MailNet 3.1

A flexible gateway for Internet mail and Microsoft Mail

When you're sending andreceiving Internet mail from a Windows NT-based network, you have two goodchoices. You can use a traditional UNIX-style mail server with Simple MailTransfer Protocol (SMTP) and Post Office Protocol (POP). An NT server uses SMTPand optionally POP to relay mail between the Internet and client PCs running anygarden-variety email program, such as Eudora or Pegasus

Alternatively, you can implement a mail gateway between the Internet and alocal proprietary mail system, such as Microsoft Mail. The gateway relies onSMTP and POP to send and receive mail to and from the Internet. But instead ofinterfacing directly with the client systems, the gateway forwards mail to andfrom the local mail system, which interfaces with the client systems. MailNet3.1 by Consensys Computers uses this approach.

So why use a mail gateway? First, if you've invested in a proprietary mailsystem, you don't want to throw away that implementation. Second, if you deployor want to deploy mail-enabled applications such as group schedulers and sharedcalendars, you'll find that most group-oriented applications depend on MicrosoftMail or a similar proprietary mail system and are incompatible with SMTP and POPmail delivery systems. Finally, many proprietary mail systems offer featuresthat you can't get with SMTP and POP solutions. Such features are the ability toimbed Object Linking and Embedding (OLE) objects in a message. If your situationfalls into one of these categories and Microsoft Mail is your proprietary mailsystem, look at MailNet.

In the Lab with MailNet
Installing and configuring Consensys MailNet is much simpler than installingand setting up Microsoft Mail. You need a good working knowledge of yourInternet connection (and associated email interface) and Microsoft Mail.MailNet's documentation is a little thin, but adequately describes theinstallation and configuration process.

MailNet is a native NT software product that provides gateway servicesbetween Microsoft Mail and the Internet. MailNet uses SMTP to send mail to theInternet and can use either SMTP or POP3 to receive mail from the Internet. TheInternet connection can be permanent (a leased line) or a Remote Access Service(RAS) connection such as a dial-up or Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN)connection initiated at regular intervals. When you use MailNet with a scheduledconnection, it provides a convenient way of sending and receiving Internet mailwithout requiring a dedicated (and expensive) Internet connection.

Interfacing MailNet with Microsoft Mail is slightly more complicated thanwith the Internet because MailNet supports two methods of exchanging mail withMicrosoft Mail. With the first method, you upgrade a Microsoft Mail post officeto a "gateway post office." You ordinarily use this approach for anNT-based network. In this case, MailNet adds software that works at theMicrosoft Mail server-level to accommodate bidirectional Internet access. Youdon't need any changes at the client level, so any standard Microsoft Mailclient platform (i.e., OS/2, Macintosh, MS-DOS, Windows 3.X, Windows 95, and NT)can participate in Internet mail. Client-side users address mail to the Internetwith the format [smtp:[email protected]].

The second method uses Microsoft's Messaging API (MAPI). With thisapproach, on the client systems, you load software that Consensys provides. Thissoftware lets MailNet deliver Internet mail directly to the client systems. Italso lets you address Internet mail from the client system with the format [[email protected]]and route the mail through the Microsoft Mail server to MailNet, which forwardsthe mail to the Internet. Consensys provides client software only for Windows3.X and Win95 platforms. Consensys designed this approach for the post officesystem that comes with Windows for Workgroups.

You select the method to use (gateway or MAPI) during the initialconfiguration. Screen 1 shows MailNet's key configuration dialog. You can usethe MailNet Administration program to view and change all options on thisdialog.

You configure the association of Microsoft Mail usernames to Internet mailusernames with the MailNet Administration program. It lets you control whichusers have Internet access, and you can establish aliases for Internet emailaddresses.

For example, you can set up general addresses such as info, sales,or marketing that route to multiple Microsoft Mail users. Remember,however, that you must establish your Internet email addresses with yourInternet Service Provider (ISP). MailNet can map the addresses you establish inthe context of one Internet domain (usually your domain, which your ISPadministers).

Another important aspect of MailNet is how it handles attachments (filestransmitted with the message text). For mail coming from the Internet, MailNetautomatically translates MIME and UUencoded attachments into Microsoft Mailattachments. For mail going to the Internet, MailNet can translate MicrosoftMail attachments into either MIME or UUencoded attachments. MailNet cannottranslate an outgoing attachment into both MIME and UUencoded format. TheMailNet Administrator lets you configure the translation scheme (MIME orUUencoded) for outgoing mail.

Balance Your Needs
In today's business world, the need to send and receive Internet mail isoften critical. In most business environments, you must balance this needagainst the company's internal mail system needs. MailNet 3.1 lets you leverageMicrosoft Mail against your internal mail requirements without compromising yourneed for Internet mail. In that sense, MailNet brings you the best of bothworlds.