Backup MX

[csmager]

Does anyone have an opinion on this? I've read two conflicting opinions.

Firstly, it's a good idea:
If your server is down, it will take mail for you and redeliver when you're online. It'll probably hold it for around a week.

Secondly, it's a bad idea:
It gives a false impression the mail's been delivered when it hasn't. Most mail servers will retry sending for 5 days and give delayed/failure notices so the sender knows that the mail hasn't been delivered/read whatever.

So, which is it?

Cheers.

 

[csmager]

As you pointed out, most mailserver will queue the message for a while anyway and if your ISP can't get a mailserver back online in that time then it would be wise to change.

I'd agree. I'm talking mainly about running your own mailserver though - e.g. Exchange 2003. I'm running my own mailserver, and at the moment F9 provide a free backup MX service. I have to manually dequeue the mail (pain!).

F9's ADSL service is becoming a joke, and I was wondering whether it's actually important to have a Backup MX after reading comments like the ones I originally posted.