WINGATE MAIL SERVER AS SECONDARY...

[mcit]

Can the wingate Mail Server be used as a secondary or backup mail exchanger? If so, what configuration would it require?

[adrien]

Hi

Yes, WinGate can operate as a secondary. Basically for the domains you want the WinGate to be secondary for, you create a domain in WinGate Email, specify that it is hosted on a remote server, and specify the server, entering the name of the primary. Don't select using MX, since this machine itself will presumably also be an MX server for the domain.

Then if anyone delivers mail to that WinGate for that domain, it will be queued for delivery to the primary server, and retry if it is currently unavailable. Benefits here are that you can get this WinGate to authenticate to the primary if you need it to be trusted.

Be aware however that many spam agents deliberately try to deliver to secondary servers, in the (well founded) belief that they are more likely to be less securely configured, or have a less up-to-date knowledge of valid users etc.

Adrien

[mcit]

I forgot to mention that I am running Wingate 5.2.3 still. I don;t really want to upgrade because this server is functioning very nicely the way it is and I really don't want to break it.

What do you mean by don't use MX record? I have created the additional MX record for this domain with a lower priority, which MX are you referring to?

Thanks

[adrien]

Hi

I was referring to WinGate 6 mail server features - it is a lot more advanced than 5.2.3.

Not sure if 5.2.3 will really operate satisfactorily as a secondary.

it could be worth a try upgrading - export your WinGate reg first, then you can always roll back if 6.1.1 breaks anything (which it shouldn't).

Adrien