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Q172601: Known Issues and Alternatives to Mailsrv Utility

Article: Q172601
Product(s): Microsoft Press
Version(s): 
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): 
Last Modified: 21-DEC-1999

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The information in this article applies to:

- MSPRESS Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0 Resource Kit ISBN 1-57231-344-7 
- MSPRESS Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 4.0 Resource Kit ISBN 1-57231-343-9 
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SUMMARY
=======

The Mail Server 1.1 utility (MailSrv) provided with the Microsoft Windows NT
Server Resource Kit, Version 4.0 was designed as a basic SMTP and POP3 mail
server. It was never designed or intended to be a mission-critical, secure, or
enterprise-scale solution.

Microsoft has developed two full-featured mail servers to provide superior
functionality and reliability. Microsoft recommends implementing a more secure
and reliable mail service than can be managed by the MailSrv utility. Therefore,
MailSrv has been discontinued.

MORE INFORMATION
================

The following problems have been reported with the MailSrv utility on the
Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0 Resource Kit CD-ROM.

- Mail sent to the MailSrv server is held in the spool directory and is not
  distributed to the appropriate user.

- Over a period of time, MailSrv might slowly take up to 100 percent of the
  available CPU cycles. Stopping or restarting local mail delivery service,
  POP3 service, and SMTP service, will release the CPU cycles.

The Resource Kit development team is aware of these problems and will post
further information as it becomes available. However, the MailSrv utility is no
longer included with the Microsoft Windows NT Resource Kit. MailSrv.Exe was not
included on the Microsoft Windows NT Server Resource Kit, Version 4.0,
Supplement One CD-ROM, and MailSrv will not be included with future supplements
or releases.

Alternatives
------------

Microsoft produces two robust, secure, and full-featured mail service solutions
for an enterprise system: Microsoft Exchange Server and Microsoft Commercial
Internet System.

More information about Microsoft Exchange Server can be found on the following
Web site:

  http://www.microsoft.com/exchange/

More information about Microsoft Commercial Internet System and other Microsoft
enterprise solutions can be found at:

  http://backoffice.microsoft.com/

If you are looking for a small-scale Windows NT mail server solution, you might
find that a suitable freeware or shareware mail server is available. You can
find a list of third party mail server vendors by going to the following Web
site and searching for the Mail Server product category:

  http://msdnisv.microsoft.com/communication/

This site is subject to regular change, and most of the freeware and shareware
hyperlinks are frequently updated and replaced with newer links.

NOTE: Because the Microsoft Web site is constantly updated, these site addresses
may change without notice. If this occurs, link to the Microsoft home page at
the following address:

  http://www.microsoft.com/

Additional query words: mspress ms_press press ntreskit ntrk

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Keywords          :  
Technology        : kbMSPressSearch kbZNotKeyword6 kbZNotKeyword2 kbZNotKeyword3
Version           : :
Issue type        : kbbug kbinfo

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