ServersNTList -- Mid-range/enterprise-level list server for Windows NT and Windows 9x platforms

NTList — Mid-range/enterprise-level list server for Windows NT and Windows 9x platforms

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NTMail offers SMTP, POP3, and IMAP4 mail services for both dial-up and LAN Internet connections using Windows NT (Intel and Alpha) or Windows 95 platforms. The server was designed from the outset for Windows NT and as a result enjoys several optimization benefits that you won’t find in many of the mail servers ported from Unix platforms or upgraded from older 16-bit Windows code. In addition to taking full advantage of Windows NT’s multi-threading capabilities, NTMail allows you to utilize the Windows NT user database instead of or in addition to its own user database. The server also makes use of the Windows NT performance monitor to provide you with real-time feedback and statistics on the server’s performance. Finally, NTMail is integrated as a Windows NT system service and can be controlled remotely if needed.

NTMail offers SMTP, POP3, and IMAP4 mail services for both dial-up and LAN Internet connections using Windows NT (Intel and Alpha) or Windows 95 platforms. In addition to taking full advantage of Windows NT’s multi-threading capabilities, NTMail allows you to utilize the Windows NT user database instead of or in addition to its own user database. The server also makes use of the Windows NT performance monitor to provide you with real-time feedback and statistics on the server’s performance. Finally, NTMail is integrated as a Windows NT system service and can be controlled remotely if needed.

NTMail also utilizes your Windows NT resources to their full potential with processor-specific coding optimized for systems based on their use of Alpha, Intel, and/or multiple processors. As a result NTMail is one of the best performers in its category. The Windows 95 release, on the other hand, lacks the optimization benefits and some of the more advanced features found in the NT release, making it more of an NTMail Lite server than a full-fledged version of NTMail. While still quite capable, the Windows 95 release lags noticeably behind alternative Windows 95 mail servers like SLMail and Mdaemon.

With the exception of LDAP services NTMail is up to date on the latest Internet mail protocols including SMTP/POP3, IMAP4, HTML mail, and MIME. Among NTMail’s features are a graphical user interface for configuration, a standard interface for the control of servers, an integrated NTListlist server (a fully functional mailing list server), remote browser-based administration capabilities, extensive logging capabilities, mail forwarding for up to 20 other users, an integrated simple caching WWW proxy server, an e-mail to fax gateway (LG-Fax), a server-based rules system, auto-responder capabilities that can send receipts and acknowledgments, anti-SPAM support, a password server, a finger server, Application Programmer Interfaces (APIs) that allow third parties to utilize NTMail’s facilities, and support for add-on robots (via APIs).

The add-on robots are one of NTMail’s cooler features. Robots are programs that can perform additional functions and add new features to the mail server. A variety of robots are already available for NTMail and include archiving tools, auto-responder extensions, a broadcast feature for sending out messages to all users in a specified domain or domains, a console pager for sending messages to digital pagers, a tool that will post messages to DNews NNTP servers, and more (for a complete listing of current robots, check out NTMail’s Robotspage).

NTMail provides three different options for configuration and administration tasks — via Applets in the Windows 95/NT Control Panel, by using NTMail’s WWW Configuration Server (via HTML forms that can be accessed with any standard Web Browser), or by modifying settings directly in the System Registry. All three methods allow you to add or remove users, grant domain administration rights to specific users, add mail to be read, and make similar installation and administration changes.

With its impressive set of features, blazing performance under Windows NT, choice of administration tools, platform-specific optimized code, and support for the latest Internet mail protocols, NTMail clearly stands out as one of the best mail servers on the market for Windows NT. Although the Windows 95 release doesn’t fare quite as well, it is still a reasonable choice for users without access to a Windows NT computer. But if you really want to realize the full potential of NTMail, the Windows NT release is the only way to go.

Pros: Blazing performance, optimized for NT platforms, solid set of features, relatively inexpensive
Cons: Windows only, lackluster Win9x version, lacks LDAP services and advanced security
New:IMAP4 support, new robots, improved performance, LG-Fax fax gateway

New in v4.0: Web-based remote administration capabilities, enhanced mail performance (more than twice as fast), entirely redesigned graphical user interface, integrated simple caching WWW proxy server, improved recovery capabilities, two new types of logs and additional logging options
Upgrade Meter: 5

New in v4.20A: DDL domain support, Web access to e-mail, robots & DLLs may be written to receive e-mail for user accounts and domains; global search capabilities; Release Notes
Upgrade Meter: 4

Version Reviewed: 4.20A
Reviewed by: Forrest Stroud
Last Updated: 3/4/99
Date of Original Review: 3/16/98

Operating Systems / Latest Versions:

Windows NT – Intel (v4.20A), Alpha (v4.20A). Windows 95 (v4.20A)

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