Changing From POP to SMTP

[DZuroff]

My exchange server 5.5 sp4 is currently set up using POP mail. The server is connected to a local ISP via 56K modem 24/7 and I want to get away from this. We have since installed a T1 for internet and I want to set up exchange as SMTP however I am not quite sure how to go about this. I tried contacting Worldcom (our T1 provider) and have gotten nowhere with them. I know it involves changing the mx record but this is where I start to get confused. I actually have two domains. accrapac.com and kemkrest.com. All e-mail is pointed to accrapac.com and is then routed to kemkrest.com on my local server. Once I work everything out between my dialup provider and T1 provider, it there anything I need to change in the exchange configuration? Or do I just need to change the mx record to point to worldcom? I have to be at a point where I am 100% comfortable that this will work because I understand it will take 1 - 3 days to propagate the change so if it doesn't work the first time, I can't just flip a switch and be right back to where I started. (I can't afford any downtime) Any help will be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!

 

[Bmstenner]

Hello,

I am not in the office at the moment, but i will be able to write you some information that will help you with this, just one thing for the time being:

in regards to your statement

"I understand it will take 1 - 3 days to propagate the change so if it doesn't work the first time, I can't just flip a switch and be right back to where I started"

Incorrect, you can use norton ghost to do a "disk to disk" copy of your servers hard disk, if all fails, you just put the disk back in, and your back to where you started!!!, obviously the 1-3 days of your life will be lost in the process, cant help you there.

Will write more soon, (later this afternoon)

thanks, hope this can help for the time being.

brendan

 

[Alshrim]

To my understanding -- there are a few things that have to be done.

Yes... MX records do have to be entered at your ISP --

MX record for the primary domain with a Metric of 10
MX record for the secondary domain with a Metric of 20 ..

Then you have to set up Exchange with an IMS with a routing entry of Inbound/Outbound for the Primary Domain ..

I don't think there would be any need, anymore for a relay -- seeing as how email delivery would be direct.

I may be missing steps here.. but I'm sure someone can fill us in .. Alshrim
System Administrator
MCSE, MCP+Internet

 

[Bmstenner]

Ok,

Back again, continuing from yesterday.

I would suggest the following:

1./ Do a backup of your exchange server, if you cannot do it via a ghost image, back up the databases in the exchange local folder, including the config files.
2./ modify the IMS to suite the new details, including Alshrim's 10 and 20 metric settings.
3./ Make sure the primary, secondary DNS details are correct in your network to suite Worldcom (didn't they go bankrupt???)
4./ test it, see how it works from here.

I agree with Alshrim, I don't think the relay is nessicary.

Maybe he has some other ideas about this, he seems to know alot.

Best of luck, advise on how you go from here.



Brendan.

 

[Alshrim]

Well .. If mail is going to be directly delivered to the exchange server via the Primary DNS name -- then .. redirection is not necessary -- the second DNS name with the metric of 20 would pass emails, potentially using that domain name into the server as well... so..

Then.. yep -- it'll take a few days for the records to be visible on all the ROOT servers.

I use ULTRA Dns for this kind of thing .. Takes 24 hours to move my server info over thru dns in the event of a disaster... to a new location ...

Cheers. Alshrim
System Administrator
MCSE, MCP+Internet