Simple Mail Transfer Protocol

Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) is a TCP/IP protocol used in sending and receiving e-mail. It is typically used with POP3 or Internet Message Access Protocol to save messages in a server mailbox and download them periodically from the server for the user.

SMTP commands

The following table describes the SMTP commands, the command functions, and whether iSeries™ SMTP server supports the commands.

SMTP command What it does iSeries supported
HELO (Hello) Identify the SMTP sender to the SMTP receiver. Yes
EHLO (Extension Hello) Enable SMTP extensions. Yes
MAIL (Mail) Start an e-mail transaction to deliver the e-mail to one or more recipients. Yes
RCPT (Recipient) Identify an individual recipient of e-mail. Yes
DATA (Data) Consider the lines following the command to be e-mail from the sender. Yes
SEND (Send) Deliver e-mail to one or more workstations. No
SOML (Send or mail) Deliver e-mail to one or more workstations or recipients if the user is not active. No
SAML (Send and mail) Deliver e-mail to one or more workstations and recipients if the user is not active. No
RSET (Reset) End the current e-mail transaction. Yes
VRFY (Verify) Ask the receiver to confirm that a user has been identified. Yes
EXPN (Expand) Ask the receiver to confirm that a mailing list has been identified. No
HELP (Help) Ask the receiver to send helpful information to the sender. Yes
NOOP (Noop) Ask the receiver to send a valid reply (but specify no other action). Yes
QUIT (Quit) Ask the receiver to send a valid reply, and then close the transmission channel. Yes
TURN (Turn) Ask the receiver to send a valid reply and then become the SMTP sender, or else ask the receiver to send a refusal reply and remain the SMTP receiver. No
Related concepts
E-mail example: Send and receive e-mail locally