SMTP

SMTP stands for Simple Mail Transfer Protocol. It is a communication

protocol which allows the user to send mails over the internet.SMTP is an
application layer protocol. The client who wants to send the mail opens a
TCP connection to the SMTP server and then sends the mail across the
connection.

SMTP acts as a push protocol by transmitting the mail on and across the
networks. It comes under the application layer of TCP/IP protocol.

Types:
1.End-to- end method: Used to communicate among different

organizations. 2.Store-and- forward method: Used within an organization.

Components:

two components such as user agent (UA) and mail transfer agent (MTA).
The user agent (UA) prepares the message, creates the envelope and then
puts the message in the envelope. The mail transfer agent (MTA) transfers
this mail across the internet.

SMTP allows a more complex system by adding a relaying system. More

than one MTAs can be added, acting either as a client or server to relay
the email.
Working of SMTP:

Communication between sender and receiver:

The senders, user agent prepare the message and send it to the MTA. The
MTA functioning is to transfer the mail across the network to the
receivers MTA. To send mail, a system must have the client MTA, and to
receive mail, a system must have a server MTA.

Sending email:

Mail is sent by a series of request and response messages between the client
and a server. The message which is sent across consists of a header and the
body.

Receiving email:

The user agent at the server-side checks the mailboxes at a particular time
of intervals. If any information is received it informs the user about the
mail.

SMTP Commands:
Each SMTP command defines a particular function within the SMTP
session, which consists of three steps:

handshake – establishing a TCP connection

email transfer – manipulations with the email

termination – closing a TCP connection

1. HELO/EHLO - Identifies the client to the server.

2. MAIL FROM - Initiate a message transfer.

3. RCPT TO - follows MAIL.

4. DATA - send data line by line.

5. NOOP - check whether the server can respond.

6. HELP - provide the information accordingly to this request.

7. RSET - resets the SMTP connection to the initial state.

8. QUIT - send the request to terminate the SMTP session.

Advantages:

a.SMTP delivers the easiest form of communication by emails among

several computers in a specific network.

a.SMTP is made from a simple platform, making it easy and quick to send
emails.

a.SMTP helps to have a committed server to manage outgoing email

messages in organizations.

b. It is easy and simple to connect to SMTP. It offers an easy installation