Although many versions of sendmail can be used as to front-end SMTP we prefer to use Netscape Messaging Server because of its LDAP-based routing and easy to configure SMTP routing tables. We also prefer Netscape because of its server plug-in capability and built-in powerful anti-spam capabilities: the front-end host is the correct place to eliminate spam, not at the MTA.

Summary
Several practical problems can be solved by implementing an intelligent front-end host for SMTP. This solution can help to address issues such as multiple Internet domains and SMTP address formats, multiple languages and character sets, coexistence and migration issues for cc:Mail and Domino, and spam. The core technology is LDAP-enabled SMTP and an LDAP directory can be synchronized with the NAB. For larger companies some type of front end host is necessary and increasingly medium-sized companies need this type of solution in order to support centralized processing and routing of Internet email for a number of different business units.

Glossary
DNS - domain name system MX record - the IP address of a mail exchanger Mail exchanger - an SMTP host that handles mail for a domain bind - a program that provides DNS services sendmail - the standard SMTP e-mail program for Internet mail LDAP - Lightweight Directory Access Protocol MTA - Message Transfer Agent nslookup - a utility to look up network information in DNS

DominoPower Technical Editor Ron Herardian is CEO and Chief Technical Consultant at Global System Services (GSS). You can reach Ron via email at rherardi@gssnet.com, or via his web page at http://www.gssnet.com. GSS also sponsors Messaging Central (at http://www.messagingcentral.com/), a web-based resource devoted to electronic messaging integration, Internet messaging standards, and migration.