Configuring Message Queue service

Message Queue Control Panel settings are divided into several tabs. They are described below.

Status Tab

Start/Stop buttons start and stop Message Queue service. When the service is started, it periodically scans Queue Directory for new messages and submits them to the SMTP server. When the service is stopped, no activity is performed.

Messages Waiting To Be Sent displays the number of not yet sent messages in Queue Directory (these are files with .eml extension). If "N/A" is displayed, this means Queue Directory cannot be accessed.

Total Failed Messages displays the number of messages which were rejected by the SMTP server and renamed to .bad extension. If "N/A" is displayed, this means Queue Directory cannot be accessed.

Note If Problems/Always Delete Failed Messages setting is on, failed messages are not renamed but deleted. Thus, Total Failed messages will read zero.

Main Tab

License Key is a required setting. Set it to your trial or permanent Message Queue's license key.

Queue Directory Path points to the folder where message files are stored. This is the same path used in QueueDirPath parameter of SMTP.SendToQueue method.

Service Name contains the name of the Windows service MailBee Message Queue will take. Usually, "MailBee Message Queue". You can change it if you need to have multiple instances of MMQ (running simultaneously if desired).

Logging Tab

Enable Logging allows logging Message Queue's activity into a file. If logging is off, Control Panel will be unable to detect any errors (like invalid license key) preventing Message Queue from successful operation.

Logging Level can be Basic (recommended) and Detailed (log file contains more info but grows faster).

Log File Path points to the log file.

View Log button displays the file under Log File Path.

Clear Log button allows to clear log file contents.

Note Log file is automatically cleared on Message Queue service start.

Timings Tab

Polling Interval specifies the number of seconds between two successive polls of Queue Directory. On each poll, if new messages are found in the Queue Directory, Message Queue connects to the SMTP server, sends all the messages, and disconnects from the server. Thus, you can increase Polling Interval value if your SMTP server limits the number of connections per minute.

Sends Per Second limits the maximum number of e-mails to be submitted to the SMTP server within one second. Many SMTP servers do limit this value due antispam or security issues. If your server does not, you can set this value to zero (which means "send at maximum possible speed").

Sends Per Session limits the maximum number of e-mails to be submitted to the SMTP server with one SMTP session (i.e. within one polling interval). Many SMTP servers allow sending only a few messages per session. If your server does not imply such limitation, set this value to zero (which means send all messages available).

Timeout sets maximum time interval to wait answer from the SMTP server (in seconds).

Max Number of Threads specifies the number of messages which can be simultaneously sent to mail sever. In cases when SMTP server does not imply any limitations on number of messages submitted by a client in a second, using multiple threads may cause noticeable speed up of sending messages to this SMTP server. If SMTP server restricts the maximum number of sends per seconds to a relatively small value (< 30), using of multithread sending is not recommended.

SMTP Tab

Server specifies the host name of your SMTP server (like "mail.domain.com").

Port defaults to 25. Change this value if your SMTP server operates on other port.

Authentication settings allow using ESMTP and domain authentication with Message Queue.

Method dropdown box specifies ESMTP authentication method to be used. Select the one your SMTP server supports. CRAM-MD5, NTLM and MSN methods provide secure authentication.

User Name and Password specify your e-mail sending account credentials.

Domain is used as a parameter of HELO/EHLO commands. If not specified, domain name of the machine running Message Queue is used. Most SMTP servers ignore Domain setting. However, some servers (usually those which do not support ESMTP authentication) require it.

Problems Tab

Retry Failed Messages button click forces renaming all .bad (failed messages) files into .eml (waiting to be sent) files.

Always Delete Failed Messages setting, if on, forces failed messages to be deleted rather than renamed to .bad. This won't allow you to retry failed messages and will exclude these messages from counting in Total Failed Messages statistics on Status tab.

See Also:

Running Message Queue service