If your Lotus Domino infrastructure consists of two or more Domino servers, and if you have implemented a hub-and-spoke architecture, you may want to open only one server to the Internet if you are concerned about the safety of your Lotus Domino environment. At the same time, you may have resorted to dial-up connectivity between servers because you do not have adequate resources to establish a consistent link between each and every server.
This tip helps you to find a solution to strike those issues and end up with an affordable yet secure messaging environment.
In order to establish a connection between two Lotus Domino servers using a dial-up link, you have to first configure the communication port where the modems are attached on both the calling and the receiving server. To configure the communication port from Domino Administrator, select the Server - Status tab. From the Tools pane, click Server - Setup Ports. Then choose the communication port in question and modify port settings as needed. Make sure the port is enabled.
After the communication port is properly set up, it's time to create a foreign SMTP document. This will define the next hop domain for mail addressed outside the local Internet domain and SMTP connection documents specifying the server that processes outbound SMTP mails. Create a foreign SMTP domain document in the Domino directory. In the Routing tab, specify wild card (*.*) in messages Addressed to -- Internet Domain field. Specific virtual domains, such as TheInternet, should be routed to Domain field.
Finally, create a SMTP connection document that links the foreign SMTP domain and the SMTP enabled server. In the Source Server field, specify the name of the SMTP enabled server. Use a name of your imagination, such as all_Internet_hosts, in Destination Field Server field. You must specify the Internet domain specified in the foreign SMTP document (in this case TheInternet) in the Destination Domain field. Obviously, choose dial-up connection in Connect Via field.
It's a good idea to specify routing schedule in the replication/routing section to avoid server dialing the SMTP enabled server each time it has to route Internet mail. You can have it as batch processes to route at once if x mails are pending to cut overheads.
This is a handy solution if you have limited resources but your business still relies on Internet and intranet messaging. You can upgrade this system when you can afford consistent links between servers for better availability and scalability.
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