Start, Stop, or Pause SMTP Service

SMTP runs as a service on Windows 2000 Server and starts upon installation. It can be accessed through the Windows 2000 Administrative Tools. While there is only one SMTP Service on a computer, it is possible to have more than one SMTP virtual server. You can start, stop, or pause each virtual server independently of one another while SMTP Service is running.

Pausing or stopping SMTP Service will affect all of the SMTP virtual servers in your organization.

Note   You can start a virtual server while SMTP Service is stopped, but this will actually restart the service. Once the SMTP Service has been restarted, all other SMTP virtual servers that had been running when the service was originally stopped will then restart. Conversely, when a virtual server is stopped before SMTP Service is stopped, restarting the service will not restart that virtual server.

When you start SMTP Service, new connections from users are accepted. When you stop the service, new connections are not accepted. When you pause SMTP Service, every running SMTP virtual server will continue to service existing connections, but will not accept new connections.

To start, stop, or pause SMTP Service:

1. Start Services
   On the Start menu, point to Programs, point to Administrative Tools, and then click Services.
2. In the console tree, click Services (Local).
3. In the details pane, right-click Simple Mail Transport Protocol (SMTP), and then click Start, Stop, or Pause.

Note   When you start SMTP Service, only SMTP virtual servers that were running when you stopped the service will automatically re-start.

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