Original publication date: December, 2007

Standard SMTP Access to Softshare's Network is Being Discontinued

Beginning February 1, 2008, we will prohibit standard SMTP access to our network. What does this mean to those of you that are currently accessing via SMTP? You’ll need to take action to ensure that you’re still able to communicate with Softshare’s network after February. These actions differ depending on whether you’re running Softshare Vista or Softshare ECS—and which version, or no Softshare communications software at all, as described next.

Softshare Vista 3.0 and 4.0 users

If you’re currently performing mail exchanges via SMTP/POP3, you must switch to HTTP sometime over the next couple of weeks. There are two ways in which you can do this:

• You can manually convert your communications method from within your current application by following the instructions available for Vista Standard users or Vista Professional users.
• You can upgrade to the latest version of Vista (Vista 4.0, build 117) and let this update auto-convert your Softshare mailbox from SMTP/POP3 to HTTP. For Vista 4.0 users, this upgrade is free and available from eService. Vista 3.0 users should contact a Softshare sales representative for more information on upgrading to Vista 4.0.

Vista Standard Users: How to switch from SMTP/POP3 to HTTP communications

1. In Vista, select Tools|Mailbox to open the properties of your Softshare mailbox. If you are running a networked version of Vista, this command is only available from the communications workstation.
2. Open the Servers property page.
3. Look at the value in the Service field. If it is followed by an “SMTP/POP3” designation, you will need to change it to one of the two “HTTP” designations.
4. Which HTTP option should you choose: North America or Europe? The North America HTTP server is located in Santa Barbara, California while the Europe server is located in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Choose whichever one is physically closest to your location. If geography was never your strong suit, just make your best guess! Softshare has procedures in place to ensure that your mail is delivered appropriately.
5. Questions? Call us at +1 805-882-2588 or +31 (0)20 6388077, or e-mail support@softshare.com.

Vista Professional Users: How to switch from SMTP/POP3 to HTTP communications

1. In Vista, select Tools|Mailbox. If you are running a networked version of Vista, this command is only available from the communications workstation.
2. From the mailbox screen that displays, you will see one or more mailboxes listed.
3. Highlight your primary mailbox (the primary mailbox is denoted by a blue house icon) and click the Properties button. (If additional mailboxes are present, you will tackle those in steps 8-10.)
4. Open the Servers property page.
5. Look at the value in the Service field. If it is followed by an “SMTP/POP3” designation, you will need to change it to one of the two “HTTP” designations, as described in step 6. (If this mailbox is not using SMTP/POP3, skip to step 7.)
6. Which HTTP option should you choose: North America or Europe? The North America HTTP server is located in Santa Barbara, California while the Europe server is located in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Choose whichever one is physically closest to your location. If geography was never your strong suit, just make your best guess. Softshare has procedures in place to ensure that your mail is delivered appropriately.
7. If you have only one mailbox configured in Vista, you are all set! But if you have multiple mailboxes configured, proceed to step 8 to verify that none of these secondary mailboxes are delivering mail to Softshare via SMTP.
   
8. For each secondary mailbox, open the Servers property page and identify the type of communications being used. If any of them are using SMTP/POP3 as their communications method, review the conditions set forth in step 9 to determine if the secondary mailbox can remain SMTP/POP3 or if it needs to be switched to HTTP. (If none of your secondary mailboxes are using SMTP/POP3, you are all done.)
   
9. Because secondary mailboxes are often used to communicate with servers other than Softshare’s and/or are used to retrieve mail only, there is a good chance that a secondary mailbox configured for SMTP/POP3 communications can remain that way. However, if both of the conditions highlighted in this graphic are met, then the secondary mailbox must be switched to HTTP.
   
10. If a secondary mailbox does not meet the previously highlighted conditions, then it is free to maintain an SMTP/POP3 configuration. But if it does meet BOTH of these conditions, you will need to switch it to HTTP communications, as described in steps 4-6.
    
11. Questions? Call us at +1 805-882-2588 or +31 (0)20 6388077, or e-mail support@softshare.com.

Softshare ECS 3.0, 4.1, and 5.0 users

If you currently have any SMTP output queues configured to deliver mail to your Softshare mailbox, you must either:

• Switch the output queue to an alternate communications method such as FTP or HTTP.
• Upgrade to the newest build of ECS, which supports SMTP AUTH. SMTP AUTH requires authentication and this is the only form of SMTP access that Softshare’s network will support after February 1. Softshare has new builds available for both ECS 4.1 (build 137) and ECS 5.0 (build 140). Once you’ve upgraded, you can easily convert your SMTP output queue to SMTP AUTH by opening the queue’s new Extensions property page and entering in your Softshare mailbox number and password. For ECS 4.1 and 5.0 users, this upgrade is free and is available from eService. ECS 3.0 users should contact a Softshare sales representative for more information on upgrading to ECS 5.0.

Softshare network clients only
(no Softshare communications software)

If you’re using a third-party communications application to access Softshare’s network via SMTP, you must either reconfigure your current SMTP communications activities to SMTP AUTH (assuming your third-party application supports it) or switch to an alternate communications protocol such as FTP. If you have any questions, please contact Softshare’s customer support.

Softshare Vista 2.0 and Softshare Link for Windows users

Unfortunately, neither of these applications supports any alternate communications methods. If you’re one of the few clients still using Vista 2.0 or Link for Windows, you must upgrade to Vista 4.0 by February 1. Please contact a sales representative as soon as possible.

© 2007 Softshare, Inc. All rights reserved. This article is part of an archive of Softshare newsletter articles dating back several years. Some of the screenshots, procedures, or information contained within this article may no longer be 100% accurate or relevant, as Softshare's software and services are very fluid. Thank you for your understanding.