What is a mail server?
A mail server is an application that receives email from email clients or other mail servers. It is the workhorse of the email system. A mail server usually consists of a storage area, a set of user definable rules, a list of users and a series of communication modules. The storage area is where mail is stored for local users, and where messages that are in transit to another destination are temporarily stored. It usually takes the form of a simple database of information. The user defined rules determine how the mail server should react when determining the destination of a specific message, or possibly react to the sender of the message. For example: specific email addresses can be barred, or certain users can be restricted to only sending messages within the company. The list of users is a database of user accounts that the mail server recognizes and will deal with locally. The communications modules are the components that actually handle the transfer of messages to and from other
A mail server is a computer that serves as an electronic post office for email. Mail exchanged across networks is passed between mail servers that run specially designed software. This software is built around agreed-upon, standardized protocols for handling mail messages, the graphics they might contain, and attachment files. Internet Service Providers (ISPs) each have a mail server for handling their clients’ mail messages, sometimes referred to as private mail servers. Some websites also offer public email services, utilizing their own mail servers. An email client or email program allows a user to send and receive email by communicating with mail servers. There are many types of email clients with differing features, but they all handle email messages and mail servers in the same basic way. When an email message is sent, the email program contacts the author’s ISP mail server to pass it the message. The mail server is normally named mail.[isp].com or it might be named after the Sen
