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Internet Exchange Frequently Asked Questions

Internet Exchange Messaging Server
Dial-Up Scheduler FAQ

Introduction
The most common configuration when using the Internet Exchange Messaging Server (both Enterprise and Workgroup versions) is to have a permanent connection to the Internet.  However, in certain cases, it may be impossible or impractical to maintain a permanent Internet connection.  In such cases, it is desirable to be able to schedule Internet Exchange to dial up to an ISP or service provider at a particular time of the day to download and upload messages from and to the Internet.

The purpose of the Dial-Up Scheduler, is to allow the system administrator to configure automatic RAS dial-up scheduling via a Web-based interface.

Remote Access Service
Remote Access Service (RAS) is the service by which the Windows operating system allows the local system to dial and connect to another peer over the Internet.  For Windows 95/98, RAS is more commonly known as Dial-up Networking, but for Windows NT 3.5X and 4.0, this function has been introduced as Remote Access Service.

The Dial-Up Scheduler is used to schedule the start-up of the Internet Exchange SMTPC, SMTPD, and BSMTP/POP3 modules so as to activate RAS dial-up.  Its automatic shutdown feature enables these modules to shut down automatically before the start of the next dial-up schedule.

The Dial-Up Scheduler offers two scheduling options: periodic scheduling and fixed-time scheduling.  When the scheduled dial-up time comes, the Dial-Up Scheduler performs the RAS dial-up.  When the scheduled hang-up time comes, it shuts down all TCP-level components, such as SMTPD, SMTPC, and POP3C and then closes down the RAS dial-up connection.  The Dial-Up Scheduler is implemented as a separate component.   It is provided with a Web-based interface for configuring dial-up schedules and profiles.

Additional Dialup Scheduler and Related Documents
The following represent additional sources of information on the Internet Exchange Messaging Server Dialup Scheduler: