacrf" > /etc/postfix/sasl_passwd
+        echo "/^From:.*/ REPLACE From: $(hostname) <notify.akanealw@gmail.com>" > /etc/postfix/smtp_header_checks
+        chmod 600 /etc/postfix/sasl_passwd
+        postmap hash:/etc/postfix/sasl_passwd
+        postmap hash:/etc/postfix/smtp_header_checks
+        sed -i 's@relayhost =@#relayhost = @g' /etc/postfix/main.cf
+        sed -i 's@smtp_tls_session_cache_database = btree:${data_directory}/smtp_scache@#smtp_tls_session_cache_database = btree:${data_directory}/smtp_scache@g' /etc/postfix/main.cf
+        echo "" >> /etc/postfix/main.cf
+        echo "# google mail configuration" >> /etc/postfix/main.cf
+        echo "relayhost = smtp.gmail.com:587" >> /etc/postfix/main.cf
+        echo "smtp_use_tls = yes" >> /etc/postfix/main.cf
+        echo "smtp_sasl_auth_enable = yes" >> /etc/postfix/main.cf
+        echo "smtp_sasl_security_options =" >> /etc/postfix/main.cf
+        echo "smtp_sasl_password_maps = hash:/etc/postfix/sasl_passwd" >> /etc/postfix/main.cf
+        echo "smtp_tls_CAfile = /etc/ssl/certs/Entrust_Root_Certification_Authority.pem" >> /etc/postfix/main.cf
+        echo "smtp_tls_session_cache_database = btree:/var/lib/postfix/smtp_tls_session_cache" >> /etc/postfix/main.cf
+        echo "smtp_tls_session_cache_timeout = 3600s" >> /etc/postfix/main.cf
+        echo "smtp_header_checks = pcre:/etc/postfix/smtp_header_checks" >> /etc/postfix/main.cf
+        echo "" >> /etc/postfix/main.cf
+        postfix reload
+        echo "This is a test message sent from postfix on $(hostname)" | mail -s "Test Email from $(hostname)" akanealw@gmail.com
+    else
+        echo "Email already configured."
+fi
+
+# configure unattended upgrades
+isInFile=$(cat /etc/apt/apt.conf.d/20auto-upgrades | grep -c 'APT::Periodic::Unattended-Upgrade "1";')
+if [ $isInFile -eq 0 ]
+    then
+        apt install -y apt-listchanges unattended-upgrades
+        sed -i 's@//      "origin=Debian,codename=${distro_codename}-updates";@        "origin=Debian,codename=${distro_codename}-updates";@g' /etc/apt/apt.conf.d/50unattended-upgrades
+        sed -i 's!//Unattended-Upgrade::Mail "";!Unattended-Upgrade::Mail "akanealw@gmail.com";!g' /etc/apt/apt.conf.d/50unattended-upgrades
+        sed -i 's@//Unattended-Upgrade::MailReport "on-change";@Unattended-Upgrade::MailReport "on-change";@g' /etc/apt/apt.conf.d/50unattended-upgrades
+        sed -i 's@//Unattended-Upgrade::Remove-Unused-Dependencies "false";@Unattended-Upgrade::Remove-Unused-Dependencies "true";@g' /etc/apt/apt.conf.d/50unattended-upgrades
+        echo "APT::Periodic::Update-Package-Lists \"1\";" > /etc/apt/apt.conf.d/20auto-upgrades
+        echo "APT::Periodic::Unattended-Upgrade \"1\";" >> /etc/apt/apt.conf.d/20auto-upgrades
+        systemctl enable unattended-upgrades
+        systemctl start unattended-upgrades
+        systemctl status unattended-upgrades
+    else
+        echo "Unattended upgrades already configured."
+fi