Contents of SMTP Service Release Notes

ID: Q230309

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Internet Information Server version 4.0

SUMMARY

The More Information section of this article contains a copy of the SMTP Service Release Notes included with the Windows NT 4.0 Option Pack.

The file containing these Release Notes is located at <%SystemRoot%>\Help\iis\htm\core\mailrel.htm.

NOTE: The formatting and layout of the text below may vary slightly from the original.

MORE INFORMATION

Microsoft SMTP Service Release Notes

The following sections are included in this document:

Welcome to Microsoft SMTP Service
Hardware and Software Requirements
Installing Microsoft SMTP Service
Restrictions on Relaying Mail Through Microsoft SMTP Service
Client Software
Secure Mail Transmission
Installing the Collaboration Data Objects for Windows NT Server Header File
Configuring Authentication for All Browsers
Using Internet Service Manager (HTML)
Known Issues
Copyright Information

Welcome to Microsoft SMTP Service

Before installing this product, review this entire document.

Microsoft SMTP Service is a commercial-grade implementation of SMTP that is designed to meet the high-traffic loads required by mission-critical applications. Key benefits of Microsoft SMTP Service include:

A robust, scalable, well-integrated SMTP server.

Internet Service Manager and Microsoft Management Console (MMC) support for administration.

Default restrictions to prevent Unsolicited Commercial E-Mail (UCE) from being relayed through the server.

Domain routing for fine-tuning SMTP delivery options.

Secure mail transmission using Transport Layer Security (TLS).

Transaction logs for offline processing to collect usage statistics, track messages and transactions, and examine usage patterns.

Hardware and Software Requirements

This version of Microsoft SMTP Service has the same minimum hardware requirements as Windows NT Server (IIS) version 4.0 and Microsoft Internet Information Server version 4.0. It is important to plan thoroughly before you build your mail service.

To install Microsoft SMTP Service, you must have the following software installed:

Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0

A partition large enough to hold the SMTP queue

Microsoft Windows NT Service Pack 3 (or later), which is available from the \Support\Qfe directory on the installation compact disc or from http://www.microsoft.com/ntserversupport/

Microsoft Internet Information Server (IIS) version 4.0

Installing Microsoft SMTP Service

IMPORTANT: You cannot use Microsoft SMTP Service as an upgrade from previous versions of Microsoft Commercial Internet System (MCIS) Mail Server. If you are upgrading to Microsoft SMTP Service, use the following procedure to remove previous versions of Microsoft MCIS Mail Server before running Setup.

To remove MCIS Mail Server

Pause Microsoft SMTP Service so that queued messages can be delivered.

Monitor the Mailroot\Queue directory to determine when the Queue directory is empty. When it is empty, stop Microsoft SMTP Service.

In Control Panel, double-click the Add/Remove Programs application.

In the Install/Uninstall property sheet, select MCIS Mail Server in the list box.

Click Add/Remove.

Restart the computer.

To install Microsoft SMTP Service

Install Windows NT Server 4.0 Service Pack 3.

Install Microsoft Internet Information Server (IIS) 4.0 and the Microsoft SMTP Service component using one of the options in the following table.

IIS 4.0 Setup Option	Description
Typical	Microsoft SMTP Service and all related documentation is installed.
Custom	You can select Microsoft SMTP Service and related documentation options as a subcomponent of the Internet Information Server component.

Restrictions on Relaying Mail Through Microsoft SMTP Service

Because of the growing problem on the Internet concerning Unsolicited Commercial E-Mail (UCE), Microsoft SMTP Service, by default, does not allow mail to be relayed through it to an external e-mail address. Mail addressed to any domain not configured for the SMTP site is rejected with the error "550 Unable to relay for <mail address>." To allow mail to be relayed from specific IP addresses, change the settings in the Relay Restrictions section of the Directory Security property sheet.

NOTE: Changing the settings to allow unrestricted relay through your SMTP server on the Internet makes your site a prime target for UCE. UCE can consist of special offers, commentaries, or any message a sender wants to convey to as many recipients as possible across the Internet. Often, senders relay UCE through well-known, trusted servers on the Internet to make messages appear as though they originated from a trusted host, or to make it difficult to determine the origin of the messages.

Client Software

Microsoft SMTP Service included in the Windows NT 4.0 Option Pack is designed to be used as an outbound mailer for mail-enabled applications. It does not provide the POP3 or IMAP4 protocol support necessary for use by e-mail client software. Mailboxes are not available in Microsoft SMTP Service.

Secure Mail Transmission

To protect communications, you can configure Microsoft SMTP Service to encrypt SMTP transmissions using Transport Layer Security (TLS). This protection is provided through the STARTTLS SMTP protocol command. The command is described in the Internet draft titled "SMTP Service Extension for Secure SMTP over TLS," and located at ftp://ietf.org/internet-drafts/draft-hoffman-smtp-ssl-03.txt.

Installing the Collaboration Data Objects for Windows NT Server Header File

Developers using the Collaboration Data Objects for Windows NT Server library, Cdonts.dll, may also need the header file. This header file is useful for C++ developers and contains class and dual interface definitions, class IDs, constants, and error codes. The Cdonts.h header file is available from the following location on the installation compact disc:


\ntoptpak\en\<x86 | alpha>\winnt.srv

Configuring Authentication for All Browsers

If the browser you are using does not support Windows NT Challenge/Response for authentication, you can change the default Web site setting to transmit account and password information in clear text. To change the authentication setting, complete the following steps:

Start Internet Service Manager and expand the directory hierarchy for the default web site.

Select the Mail folder.

Select Properties from the Action menu and then select the Directory Security property sheet.

Under Anonymous Access and Authentication Control, choose Edit.

Select Basic Authentication.

Using Internet Service Manager (HTML)

With Internet Service Manager (HTML), you can operate Microsoft SMTP Service remotely using Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP). To use this tool, you must use Microsoft Internet Explorer version 3.0 or later, or another Web browser. The configuration options are the same in Internet Service Manager (HTML) as in Internet Service Manager, with the following exceptions:

Configuring relay restrictions for managing UCE

Enabling transaction logging

Granting or denying access for specific computers

Using Key Manager to install certificates

Granting operator permissions to individual Windows NT Server accounts

Starting Internet Service Manager (HTML)

From the Start menu, choose Programs, select Windows NT 4.0 Option Pack, select Microsoft Internet Information Server, select Microsoft SMTP Service, and then select SMTP Service Manager (HTML).

NOTE: If you change the default document settings in the Documents property sheet for the default Web site in Internet Service Manager, you must also change them in the Mail node. For example, if you disable the default document or rename Default.htm, you cannot start Internet Service Manager (HTML) by choosing SMTP Service Manager (HTML) from the Start menu. To prevent this from occurring, configure the Mail node as follows:

In Internet Service Manager, expand the directory hierarchy for the default Web site.

Select the Mail node.

From the Action menu, choose Properties.

In the Documents property sheet, select Enable Default Document and make sure that Default.htm is included in the list box.

If you change the document settings again later for the default Web site, choose not to override the Mail settings in the Inheritance Overrides dialog box.

Known Issues

The following list contains known issues for Microsoft SMTP Service.

Using WINS or a HOSTS file for Intranet service

Although DNS is required to deploy Microsoft SMTP Service on the Internet, WINS or a HOSTS file can be substituted for DNS when using Microsoft SMTP Service on an intranet.

Messages can be corrupted under low disk conditions

Messages can be corrupted when available disk space is low or exhausted on the Mailroot directory. Place the Mailroot directory on drives that have adequate disk space

Cannot selectively bind multiple IP addresses to a single SMTP site

Does not support selective binding of multiple IP addresses to a single SMTP site. The choices are either a single IP address or all unassigned IP addresses.

Missing event logs when Microsoft SMTP Service is running

Some configuration changes are not logged to the event log when the service is running (for example, default domain changes, smart host changes, and site starting and stopping). No configuration changes are logged to the event log when the service is not running.

Changing Microsoft SMTP Service Badmail directory

The administration interface does not validate that the Badmail directory is on a local drive. You must always specify a local drive for the Badmail directory.

Master properties are not supported for Microsoft SMTP Service

In the Internet Information Server property sheet for the computer in Internet Service Manager, Microsoft SMTP Service is not listed under Master Properties. Microsoft SMTP Service does not support setting master properties. Multiple SMTP sites cannot be created.

Imprecise NDR on some looping cases

In cases when the SMTP server tries to connect to itself, the non-delivery report (NDR) displays the message "Connection to host <hostname> failed." The correct message is "Cannot connect to self."

Microsoft SMTP Service adds extra blank lines to messages placed in the Drop directory

Microsoft SMTP Service adds an extra blank line to the end of messages placed in the Drop directory.

Copyright Information

(C) 1997 Microsoft Corporation These materials are provided "as-is," for informational purposes only. Neither Microsoft nor its suppliers makes any warranty, express or implied with respect to the content of these materials or the accuracy of any information contained herein, including, without limitation, the implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. Because some states/jurisdictions do not allow exclusions of implied warranties, the above limitation may not apply to you. Neither Microsoft nor its suppliers shall have any liability for any damages whatsoever including consequential, incidental, direct, indirect, special, and lost profits. Because some states/jurisdictions do not allow exclusions of implied warranties, the above limitation may not apply to you. In any event, Microsoft's and its suppliers' entire liability in any manner arising out of these materials, whether by tort, contract, or otherwise shall not exceed the suggested retail price of these materials.

Additional query words: iis kbreadme readme mailrel.htm mailrel simple mail transport protocol

Keywords :
Version : winnt:4.0
Platform : winnt
Issue type : kbhowto