Re: How to host email using Exchange 2003

• Previous message: Acer: "Como habilito el cambio de contraseņa desde el OWA 2003...."
• In reply to: ASM: "How to host email using Exchange 2003"
• Messages sorted by: [ date ] [ thread ]

Date: Thu, 26 Aug 2004 15:03:52 +0800

Hi, Please see below (in-line) for my reply.

Cheers.

-- 
Regards,
Edmund Seah, MSFT
Please do not send email directly to this alias. This alias is for newsgroup
purposes only.
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.
Please do not send email to this address, post a reply to this newsgroup
"ASM" <melickas@yahoo.com> wrote in message 
news:246a0d02.0408240733.3c7a2a32@posting.google.com...
> We need to set up email using Exchange 2003 on SBS 2003, and
> considering the following situation, it looks like we should attempt
> to host our own email for sending and receiving. We currently have no
> email implemented so interruption is not going to be an issue and our
> maximum number of email accounts is 15-20. All (15) client
> workstations are using Windows 2000 or XP Professional with Outlook
> 2003 and we want to use Outlook as the email reader/client. The
> network uses static IP addresses.
>
> Our ISP/Domain Name situation is as follows:
>
> Our ISP is a cable company and we have (5) static IPs available (we do
> not use these currently) from them. They installed a router we know
> the IP range for the (5) static IPs. Our ISP offers 15 free email
> accounts but our email addresses would have to be
> employeename@ispname.com and we do not want to do that.
>
> Our Domain Name (call it www.ourcompany.com) Registrar is Network
> Solutions. The (2) Name Servers are NS1.COBALTGROUP.COM and
> NS2.COBALTGROUP.com. Cobalt Group wants to charge us $250.00 setup fee
> for 20 email accounts (25MB capacity) then $25.00/month to host email.
> Obviously, they can setup our email to be employeename@ourcompany.com
> which is what we want to do.
>
> We have read the tutorial from www.msexchange.org regarding "Hosting
> You Own SMTP Mail using Exchange 2000" and think the instructions will
> be pretty close to the same for Exchange 2003. We still are confused
> on some issues and have the following questions:
[Reply} Yes the setup is similar.
>
> 1. What does Cobalt Group need to do for us with regards to the MX
> record and or "A" record? We understand that we need an MX record for
> our Domain Name. Does Cobalt Group create this? Would this MX Record
> point to mail.ourcompany.com? Then the "A" record points
> mail.ourcompany.com to some IP address(our Static?)--confused here.
[Reply] In your Scenario, your ISP is hosting the DNS records. So in that 
sense, any communication from the Internet world to your company is via your 
ISP using their DNS.
So their DNS your company is using is Internet "facing".
A records - just a hostname record mapping to an IP address (e.g mymachine 
will be mapped to 10.1.1.1)
MX records - also a hostname record mapping to an IP address but it is a 
record specific Emails servers. (Not limiting to Exchange servers)
This is what you need to do.
1. For sending mails to the Internet, this is the easy part.Simply setup 
Exchange 2003 and on your Exchange server set the DNS pointing to your ISP. 
The ISP DNS servers will do the job of sending Internet mails out. (The 
default settings for Exchange should get it working but must specific 
correct ISP's DNS server)
So it means when a user send an email to hotmail, it goes to your Exchange 
2003 server. and the Exchange 2003 server will send the mails to the ISP DNS 
and send out to the Internet world.
[Reply]User send email from your company to hotmail> Exchange>Exchange check 
which DNS server to use> ISP DNS> Out to Internet>Look for hotmail MX 
records> Found hotmail MX record > contact hotmail MX record's DNS server> 
hotmail DNS servers forward requests tot he CORRECT A record to contact 
INTERNAL hotmail servers.
2. For incoming mails from Internet, what you need is just a MX records on 
the ISP's DNS servers. (They charged money for the record and possibly the A 
records too)
The MX records can be directly to your new internal Exchange 2003 server or 
to you ISA server. ISA will then route the mails to your exchange servers.
For example
Hotmail user send to users@yourcompany.com> look for MX records of 
yourcompany.com> found your MX records with your ISP's DNS servers> your 
ISP's DNS server will forward the requests to you Exchange servers via your 
MX records> your Exchange servers received the message or it can be your ISA 
server receiving (acting as MX record) the mails and forward to the Real 
Exchange servers. (There rules in ISA to receive emails from ISP and forward 
to the Correct Exchange servers in your company)
>
> 2. Assuming we need Cobalt group to do the above (or something
> similar), what if they refuse to cooperate--is that illegal?
[Reply]I do not know what you mean. but i am sure if you are paying them to 
do work for your company. I am sure there are some contracts that are 
binding.
So you guys can take legal actions if they do not cooperate.
But if you are doing what i suggested. Typically the control is on your 
side. Only thing you require the ISP's DNS to put your MX/A records there. 
(To be let your company Exchange servers be "seen" in the internet world 
using their Internet world facing DNS)
of course, you could have setup your own Internet DNS servers...but it will 
take more resources.
>
> 3. Our SBS2003 box has (2) NICS. If we use a STATIC IP from our ISP,
> what do we change in our current configuration on these NICS, our
> ISP's Router, and/or ISA 2000 Server.
[Reply]Since you are using STATIC IP from ISP, it should be fine.
My assumption is that your SBS2003 box had direct connection to your ISP and 
to your ISP DNS servers. (Or via your ISA server)
The Exchange 2003 setup is easy. As long as your client, outlook can connect 
to your Exchange servers, sending/receiving INTERNAL mails will be no 
problems.
So the key issue here, when a user send an external mail to hotmail for 
example, the Exchange Server box must "know" which DNS server to contact to 
reach the outside world.
So in your case, Since your Exchange box is connected to your ISP and its 
DNS servers (Internet facing i assume), then the setup should be fine. Under 
Exchange server, you go to the Server object (in Exchange System Management) 
 > then to the Protoccols> SMTP > under the Advanced option> you can specify 
an External DNS servers to send out External emails.
Likewise as i mentioned earlier, for receiving emails from internet, there 
must be a MX records of your Exchange servers in the ISP's DNS servers.
>
> 4. Should we use SMTP for both sending/receiving email or are there
> other options for either?
[Reply]By default, Exchange 2003 uses only SMTP for all communications. 
Unless there are legacy system which needed others. In the intenet world 
now, common is SMTP.
So SMTP should be just fine.
Others options would be x.400 or mta which i do not think is needed for your 
company.
>
> 5. We want to be able to forward any email sent to
> sales@ourcompany.com to salesman1@ourcompany,
> salesman2@ourcompany.com, etc..  Is this possible if we host our own
> email using Exchange 2003, and if so, how do we configure Exchange to
> forward this email?
[Reply]I don't get what you mean...do u mean if from hotmail i send to 
sales@ourcompany.com then your internal Exchange 2003 should send to 
abcuser@ourcompany.com?
That should be possible. a user can have a few smtp addresses.
So for example, you want all enquires from External to 
enquires@ourcompany.com to be send to 2 users user1@ourcompany.com and 
user2@ourcompany.com, simply add the enquire@ourcompany.com to the 2 users 
smtp addresses. (at least the Internet world wont spam the 2 users which 
emails directly)
>From active directory users and computers. looked for the users accounts, 
simply add new smtp address (like salesman@ourcompany.com). any mails to 
salesman@ourcompany will be sent to that user.
>
> 6. Is there anything we need our ISP to do?
[Reply]Not anymore than i mentioned above. If there is an ISA between your 
ISP and the Exchange box. There be some rules and settings to be considered. 
If not, it should be fine.
> 7. Any other considerations we are missing?
[Reply]I do not see any problems, most company setup their own Exchange 
servers (That is what SBS2003 is all about! :-) ) The key is DNS's MX 
records on the Internet (ISP's DNS server) and how Exchange can connect to 
the Internet. (Via your ISP DNS in this case)
Take time to patch your Microsoft servers and clients. It will help 
stablized the servers and protect your environment.
Backup and restore important!! It will help save precious money and time in 
case of a disaster.
>
> Thank you! 

• Previous message: Acer: "Como habilito el cambio de contraseņa desde el OWA 2003...."
• In reply to: ASM: "How to host email using Exchange 2003"
• Messages sorted by: [ date ] [ thread ]