Microsoft® Windows® XP Unleashed

Managing the SMTP Service

SMTP is an Internet protocol used for sending messages to another computer, usually to a mail server. IIS provides a simple SMTP service that is primarily intended to be used in conjunction with your Web site. There are certain Web functions (such as submitting a form via email) that need SMTP in order to work. For example, a visitor to your site might fill out a form intended to be mailed to you. IIS would need to use SMTP to mail that form. In addition to being used by your Web site, you can also use the SMTP server to send mail from your e-mail clients (through Outlook Express, for example) to your Internet service provider's (ISP's) mail server. However, since your ISP almost certainly provides its own SMTP server, ...