Microsoft Exchange™ 2003

In Exchange 2003, it's possible to configure a smart host on the Default SMTP Virtual Server, but if you do it this way you can only set a single smart host. The preferred method, therefore, is to use an SMTP Connector for your outgoing emails which does allow multiple smart hosts to be specified.

Following are the steps to have Microsoft Exchange 2003™ System deliver outbound mail via a Smart Host:

1. Open up the Microsoft Exchange System Manager (Start > Programs > Microsoft Exchange > System Manager);
2. Expand "Administrative Group", <Your Groupname>, you may have more than one, "Servers", <SERVER NAME>, "Protocols", "SMTP", "Default SMTP Virtual Server";
3. Right-click on "Default SMTP Virtual Server" and select Properties;
4. Click on "Delivery" tab and select the "Advanced" button;
5. Enter the Address of the hosting PM for the "Smart Host" field. You can specify the IP Address e.g.. [192.168.3.44] (using the square brackets) or use a FQDN "yourhost.yourdomain.com" (without the quotes);
6. Click on "Apply", then "OK" for all cascading windows.

These changes should take place on the fly, there is no need to restart the Exchange services.

Note that the above procedures assumes that you have a straight-forward Exchange system in place with pre-defined Exchange Routing Groups in place and that there is only one Exchange system within your organization. If you have an Exchange environment consisting of a Front-End system and a Back-End system, then the above needs to be applied on the Back-End system only.

Alternatively, you may decide to use a connector which routes email, rather than an SMTP virtual server:

1. Open up the Microsoft Exchange System Manager (Start > Programs > Microsoft Exchange > System Manager);
2. Right-click on {Your Exchange Server} and select Properties;
3. Make sure the checkbox Display routing groups is checked;
4. Right Click "First Organization";
5. Locate the folder: Administrative Groups/{Your_Administrative_Group}/Routing Groups/{Your_Routing_Group}/Connectors;
6. Right-click Connectors, select New, and then click SMTP Connector;
7. Fill in the Name field;
8. In the Smart host box, type the hostname or IP address (wrapped in square brackets [ ]) of the smart host server and select the local bridgehead (usually your mail server);
9. Select the Address Space tab, typical settings are "SMTP" and select (*).

If the above procedures do not work for you and you have restarted the Exchange services (or rebooted the Exchange Server) then there is a possibility that you may have a custom Routing group defined with a custom SMTP connector for all SMTP Address Spaces and SMTP connector configurations within the Routing Group section take precedence over the default virtual SMTP protocol configurations within the Protocols section.

Microsoft Exchange™ 2007/2010

For Exchange 2007/2010 configure a default relay host (smarhost) by creating a Send Connector. With Exchange 2007/2010, Microsoft has separated the mail server roles. The Hub Transport role is responsible for sending and receiving external email. In a single Exchange server environment, the same server will perform all roles.

1. Open the Exchange Management Console;
2. Expand the Organization Configuration (click on the "+" next to Organization Configuration);
3. Select Hub Transport, then the Send Connectors tab;
4. Right-click on the existing Send Connector;
5. Select Properties, then the Network tab;
6. Select "Route mail through the following smart hosts:" and click Add;
7. Enter the internal IP address of your smarthost relay server.
8. Click OK.

Once you click OK the changes will take effect immediately.

Keywords: configuration, settings, microsoft, exchange, smarthost, smtp, gateway