SMTP As a Service: what is it? Is it worth it?
SMTP is a simple mail transfer protocol. Based on the name, it is possible to draw a conclusion that the SMTP service is responsible for sending mailings. Its task, as a rule, consists of two basic functions:
checking the correct settings and giving permission to the computer that is trying to send an e-mail;
sending an outgoing message to a specified address and confirming that the message has been successfully sent. If delivery is not possible, the server returns to the sender a response with a sending error.
By sending email messages, the sender's SMTP service establishes a connection with the server that will receive the message. This "communication" occurs by sending and receiving commands, forming an SMTP session with an unlimited number of SMTP operations.
Determining the address of the sender, the recipient, and the availability of the contents of the letter are mandatory conditions without which the letter will not be sent, even by ordinary, familiar to us "paper" mail.
How does SMTP protocol work
As already mentioned, the SMTP protocol is responsible for sending mail. This operation is accompanied by a number of commands, in the form of sequences of commands and answers.
The basic parameters that are transmitted to the server by the corresponding commands:
MAIL FROM - the sender's email address
RCPT TO - recipient's email
DATA - title and body of the letter.
Benefits of the SMTP service
As already mentioned, the primary purpose of an SMTP as a service is sending and controlling outgoing mail. A quality SMTP relaying service is able to quickly send large volumes of email messages, avoiding the limitations of the provider.
If you are using an external SMTP service, the security of your email messages and the percentage of their delivery to your inbox will increase significantly, thus eliminating the need : your SMTP is waiting for you.
E-mails can go through multiple SMTP services before they reach the recipient's mailbox. Since there is a risk of spam attacks, ISPs often stop e-mails from being sent without using an SMTP service. Therefore users sometimes have problems with mail distribution.
The decision can be an installation/integration of separate external SMTP server which besides will filter messages of outgoing mail on spam and viruses.
The increase of safety of distributions is reached also by authorization of the user who uses an SMTP a service: having set an individual login and the password for connection to a server.
And what is important, SMTP service integration with most SaaS platforms available nowadays - such as Amazon SES, MailGun, SendGrid and Duocircle, just to name a few - takes place without installing additional software or other special requirements. You just write down the basic parameters of the SMTP server in the settings of your email client, and you can start mass mailings.
If you plan to engage in legal email marketing, consider using an external SMTP as a service for the security and speed of your mass email campaigns.
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