Lotus Domino Administrator 8 Help - The Domino mail server and mail routing

MAIL

The Domino mail server and mail routing
To process incoming and outgoing mail, IBM® Lotus® Domino™ mail servers run a variety of server tasks and maintain a number of special databases. Some components are required for all Domino messaging systems; others are needed to support specific configurations only.

The following table lists some of the required and optional components Domino uses to route mail:

Component type Name Description

Server tasks

Router task Monitors the MAIL.BOX database for new messages. Responsible for transferring messages to other servers and delivering messages to local mail files. Can transfer mail using Notes remote procedure calls (NRPC) as well as SMTP. Converts message format between Notes rich text and MIME as needed. Maintains a routing table comprised of information derived from the Domino Directory and NOTES.INI file.

SMTP task (Optional) Enables the SMTP listener, which lets the server receive messages sent over SMTP routing.

Server task Listens for incoming messages sent by clients and servers over Notes routing and for IBM® Lotus® Notes® client requests.

IMAP task (Optional) Enables IMAP clients to access messages in user mail databases on the Domino server.

Converter (Optional) Enables mail files for IMAP access.

Message Tracking Collector (MT Collector) (Optional) Maintains the MTSTORE.NSF database used to perform message tracking.

Object Store Manager (Optional) Performs maintenance activities on databases and mail files that use shared mail.

POP3 task (Optional) Enables POP3 clients to access messages in user mail databases on the Domino server.

HTTP task (Optional) Allows the server to host Web applications. Needed to provide Web clients and IBM® Lotus® Domino™ Web Access users with access to their mail databases on the Domino server.

DOLS (Optional) Provides Domino Web Access users with offline access to their mail databases.

Databases and database templates Mail Router Mailbox (MAIL.BOX) Special IBM® Lotus® Notes® database that acts as a temporary repository for all messages in transit to and from mail clients, applications, other servers. Created automatically at startup. The server creates the number of MAIL.BOX databases specified on the Configuration Settings document.

Domino Directory (NAMES.NSF) Repository for documents that mail clients and the Router use to determine where and how to send messages. Server document, Configuration Settings, Person documents - security/message format, Domain, Connection, Internet Site documents.

Mail file databases End-user mailbox for receiving and sending electronic mail. Every user who accesses mail on a Domino server has a mail file.

Object Store (Shared mail) databases (SMXXXXXX.NSF) (Optional) Repository for shared messages. The Router automatically creates the number of shared mail databases to meet the quantity and directory locations you specify in the Server document. Domino also creates an associated database link in the Data directory.

Mail Journaling database (MAILJRN.NSF) (Optional) Stores copies of messages that pass through the Router Mailbox. A Mail journaling database is automatically created at startup after you enable journaling.

Mail Tracking database (MTSTORE.NSF) Repository for summary information about mail flowing through a server. Created and written to by the MTC add-in task after you enable message tracking. The Mail Tracking database is read by the message tracking tool.

DOLADMIN.NTF Contains Security Policy documents and user profile documents for DOLS and Domino Web Access applications. DOLADMIN.NSF is automatically created at startup.

MAIL6EX.NTF Template for Web mail.

See also

Messaging overview

Overview of routing mail using Notes routing

How mail routes in a Domino system

Overview of routing mail using SMTP

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Component type	Name	Description
Server tasks
	Router task	Monitors the MAIL.BOX database for new messages. Responsible for transferring messages to other servers and delivering messages to local mail files. Can transfer mail using Notes remote procedure calls (NRPC) as well as SMTP. Converts message format between Notes rich text and MIME as needed. Maintains a routing table comprised of information derived from the Domino Directory and NOTES.INI file.
	SMTP task	(Optional) Enables the SMTP listener, which lets the server receive messages sent over SMTP routing.
	Server task	Listens for incoming messages sent by clients and servers over Notes routing and for IBM® Lotus® Notes® client requests.
	IMAP task	(Optional) Enables IMAP clients to access messages in user mail databases on the Domino server.
	Converter	(Optional) Enables mail files for IMAP access.
	Message Tracking Collector (MT Collector)	(Optional) Maintains the MTSTORE.NSF database used to perform message tracking.
	Object Store Manager	(Optional) Performs maintenance activities on databases and mail files that use shared mail.
	POP3 task	(Optional) Enables POP3 clients to access messages in user mail databases on the Domino server.
	HTTP task	(Optional) Allows the server to host Web applications. Needed to provide Web clients and IBM® Lotus® Domino™ Web Access users with access to their mail databases on the Domino server.
	DOLS	(Optional) Provides Domino Web Access users with offline access to their mail databases.
Databases and database templates	Mail Router Mailbox (MAIL.BOX)	Special IBM® Lotus® Notes® database that acts as a temporary repository for all messages in transit to and from mail clients, applications, other servers. Created automatically at startup. The server creates the number of MAIL.BOX databases specified on the Configuration Settings document.
	Domino Directory (NAMES.NSF)	Repository for documents that mail clients and the Router use to determine where and how to send messages. Server document, Configuration Settings, Person documents - security/message format, Domain, Connection, Internet Site documents.
	Mail file databases	End-user mailbox for receiving and sending electronic mail. Every user who accesses mail on a Domino server has a mail file.
	Object Store (Shared mail) databases (SMXXXXXX.NSF)	(Optional) Repository for shared messages. The Router automatically creates the number of shared mail databases to meet the quantity and directory locations you specify in the Server document. Domino also creates an associated database link in the Data directory.
	Mail Journaling database (MAILJRN.NSF)	(Optional) Stores copies of messages that pass through the Router Mailbox. A Mail journaling database is automatically created at startup after you enable journaling.
	Mail Tracking database (MTSTORE.NSF)	Repository for summary information about mail flowing through a server. Created and written to by the MTC add-in task after you enable message tracking. The Mail Tracking database is read by the message tracking tool.
	DOLADMIN.NTF	Contains Security Policy documents and user profile documents for DOLS and Domino Web Access applications. DOLADMIN.NSF is automatically created at startup.
	MAIL6EX.NTF	Template for Web mail.