MX Record Question

[Guest]

(I apologize if this is a double post...IE crashed when I pressed Post last
time and I don't know if this made it in.)

In a nutshell, I'm changing the IP address of our mail server. Our internal
DNS shows an mx record that shows the current IP address. Our Outlook clients
are set to smtp.xxx.org rather than the IP address but I don't know how I set
this up before to resolve the name. There is no listing within DNS to
smtp.xxx.org.

So, does having smtp as a prefix automatically mean the client should search
out the mx record? Or do I need to create an alias? Or something else?

(sorry again if this is a double...)

Sheldon

 

[Herb Martin]

(I apologize if this is a double post...IE crashed when I pressed Post
last
time and I don't know if this made it in.)

In a nutshell, I'm changing the IP address of our mail server. Our
internal
DNS shows an mx record that shows the current IP address. Our Outlook
clients
are set to smtp.xxx.org rather than the IP address but I don't know how I
set
this up before to resolve the name. There is no listing within DNS to
smtp.xxx.org.

The DNS zone for xxx.org would have an entry for the SMTP server,
likely and A record plus the MX record.

This does not need to be changed.

Any REVERSE records (PTR) in the reverse zones should however
be updated to reflect the change -- this is MOSTLY important for external
sending of email (to other companies.)

So, does having smtp as a prefix automatically mean the client should
search
out the mx record? Or do I need to create an alias? Or something else?

Not at all. Your 'name' for your SMTP email server is ENTIRELY
irrelevant except that it should make sense AND for external use should
be the same name as your Email server reports.*

*That is, your A record, the MX record, and the PTR record plus what
the SMTP server CLAIMS in it's HELO should match if you want most
everyone on the Internet to accept your email.

(Some of this is BEYOND the RFCs and generates infinite arguments
about the propriety of all being required, but you want your email to
be accepted rather than to win arguments.)

(sorry again if this is a double...)

 

[Ace Fekay [MVP]]

In

(I apologize if this is a double post...IE crashed when I pressed
Post last time and I don't know if this made it in.)

In a nutshell, I'm changing the IP address of our mail server. Our
internal DNS shows an mx record that shows the current IP address.
Our Outlook clients are set to smtp.xxx.org rather than the IP
address but I don't know how I set this up before to resolve the
name. There is no listing within DNS to smtp.xxx.org.

So, does having smtp as a prefix automatically mean the client should
search out the mx record? Or do I need to create an alias? Or
something else?

(sorry again if this is a double...)

Sheldon

Actually I just wanted to point out that internally, no MX record is
required. The MX record is just for other mail servers on the internet to
find the mail servers of recipeint addresses.

Unless of course, the internal DNS is also hosting public records and is
registered as a nameserver of such. But if this is an AD environment, I
would not be mixing internal private and public data under the same zone.

Also, it would help to better understand where the mail server is that you
are using for your users, whether it's an internal mail server (such as
Exchange) where the clients are Outlook MAPI clients, or is it ISP hosted
(externally somewhere else) and the clients are setup for POP3 or IMAP4.

But whether internal or external, no MX record is required for client
machines. Of course if POP or IMAP, and the server is external, they would
just require either the IP address or the FQDN of the receiving and sending
mail server.

--
Ace
Innovative IT Concepts, Inc
Willow Grove, PA

This posting is provided "AS-IS" with no warranties or guarantees and
confers no rights.

Ace Fekay, MCSE 2003 & 2000, MCSA 2003 & 2000, MCSE+I, MCT, MVP
Microsoft MVP - Directory Services
Microsoft Certified Trainer

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