My very own first mailserver, how long can it be down?

puggy

I've just set up my own server and set it up to be the host for my domain. i.e. if I email puggy@mydomain.com my server accepts it and delivers it to me.
The question is, how long can this server be down without permanently losing any mail being sent to me? How long will the other end try for or on not finding my server for the first time will it return the mail as undeliverable? I'm just wondering as sometimes my cable goes down. Damn cable company!

Cheers.

Puggy
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slartibartfasz · Posted: Sat Jun 14, 2003 11:13 am Post subject:

that depends on the configuration of the mailserver that tries to reach you - in my experience it is at least a couple of days - so an hour or two will surely do no harm...
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puggy · Posted: Sat Jun 14, 2003 11:44 am Post subject:

That's what I wanted to hear. cheers.

Nice sig btw. :-D

Puggy
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slartibartfasz · Posted: Sat Jun 14, 2003 11:48 am Post subject:

bmichaelsen · Posted: Sat Jun 14, 2003 12:02 pm Post subject:

if you have a second machine available elsewhere, you might concider using the MX option of dns. (Are you using dyndns or something???)

puggy · Posted: Sat Jun 14, 2003 12:14 pm Post subject:

Yup. I'm using dynamic dns through zone edit. I don't have a 2nd machine somewhere else which is more reliable... otherwise I'd be using that as my mail server. :-D

As long as the mail servers trying to deliver give me a few hours leaway this set up will be fine for me.
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RagManX · Posted: Sat Jun 14, 2003 8:41 pm Post subject:

Most mail servers will retry in 1 to 4 hours, then again at 24 hours and 96 hours. At least, way back when I was handling mail servers a lot, that's how most came configured. Certainly a couple of days for all but the most bizarro servers.

RagManX
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