SmartHost Pt 2

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Additional SMTP SmartHost configurations for Exchange

More information on configuring SMTP SmartHost and Exchange

(updated on 9/6/2004)

As a casual Exchange administrator, I really didn't quite figure out what was going on with configuring SmartHost until I sat down tried to use both direct access and SmartHosting. Since you can add multiple SMTP connectors, and can set up an address space for each of the connectors, I thought it would be simple to have my problem domains use SmartHosting, and any domain that doesn't block DSL IP ranges to use direct. In fact, it is.

Exchange Connectors

It turns out that the outbound connectors are where you need to set up smart hosting. So I created two connectors, one for direct access, one for SmartHosting.

The direct connection is configured normally, using DNS to resolve the destination.

On the Address Space tab, change the cost for the default address space (*) to 2. This should make the Smart Cost connector try first.

For the SMTP SmartHost enabled connector, select Forward all mail through this connector to the following smart hosts and enter your smart host server.

Set the appropriate outbound security on the Advanced tab.

Finally, change the address space to indicate the domains that you want to use smart hosting.

Set the cost of these address spaces to 1, so that this connector used before the default one. Make sure you uncheck the relay checkbox.

That's about it. Hope it helps anyone who needs it!

Thanks,

Chris Lewis