New domain names, SMTP feed through SWGfL

[Meldrew]

Hi everyone.

 

We have purchased 2 new domain names as the principal here wanted a shorter address (as a few other schools here have also done) particularly for email addresses, so we have purchased a co.uk and an org.uk address, but we want to keep the old one too. We have an exchange2010 server with SWGFL, our ISP providing us with an SMTP feed via a smart host.

 

I raised a 'how do you do this' call with SWGfL to check what I was doing as I sort of understood how things work with MX records and email routing, but not really sure, but said that I presumably need to enter MX records for the domains giving the same address as our existing domain, in.mx.ifl.net and then raise a change request with them as they would need to know where to route the mail to (our exchange server). [i was assuming this would involve them just updating a couple of routing rules to match our old domain.]

 

They replied to say that I was correct, so once the order for the domains came through I did the change request, but SWGfL are saying that I need to buy a new SMTP feed from them for each domain that I want to receive email for (at £70 per year each).

 

I know this isn't the biggest amount of money in the world, but it doesn't feel like the correct answer to need a whole new SMTP feed service for each domain.

 

Has anyone done this before or can fill me in with anything I've missed?

 

Many thanks,

 

Meldrew

[MikeGilbert]

It's in part because SWGfL don't open a direct SMTP feed for you, but route it through their own services to prevent the creation of a spam relay. When schools started installing SMTP servers on broadband there was what might be called a bit of a problem. Obviously, the majority of people on here now are probably perfectly capable of managing mailservers without the problem, but as with everything in the tech world it's worth paying a few quid if it enables you to not worry about something... The cost/benefit analysis of how much it's worth paying is an individual calculation.