SMTP is the standard protocol for transporting messages between Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) hosts; in other words, it transfers email over the Internet and most intranets. The protocol comprises a series of plain-text commands used to transfer messages between hosts. A Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 administrator needs a sound understanding of how SMTP transfers messages, how it is configured, and how SMTP communication is secured.
Extended SMTP (ESMTP) extends SMTP functionality to support advanced messaging commands that are used, for example, for host authentication and encryption. Most e-mail messaging systems support SMTP, and many systems also support ESMTP. For the examination, you need to know how to configure SMTP, how to resolve SMTP connectivity problems, how to configure SMTP outbound security, and how to ensure SMTP interoperability.
Note | This chapter focuses on managing and configuring SMTP. Security, monitoring, and troubleshooting will be covered when appropriate, but these topics are discussed in more depth in Chapter 11, "Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 Security," Chapter 13, "Monitoring Microsoft Exchange Server 2003," and Chapter 14, "Troubleshooting Microsoft Exchange Server 2003." |