Great - thanks for the info. Another question - how does the Secondary server KNOW that it's a secondary server? How is it setup differently, from the primary server?
I don't want to go overkill and setup another Exchange box, to simply accept messages. I was thinking about using IMail or something much lighter, since it's only a temporary dumping ground for e-mail. Thanks again, for your help, Mike -----Original Message----- From: Public Folder: Exchange [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Thursday, May 29, 2003 9:31 AM To: Exchange Discussions Subject: RE: The real story with Secondary MX Generally you use a SMTP relay on another system as a secondary. This usually is just a relay that accepts ALL mail for a particular domain. It usually has no knowledge of user accounts. Normally, mail is attempted to be delivered to the primary MX, if it's not available, the next lower priority one is tried and so on down the list. If the secondary receives mail, it tries at specified intervals to relay the mail to the server/ip that it is set up to send that mail to (usually the primary MX) or it can use DNS. -Kevin > -----Original Message----- > From: Mike Anderson [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > Posted At: Thursday, May 29, 2003 7:22 AM > Posted To: Exchange > Conversation: The real story with Secondary MX > Subject: The real story with Secondary MX > > > Hello, > > This is still a mystery to me. Could somebody explain, or point me in > the right direction, as to how this all REALLY works? And also, to > make sure things are configured correctly (on the secondary server)? > > What is the overall process, on how mail gets routed - and > the criteria > that has to be met, before a Primary mail server is given up on, and > then gets sent to the secondary server? > > Obviously, it all begins with DNS - you have preferences > using numbers. > The lower the number, the higher the priority the Mail Server is. So, > the first MX gets a setting like '10', and the secondary MX gets a > setting like '20'. > > Once that is done - what really happens, if in fact, the > primary server > is unreachable? Does the secondary Mail Server actually need to have > all the User Accounts and Domains that the first server has > in order to > accept messages? OR, does it accept literally everything, and then > spools the mail, once the Primary Mail Server is reachable again. And > that leads me to the next question - how does the secondary > Server know > that it just accepted mails (temporarily) for a primary > server, and that > it's supposed to periodically contact the Primary - so it can offload > all the mail it's been accumulating this whole time? > > If somebody could explain the whole process, or refer me to an article > of some type, I would be very grateful. > > Thanks in advance, > > Mike > > _________________________________________________________________ > List posting FAQ: http://www.swinc.com/resource/exch_faq.htm > Web Interface: > http://intm-dl.sparklist.com/cgi-bin/lyris.pl?enter=exchange&t ext_mode=&lang=english To unsubscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Exchange List admin: [EMAIL PROTECTED] _________________________________________________________________ List posting FAQ: http://www.swinc.com/resource/exch_faq.htm Web Interface: http://intm-dl.sparklist.com/cgi-bin/lyris.pl?enter=exchange&text_mode=&; lang=english To unsubscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Exchange List admin: [EMAIL PROTECTED] _________________________________________________________________ List posting FAQ: http://www.swinc.com/resource/exch_faq.htm Web Interface: http://intm-dl.sparklist.com/cgi-bin/lyris.pl?enter=exchange&text_mode=&lang=english To unsubscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Exchange List admin: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
