POP3 Connector
Encyclopedia
The POP3 Connector is a piece of software included with Small Business Server
(SBS) versions of Microsoft Exchange Server
that enables the server to fetch e-mail from external, 3rd party, POP3 servers.
. Note that the latter method does not work for bcc'd e-mails and some mailing lists, as the recipient cannot be easily identified by looking at the e-mail headers
. However, failed e-mail can be delivered to a central account, where the correct recipient can be identified manually and then distributed accordingly by the administrator.
The software is then scheduled to fetch e-mail at regular intervals, from once every 24 hours right down to once every 5 minutes (SBS 2008). If the situation requires it, an immediate download can be started from the configuration screen.
There are non-supported workarounds to shorten the fetch interval, such as on SBS 2003 creating the new DWORD value ScheduleAccelerator in the registry folder "HKLM/SOFTWARE/Microsoft/SmallBusinessServer/Network/POP3 Connector". The new fetch interval time becomes the interval time you have set in the configuration GUI, divided by the number you set as the value for ScheduleAccelerator. For example, if you have the interval in the GUI set to 15 minutes, and you set the ScheduleAccelerator value to 3, it will fetch e-mail every 5 minutes. In SBS 2008 the program Pop3Connector.exe in "%programfiles%\Windows Small Business Server\Bin" can fetch e-mail instantly by using the argument -downloadNow. Using this command with Task Scheduler
allows you specify a fetch interval that suits your needs.
Microsoft Small Business Server
Windows Small Business Server is an integrated server suite from Microsoft designed for running network infrastructure of small and medium enterprises having no more than 75 workstations or users...
(SBS) versions of Microsoft Exchange Server
Microsoft Exchange Server
Microsoft Exchange Server is the server side of a client–server, collaborative application product developed by Microsoft. It is part of the Microsoft Servers line of server products and is used by enterprises using Microsoft infrastructure products...
that enables the server to fetch e-mail from external, 3rd party, POP3 servers.
Description
The software can fetch e-mail on a per-user, per-account basis, or it can fetch e-mail from a catch-all account and distribute by the To: field based on the e-mail addresses assigned to users in Active DirectoryActive Directory
Active Directory is a directory service created by Microsoft for Windows domain networks. It is included in most Windows Server operating systems. Server computers on which Active Directory is running are called domain controllers....
. Note that the latter method does not work for bcc'd e-mails and some mailing lists, as the recipient cannot be easily identified by looking at the e-mail headers
Internet mail standard
Internet e-mail functions through the use ofInternet standards. Although many more standards actually apply to e-mail, virtually all mail servers and e-mail clients support at least the following basic set....
. However, failed e-mail can be delivered to a central account, where the correct recipient can be identified manually and then distributed accordingly by the administrator.
The software is then scheduled to fetch e-mail at regular intervals, from once every 24 hours right down to once every 5 minutes (SBS 2008). If the situation requires it, an immediate download can be started from the configuration screen.
There are non-supported workarounds to shorten the fetch interval, such as on SBS 2003 creating the new DWORD value ScheduleAccelerator in the registry folder "HKLM/SOFTWARE/Microsoft/SmallBusinessServer/Network/POP3 Connector". The new fetch interval time becomes the interval time you have set in the configuration GUI, divided by the number you set as the value for ScheduleAccelerator. For example, if you have the interval in the GUI set to 15 minutes, and you set the ScheduleAccelerator value to 3, it will fetch e-mail every 5 minutes. In SBS 2008 the program Pop3Connector.exe in "%programfiles%\Windows Small Business Server\Bin" can fetch e-mail instantly by using the argument -downloadNow. Using this command with Task Scheduler
Task Scheduler
Task Scheduler is a component of Microsoft Windows that provides the ability to schedule the launch of programs or scripts at pre-defined times or after specified time intervals. It was first introduced in the Windows 95 Plus! pack as System Agent but was renamed to Task Scheduler in Windows 98...
allows you specify a fetch interval that suits your needs.
Alternatives
Other commercial alternatives are available that can be utilised for any version of Microsoft Exchange (or any RFC compliant SMTP server for that matter). These products typically provide increased functionality such as more frequent checking times (e.g.: once per minute) advanced logging and alerting, antispam/antivirus functionality, aliasing and content filtering. Free, open-source alternatives also exist.See also
- Windows Server 2003Windows Server 2003Windows Server 2003 is a server operating system produced by Microsoft, introduced on 24 April 2003. An updated version, Windows Server 2003 R2, was released to manufacturing on 6 December 2005...
- Windows Server SystemWindows Server SystemMicrosoft Servers is a brand that encompasses a line of Microsoft server products. This includes the server editions of Microsoft Windows operating system itself, as well as products targeted at the wider business market...
- List of Microsoft topics
- FetchmailFetchmailFetchmail is an open source software utility for POSIX-compliant operating systems which is used to retrieve e-mail from a remote POP3, IMAP, ETRN or ODMR mail server to the user's local system. It was developed from the popclient program, written by Carl Harris.Its chief significance is perhaps...