HOW TO: Test the Windows 2000 SMTP Service Outbound Mailflow Without Using DNS (297988)

SUMMARY

This article describes how to configure a remote domain to deliver to a smart host. After you complete the procedure that is described in this article, you can test the Microsoft Windows 2000 Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) Service outbound mailflow without using DNS. When Microsoft SMTP Service delivers outbound mail, it either uses DNS for name resolution (this is the default setting) or it delivers all mail to a smart host.

If you configure Microsoft SMTP Service to use a smart host, you can configure either the SMTP virtual server or the individual domains. If you configure the Smart host setting on the default SMTP virtual server, all mail is forwarded to that smart host regardless of the remote domain. To confirm that Microsoft SMTP Service is configured to use a smart host, open the virtual server properties, click the Delivery tab, and then click Advanced to view the Smart host setting. If you configure the Smart host setting on the remote domain, only mail that is destined for that remote domain is sent to the specified smart host.

If you configure Microsoft SMTP Service to use a smart host, you increase the speed of the service because Microsoft SMTP Service does not have to complete the name resolution process. In addition, you can test Microsoft SMTP Service outbound mailflow without using DNS if you use a smart host.

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Forward Mail to a Smart Host

To configure a remote domain to forward to a smart host to test the outbound mailflow:

1. Start the Internet Services Manager snap-in.
2. Click to expand Internet Information Service, click to expand Server_name, and then click to expand Default SMTP Virtual Server.
3. Right-click Domains, point to New, and then click Domain.
4. In the Domain Type box, click Remote.
5. Type the domain name for the remote domain that you want to test (for example tbill.com), and then click Finish.
6. Right-click the domain name that you just created, and then click Properties.
7. In the Route Domain section, click Forward all mail to smart host.
8. Type the name of the smart host for the remote domain, and then click OK.
   
   The smart host name can either be the host name, the fully qualified domain name (FQDN), or the Internet Protocol (IP) address of the remote host. If you type an IP address, you must enclose the IP address in brackets ([]), for example, [10.10.0.1].
   
   NOTE: Use the Nslookup utility to obtain either the FQDN or IP address of the remote host. For additional information about how to use Nslookup, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

   203204 XFOR: How to Obtain MX Records with the Nslookup.exe Utility