Understanding the Microsoft Connector for POP3 Mailboxes

Use the Microsoft Connector for POP3 Mailboxes to retrieve e-mail from external POP3 mailboxes, and then deliver it to the appropriate Exchange users. For example, you can retrieve e-mail from the POP3 mailbox for Chris@<POP3domain> (where POP3domain is the domain name of Chris's ISP), and then deliver it to your Exchange e-mail mailbox for Chris@wingtiptoys.com.

Connector features

You can use the connector to do the following:

• Download e-mail from a single POP3 mailbox to a single Exchange mailbox (user mailbox).
  A user mailbox is a single POP3 mailbox account at your Internet service provider (ISP) designated to receive all e-mail sent to an Exchange mailbox or distribution group. The user account name for the POP3 mailbox must map to the name of the Exchange mailbox or distribution group.
  When the mailbox is accessed by the Microsoft Connector for POP3 Mailboxes, it downloads the messages, and then the Exchange server delivers the messages to the specified Exchange users. It is then delivered to the Exchange mailbox. For example, e-mail from the POP3 mailbox for Chris@wingtiptoys.msn.com is downloaded by the connector, and then delivered to the Exchange mailbox for Chris@wingtiptoys.com.
• Download e-mail for a domain from a single POP3 mailbox to Exchange mailboxes (global mailbox)
  A global mailbox is a single POP3 mailbox account at your ISP designated to receive all e-mail sent to your company or domain. E-mail sent to a domain is identified by the e-mail domain name, which is used as the e-mail address for users who send e-mail to the Internet. For example, if wingtiptoys.com is the e-mail domain name, an e-mail address could be Chris@wingtiptoys.com.
  When POP3 e-mail is downloaded for a domain, Exchange will read the recipients on the To and Cc lines of the message, and then forward the message to the correct Exchange mailboxes. For example, Chris@wingtiptoys.com and Kelly@wingtiptoys.com both deliver to a generic company mailbox called everyone@wingtiptoys.com. When the mailbox is accessed by the connector, Exchange reads the recipients on the To and Cc lines, and then forwards the message to the corresponding Exchange mailboxes.
  If the POP3 user name for the POP3 mailbox does not match the user name for the Exchange mailbox, such as e-mail sent to a mailing list, you must define a routing rule. Routing rules provide the rules necessary to deliver e-mail distributed through a global mailbox that does not directly map to an Exchange mailbox. Routing rules enable you to route these messages to the correct recipient using text from the To or Cc lines of the e-mail. For example, if e-mail is sent to the POP3 mailbox for Chris@wingtiptoys.com, then the Exchange mailbox must be named Chris. If e-mail is received from the Trey Research mailing list, the e-mail messages are consistently sent to mailinglist@TreyResearch.net. You would use this text in the To line to define the routing rule for delivering the e-mail to the correct Exchange mailbox. To configure a routing rule, see Modify the default routing for a global mailbox.
  In a global mailbox, bcc (blind carbon copy) is not supported. When bcc mail is delivered, the delivery information for the recipients is removed and no information is available for the connector to use for routing. As a result, the original bcc message is delivered to the mailbox designated to receive the undeliverable POP3 e-mail. The default mailbox is the administrator mailbox. To change the mailbox, see Change the mailbox where undeliverable POP3 e-mail is sent.
• Manage mailboxes using the POP3 Connector Manager.
  You can add, edit, or remove POP3 mailboxes using the Mailboxes tab. For more information, see Add or remove a POP3 mailbox and Change a user's POP3 e-mail password.
  You can define a schedule or retrieve e-mail now using the Scheduling tab. For more information, see Set a POP3 e-mail delivery schedule and Retrieve POP3 e-mail messages now.
  You can check service status, modify the level of service logging, or change the mailbox where undeliverable POP3 e-mail is sent using the Troubleshooting tab. For more information, see Configure Microsoft Connector for POP3 Mailboxes logging and Change the mailbox where undeliverable POP3 e-mail is sent.

Additionally, the connector supports either clear text authentication or Secure Password Authentication (SPA). In clear text authentication, the logon credentials for the POP3 account are sent unencrypted to the external e-mail server. SPA uses encrypted authentication credentials to log on to the e-mail server for the POP3 mailbox each time the connector downloads e-mail. Some ISPs require that you use SPA. It is recommended that you select SPA if your ISP supports it, even if your ISP does not require you to use it.

Connector requirements

• Using the Microsoft Connector for POP3 Mailboxes requires that Exchange is installed and that the Exchange services are running. The connector is installed during Setup as part of the Networking component of Server Tools. Additionally, administrator permissions are required to manage the Microsoft Connector for POP3 Mailboxes using the POP3 Connector Manager.
• To configure a POP3 mailbox account in the connector, you will need to collect the following information about the ISP account: POP3 account user name, POP3 account password, and the POP3 e-mail server name. You will also need to determine if SPA is supported. Additionally, you should note the Exchange mailbox or distribution group for which this POP3 mailbox should be delivered.

Using the connector

To open POP3 Connector Manager, click Start and then click Server Management. In the console tree, click Internet and E-mail. In the details pane, click Manage POP3 E-mail, and then click Open POP3 Connector Manager. Alternatively, you can configure the Microsoft Connector for POP3 Mailboxes as part of the Configure E-mail and Internet Connection Wizard.