How does Incoming Email work in SharePoint?

Question

Lets say, SMTP is configured on the server - server01.test.com and Incoming Email is enabled and SharePoint 2010 uses the SMTP server.

However the Email ID (ex., mydocs@test.com) is nowhere exists in SharePoint and user sends a mail to the Email ID.

I could see that Email is put on Drop folder on the SMTP server however howlong it will be kept on the drop folder? and when it will be removed?

Answer 1

Once you install SMTP on IIS, Drop box will be created automatically.

Open IIS manager -> Default SMTP virtual Server -> Domains -> MOSSserver.domain.com -> Properties.

Check the drop directory location, default location would be "C:\inetpub\mailroot\Drop" where all the emails will be stored till Sharepoint timer service pick it up. Sharepoint timer service will check this folder every 5 minutes (default). The timer job that picks up mail runs about every 5 minutes or so, so you should not see the email sit there for long

"Microsoft SharePoint Foundation Incoming E-Mail" service will pick's up the emails from the drop folders and sends to the required location using the X-Sender and X-Receiver headers in your emails, these headers is automatically added if you use the SMTP service in Windows.