SMTP Limits

[m4tt2]

Hi,

Does anyone know if karoos SMTP server has any restrictions on either the number of emails it can send per hour or the amount of data sent per hour?

Thanks in advance.

[Adrian]

I'm not sure what the limit is but there will probably be a limit to help prevent SPAM and the spread of viruses etc...

Are you having any problems sending emails?

[m4tt2]

I've not come accross any problems yet but I am in the process of writing a php script using the swift email library to send marketing emails on behalf of my employers. This is going out to hundreds, if not, thousands of recipients. Just wanted to check on any limits before I started testing.

If anyone has any experience in the area, especially using karoo as the smtp host, feedback would be greatly appreciated.

[gusgormen]

we often send out 1000's of smtp emails.  Karoo dont mind if you have your own exchange server using its own DNS, and not relayed via them.

[ They do however mind if you contract a dodgy virus/malware that sends out 1000's emails continuously, and then you may also get your ip banned on the RBL servers stopping exchange sending out any emails at all, not good ]

[m4tt2]

OK, that sounds good. We do use our own exchange server on its own DNS.

All emails will go through a microsoft forefront gateway server and content is legitimate and only travelling to previous contacts.

If you don't mind me asking how long does it take your exchange to push out say 1000 emails.

[dylan]

Hey Matt,

I'd have thought that would depend on hardware spec of server, size of email, speed of link etc.

Dyls

[gusgormen]

We send out approx 3000 mails every 2-3 weeks with a mailshot(we use venali as our email to fax service), so all emails have a pdf attached. we use an excel sheet that adds @venali.net to end of our prospects fax numbers, use a bit of vba for a form that allows us to add a pdf as an attachment, and it sends out using the current users outlook profile.  The excel sheet takes up to 5-10 mins to run, but the exchange server takes a while to send them all out, it slows down our internet quite a lot.

on a daily basis we send 400 email/fax(venali emails) acknowledgements, and approx 400 invoices (sage100). These have very little or no effect on the internet.

PM me if you want a copy of the excel sheet, as it is quite easy for our marketing team to use.

To tell if you use a relay on your exchange server or just dns, in exchange manager goto

admin groups|routinggroups|firstroutinggroup|connectors|smtpconnectors, right click and properties, under the general tab, one or two options either DNS or forward all email via smart host (ie karoo).

There is no need to forwaerd via karoo your DNS should be fine as long as you have forwarders setup correctly on your DC.

[gusgormen]

Server spec:

HP DL380 G5 4gb ram dual xenon 3.2, 5 x 146gb 15000rpm ( i think!)

Sonicwall 2040

Adsl
Platinum Max, but only getting approx 3mb as down near BP and quite a distance from the exchange. upload is pi55 poor at about 35k !

PDF size
ackowledgemtns and invoices approx 12-15kb

marketing - depends on one or two pages, could be 70-200kb

cheers

Gus

[The Dominator]

would it not be an idea to set the sending as scheduled task overnight?
Or set in a delay after each sent mail to reduce the load on the tinterweb?

[gusgormen]

absolutley, thats why the acknowledgemetns and invoice run later on an evening from our Sage server.  However, from the marketing excel sheet, it is quite manual to select the pdf etc.  i'm sure there is a script to run it from a csv file, but i dont have the time to test at the mo.