How to Configure Exchange Server 2003 to Use a Smart Host IP Address (821911)

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You can route all outgoing messages for remote domains through a smart host instead of sending these messages directly to the domain. When you do so, you can route messages over a connection that may be more direct or less costly than other routes.

Note The smart host setting for SMTP virtual servers is similar to the smart host setting on SMTP connectors. You can configure multiple smart hosts on the connector, because connectors can handle message delivery on a per-domain basis.

You can identify the smart host by either a fully qualified domain name (FQDN) or an IP address.

Note If you change the IP address, you must change it on every virtual server. If you use an IP address, you must enclose it in brackets ([]). Exchange Server 2003 checks first for a server name and then for an IP address. The brackets identify the value as an IP address. As a result, the DNS lookup is bypassed.

You can specify multiple smart hosts based on either the FQDN or the IP address. If you specify multiple smart hosts, you must separate them by a semicolon (;). If you use a combination of IP address and FQDN, make sure that the smart hosts that are specified by IP address appear after those that are specified by the FQDN. For example, you can use the following combinations:

• IP address of smarthost1; IP address of smarthost2
• FQDN of smarthost1; FQDN of smarthost2
• FQDN of smarthost1; IP address of smarthost2

The following combination does not load balance:

• IP address of smarthost1; FQDN of smarthost2

Microsoft recommends that you configure smart hosts on the connector because connectors can handle message delivery on a per-domain basis.

To configure Exchange Server 2003 to use a smart host IP address, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, point to Programs, point to Microsoft Exchange, and then click System Manager.
2. Locate the following folder:

   Servers/Your_Server/Protocols/SMTP/Your_SMTP_Virtual_Server

3. Right-click Your_SMTP_Virtual_Server, and then click Properties.
4. Click the Delivery tab, and then click Advanced.
5. In the Smart host box, type the name of the smart host server.
   
   You can type a string to represent a name or type an IP address that is enclosed in brackets.