SWGFL Optional services

[techie08]

Hi

 

I'm Looking at moving away from the LEA/SWGFL and i want to know what happens the the SMTP Store and forward services and the Domain name registration service? Can i still retain these services domain by moving suppliers? and if so, how?

 

Many Thanks

[Oaktech]

SMTP store and forward is likely to be the SWGFL smart hosts for sending mail - you can use DNS direct delivery on your mail server instead, but you are likely to receive more attacks on it. You can use other people's smart hosts, but most people charge for them and I don't think you can use SWGFL's if you move away from them as an ISP.

 

Domain name services are simply that one of your domains (probably your .sch.uk domain) is registered with the RMPLC tag and your DNS is managed by them. You need to get a listing of your DNS entries and then move registrars. I use vidahost and they have now moved 4 school domains for me with no charge and free dns management for 99 years - and they do it in less than 24 hours!

[techie08]

SMTP store and forward is likely to be the SWGFL smart hosts for sending mail - you can use DNS direct delivery on your mail server instead, but you are likely to receive more attacks on it. You can use other people's smart hosts, but most people charge for them and I don't think you can use SWGFL's if you move away from them as an ISP.

 

So if the school uses onsite exchange, what would be the best thing to do?

 

Do vidahost do everything for me or would i have to get SWGFL to release the domain name?

[Oaktech]

So if the school uses onsite exchange, what would be the best thing to do?

 

Do vidahost do everything for me or would i have to get SWGFL to release the domain name?

 

You've got a couple of options...

Arguably the cheapest thing to do in the short term would be to switch over to Direct DNS delivery (it's a tick box), but to make sure someone who properly knows what they are doing configures your firewall.

You could look into buying into a smart host, I'm unsure as to whether Vidahost offers it.

Longer term you could look to go office 365 and save yourself something in support, hardware and licensing costs.

 

The process goes:

Get DNS listing from SWGFL (use the excuse that you're updating documentation or something) this is importnant because it means you can recreate your DNS if SWGFL bork the transfer.

Call Vidahost (other registrars are avilable) and tell them you want to move, they will set up your account and hopefully aquire your DNS records as well, they will put the domain into their system but not make it live.

Call SWGFL tell them to update the tag on the domain to THERMAL (Vidahost's tag)

After 24-48 hours the domain should be live with Vidahost or your registrar of choice.

 

If you choose a different registrar that's fine, but be careful that they actually understand that it is a .sch.uk domain if it is that, because not every registrar seems to be able to handle them.

[techie08]

Cool, Thanks