Using Multiple Microsoft Mail Connector (PC) MTAs

Microsoft Mail Connector (PC) MTA instances perform differently depending on the type of connection they service. For example, if you set up a connector MTA instance to service only LAN-connected postoffices, you can select which MS Mail postoffices you want serviced and configure various message handling options for both the MTA and each postoffice. If you set up a connector MTA instance to service asynchronously connected postoffices, it automatically services every asynchronous postoffice you connect to from that Microsoft Mail Connector.

More about Microsoft Mail Connector (PC) MTAs When you configure the Microsoft Mail Connector, you create instances of the connector MTA. Each instance is named and registered as a Windows NT Server service on the Microsoft Exchange Server computer on which it was created. Each instance can be started or stopped independently of any other service.

Each instance of the connector MTA services one primary type of connection, such as a LAN, asynchronous, or X.25 connection. You should set up as many connector MTA instances as you need to provide connectivity to your MS Mail postoffices. Although every instance of the connector MTAs can service LAN-connected postoffices if necessary, you should group postoffices by the type of connection and then create a separate instance of the connector MTA to service each group. This optimizes performance when you have multiple LAN, asynchronous, and X.25 connections. For example, if there are only a few MS Mail postoffices on the same LAN compared with the number of postoffices with asynchronous connections, you can set up a single connector MTA for asynchronous and LAN connections and then add the LAN-connected postoffices to the list of postoffices serviced by that connector MTA. However, if you have several LAN connections, it is more efficient to set up two instances of the connector MTA: one to service LAN connections, and one to service asynchronous connections.