# Exchange mail retrieval from ISP



## Beeeater (Jan 20, 2006)

I have Small Business Server that needs to retrieve mail from a domain hosted by an ISP. However I prefer to receive mail directly to my exchange server via DNS. I therefore have two MX records for the mail domain, the primary points at my exchange server, the secondary points at the ISP, so if my server is down, mail will still be collected by the ISP. This can later be retrieved either through an Outlook PoP account or via Webmail from the ISP.
This is a bit cumbersome. I want to know if I can set up a PoP connector on the small business server _in addition_ to DNS retrieval, so that the mail is retrieved from BOTH sources automatically?

(I hope this is the right forum? if not, please redirect me! )


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## LinuxHacker (Jan 1, 1970)

You can setup pop connectors in SBS. but it would be best practice to point the MX record to only one place.


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## Beeeater (Jan 20, 2006)

Is that supposed to be an answer to the question I was asking??


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## LinuxHacker (Jan 1, 1970)

It is if you want to do things correctly. If your email server is down, most sending mail servers will try for several hours before giving up unless your server activley rejects it. In that case your server is up. If your server is down for 12 hours a lot of the time, then you are in the wrong profession. So yes. That is the answer. Point the MX to your Exchange and focus on keeping your server online.


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## Beeeater (Jan 20, 2006)

Unfortunately here in South Africa we rely on ADSL to connect our servers to the internet. This is a landline-based system, and is notoriously unreliable. There are times when the service can be down for a week or more at a time. Alternative arrangements have to be made, and any IT pro worth his salt will ensure that such arrangements are in place. Your reply is therefore completely unhelpful and does not address the original question. Anybody else have some input please?


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## LinuxHacker (Jan 1, 1970)

http://74.125.95.132/search?q=cache...nector+configuration&cd=3&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us


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## srhoades (May 15, 2003)

You could get a smart host that will filter your mail for SPAM, viruses and what not. You point your MX to them and then they forward it to you. That way when you are down they can hold your mail until you are back online.


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## TheDude5555 (Aug 26, 2006)

I'll have to respectively disagree with Mr Linux. I find it is common industry practice to configure your MX exactly as you have. For obvious reasons connections to the Internet that have guaranteed 24/7 uptime just don't exist. So even though you are doing all that is possible to keep your server up it can still be off line. In all, you are doing the prudent, and I might add proper thing by having a backup MX.

Now to answer your question. Yes you can set up both and it should work as you would like it to. 

However I find that a better solution, if your ISP will accommodate you is to have them not put your emails into mailboxes in the event of your server being off line. Rather you should have them simply queue the email until your server comes back on line. Again, this may be out of your control but is probably a better solution for you.


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