Sending /Receive Mail using dedicated ADSL Connection

[rogerpatel]

Hello,

I'm trying to find out what the best method is if we want a dedicated link for exchagne server.

Here's what we currently have :

1 Dc
1 Exchange 2003
20 Pc's
Firewall
2mb ADSL Internet connection

The Gateway for all pc's, servers is set to the Firewall, the DNS addreses for the PC's is the DC Server.

All internet traffice including mail is by the single internet connection.

Problem.
This company sends out lots of emails, if a single user sends as 5mb email to 100 people the internet connection grinds to a halt as the exchange server takes all the bandwith (as expected i think)

So i have been asked to provied a fix.

If we get our self a second ISP 2mb ADSL internet connection whats the easyiest way to setup exchange so it routes emails via this connection only?

How to do this ?

Is there anything else we can do without getting a second connection, i.e in exchange is there a way to restrict the bandwith?

Any other suggestions too please.

Thanks

 

[AllUserNamesAreTaken]

Is there not a possibility you can upgrade the ADSL connection to an SDSL connection?

Currently I have 4 x 2mb ADSL lines but only utilize one! You'll find even though you can route all mail through another connection, this will still take your overall bandwidth because of your CONTENTION RATIO.

The only real single solution is to get a 2mbit up / 2mbit down SDSL line, or a T1/leased line.

Expensive, but worth it.

 

[Andreh]

Rogerpatel,

You don't need a dedicated link for Exchange with 20 PCs (users). A 2Mb connection is usually very good - unless you are doing something out of the ordinary (i.e. very large messages). If you are having these issues due to the large messages explore ADSL2.

Having a single point of entry to your network is much better from the security perspective of your network, cheaper from the perspective that you won't be paying for the second link / hardware (though for ADSL2 you may need to upgrade this) and easier to identify issues due to simplicity.

"Assumption is the mother of all f#%kups!

 

[AllUserNamesAreTaken]

I agree with Andreh...

I've got 31 users using a single ADSL 2mbit / 256kbps connection, and it's OK, but not ideal.

We're a manufacturing company that sends large dwg/ddd/dxf drawing files to customers on a regular basis. (10mb+ sometimes), and not to forget the 20,000 page PDF quality manuals !

Ok, so ADSL is alright, but when you've got several files uploading and you're trying to use the OWA from out of the office, it's horrible. The sooner we get SDSL the better.

 

[rogerpatel]

I See everyones point here as we have many clients with this sort of setup and only a handfull of them have this sort of problem, however, when they do send out LARGE EMAILs the internet does grind to a halt more or less, so, the company now needs a fix for this as its classed as unaccetable not to be able to browse while big emails are being sent.

So in a nut shell, if i upgrade the existing line to 4mb, i'm thinking i will have the same problem, it jsut wont last as long.

How about installing a totally seperate line for mail, even if it means buying a second firewall purely for the mail too.

Surely there are people out here who have done this?

 

[AllUserNamesAreTaken]

With a bigger line, you get more bandwidth, obviously.

It's nothing to do with the DOWNLOAD speed, but it's how fast your connection (or how much bandwidth to be precise) can your line upload to the SMTP server at your ISP.

I bet you with ADSL it's only 256 or 512kbps? That's utter pathetic, right?

If you had a 2mbit/2mbit line, that means that you're bandwidth is effectively 8 times greater than previous.

Even with sending a 5mb file to 100 users, you'll find it pretty difficult to slow down a 2mbit SDSL line.

 

[Andreh]

AllUser.... is right on the outbound connection for ADSL. In bound would be the 2Mb but outbound wouldn't be by design. I would upgrade the outbound connection first. This would definitely improve things in the short term. If not, explore some of the larger links (We in Australia can get ADSL2 - 12mb for about $60/month. It may have a different name in your part of the world).

Good luck.

"Assumption is the mother of all f#%kups!