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Domain types in Exchange define the way incoming email messages are handled by the server for specific SMTP namespaces. Exchange Server supports two types of domains: Accepted Domains and Remote Domains.
- An Accepted Domain defines the SMTP namespaces through which users in an organization are permitted to send and receive email messages. It includes all the inbound and internal SMTP namespaces.
- A Remote Domain specifies the rules that govern communication settings for SMTP namespaces external to an organization. It controls email replies and message formatting sent to external users or organizations.
Exchange administrators can set up remote domains in Exchange Online to manage the mail flow between their organization and specific external recipients.
Types of Replies Administrators Can Regulate in a Remote Domain
Check the table below to find the types of replies and notifications in a remote domain:
|
Reply types |
Description |
| Out-of-office messages | Decide whether to send out-of-office replies and specify the message sent to users in the remote domain |
| Automatic replies | Allow or prevent automatic replies from being sent to the sender. |
| Automatic forwarding | Allow or prevent auto forwarding |
| Meeting forward notifications | Send meeting forwarding alerts (disabled by default) |
| Delivery reports | Send delivery reports to remote domain users |
| Non-delivery report | Send non-delivery reports or bounce messages |
The default settings for all replies (except meeting forward notifications) are allowed by default.
Steps to Set Up Remote Domains for Regulating Exchange Mail Flow
Let us go through the complete process to manage remote domains in Exchange Online:
Using Exchange Online PowerShell
Step 1: Run the following command in Exchange Online PowerShell:
New-RemoteDomain -Name “<Unique Name”> -DomainName <single SMTP domain | domain with subdomains>
Step 2: Use the following Set Remote Domain syntax to configure the remote domain:
Set-RemoteDomain -Identity <Name> [-AllowedOOfType <External | InternalLegacy | ExternalLegacy | None>] [-AutoForwardEnabled <$true | $false>] [-AutoReplyEnabled <$true | $false>] [-CharacterSet <SupportedCharacterSet>] [-DeliveryReportEnabled <$true | $false>] [-NonMimeCharacterSet <SupportedCharacterSet>] [-TNEFEnabled <$true | $false>]
Using the Classic Exchange admin center
Step 1: Go to Exchange Online Admin Center, click More options, and under Admin Center, tap on the Exchange option. Go to Mail flow > Remote Domains.
Step 2: Now, add a remote domain by clicking on the + Add. Type a display name.
Step 3:Select options to set the criteria:
- Settings for Out of Office automatic reply type – (Allow None, External or Internal)
- Automatic replies – (Allow automatic replies or Allow automatic forwarding)
- Message reporting – (Allow delivery reports, non-delivery reports, or meeting forward notifications)
- Use rich-text format – (Always, Never or Follow user settings)
- Supported Character Set – (MIME Character Set or Non-MIME Character Set)
Step 4:After applying all the settings, click Next.
Step 5:Check all the settings. Click Save to create and list the remote domain
Using the New Exchange admin center
Step 1: Open the upgraded EAC and go to Mail flow and then Remote domains.
Step 2: Click on + Add a remote domain and enter a display name in the Name text box.
Step 3: Enter the domain name in the Remote Domain field and use the asterisk (*) to define subdomains of the specific domain.
Step 4: Click Next to see the Email reply types screen.
Step 5: Adjust the settings as follows and click Next.
- Out of Office reply types: explain what out-of-office messages to send.
- Automatic replies: explain if you want automatic replies, auto forwarding, or both.
Step 6: In Message reporting, mark the checkboxes to allow delivery reports or non-delivery reports.
Step 7: Click Next to see the Text and character set screen.
Step 8: Define the following
- Rich-text format: follow the user’s message settings, and always or never preserve RTF formatting
- Supported Character Set: select MIME character set or Non-MIME character set
Step 9: Click Next, and review the settings.
Step 10: Click on the Save button to create and configure the remote domain.
It is important to understand that any misconfiguration can disrupt your mail flow and communication with external users. To minimize the configuration risks, we recommend that you always save a backup of the Exchange database file. You can create an additional backup by exporting Exchange mailboxes to PST files using an EDB to PST converter. The tool will allow you to save the data on your PC, making it ready for import to any Outlook version.
What to do Next?
This article explained remote domains in Exchange Online and how they can be used to manage communication with external recipients. The mail-flow management helps in avoiding leakage of sensitive business information external to an organization. However, if your Microsoft Exchange Server database files become corrupted, you can use an Exchange recovery tool, such as Kernel for Exchange Server, to repair the database and recover mailbox data.
Frequently Asked Questions
Ans. To remove a domain in a new Exchange admin center, you need to go to Mail Flow > Remote domains. Then, select a remote domain and click Delete. Tap on Confirm in the dialog box to delete the remote domain.
Ans. Remote domains are an integral feature of the Exchange Server and not a part of the user mailbox. Therefore, when you migrate EDB to Live Exchange or Office 365, the remote domain is not moved, updated, or deleted.
Ans. Various reasons, like configuration errors, insufficient Exchange administrator permissions, and Exchange Online connectivity issues, can cause issues in setting up the remote domain. To fix it, check the MX records, allow the necessary administrative permissions, and repair EDB files.
