E-Mail Gateways: Connecting LAN-Based Messaging to the World by Brett Warthen With all of the complex terminology and standards in the current electronic mail market, it's easy to become confused about selecting an e-mail system. The fact of the matter is that e-mail has become a big business, and major software companies like Novell, Lotus and Microsoft are all trying to stake a claim on portions of the market. As IBM once proved when they dominated the mainframe computer market, the marketing technique of FUD (fear, uncertainty and doubt) can be incredibly effective when the target market has a limited understanding of an environment. In this article, we'll try to clear up the FUD, by explaining the terminology and discussing many solutions that are available today for connecting LAN-based messaging to other e-mail systems. LAN-Based Messaging: Defining the Players LAN-based e-mail is divided into at least 3 major camps: Novell, Lotus, Microsoft. Novell is unique, in that they are not providing an e-mail front-end as part of their solution. Instead, they are concentrating on back-end e-mail transport engines that are supported by a growing number of "front-end" e-mail vendors. When discussing LAN e-mail, we often use terms like "front- end" and "back-end". The "front-end" or "user agent" is the application that allows you to compose, read and reply to messages. The "back-end" or "mail transport engine" is the application that provides mail delivery services and transport services between systems. Essentially the user agent submits messages to the transport engine with requests for delivery, and the transport engine delivers any incoming messages to the user agent. Novell's mail transport strategy is two-tiered. The basic product, NetWare MHS (short for Message Handling Service) is a DOS-based messaging store and forward engine, originally developed by Action Technologies as a transport service for their Coordinator electronic mail product. MHS and its Standard Message Format (SMF) API specification are currently supported with over 150 commercially available products. Through the SMF interface, numerous e-mail applications can easily exchange mail, including Infinite Technologies' ExpressIT!, NoteWork Corporation's The NoteWork, Da Vinci Systems' eMail, BeyondMail from Beyond, Inc., and more. NetWare Global Messaging (NGM) is an NLM-based (NetWare Loadable Module/sever-based) messaging store and forward engine that Novell is in the process of introducing. NGM will be backward compatible with MHS 1.5, and Novell plans to offer add-on connectivity modules for other environments including SMTP, X.400 and SNADS. However, there are third party gateways available for MHS today that provide connectivity to these environments. If you require this additional connectivity now, it may be prudent to explore the current market alternatives. Lotus and Microsoft are both essentially user agent vendors, selling electronic mail products, also based on technologies acquired from other companies. However, Lotus cc:Mail and Microsoft Mail both provide their own message transport services together with the user agent portion. These transport services typically lack the range of third party support that exists for the Novell MHS environment. To a large extent, these environments are less open for third party enhancements. Ironically, if you want to connect a Lotus cc:Mail e-mail system to a Microsoft Mail e-mail system, Novell's MHS is the most convenient common ground, as both products provide gateways that connect with Novell's MHS. Similarly, WordPerfect Office (WPO) from WordPerfect Corporation uses its own proprietary transport mechanism. A growing number of WPO users are using the WPO to MHS gateway option and MHS as a transport mechanism between sites, as it is more widely supported. Recent studies by the Electronic Mail Association estimate that 60% of LAN-based electronic mailboxes are serviced by Novell's MHS as the primary transport service, clearly supporting the position that MHS has become the de facto standard for LAN-based messaging. Contrary to a common misconception, MHS is available for both Novell and other DOS- compatible networks. Access outside of the LAN environment is most often accomplished through third party MHS gateways to X.400, SMTP and various public mail services like CompuServe and MCIMail. Vendors like Microsoft, Lotus and WordPerfect also provide their own suite of gateways specific to their products. LAN-Based Messaging: The Battleground The current battleground in the LAN-based messaging environment is over the APIs (Application Program Interfaces) that are used for communications between e-mail front-ends and their back-end engines. Novell's NetWare MHS and NetWare Global Messaging define an interface called the Standard Message Format (SMF), which is how an application interfaces to the Novell Messaging Engines. Novell publishes a "NetWare SMF Solutions Guide" that lists third party products supporting SMF. Instructions on acquiring this guide are included at the close of this article. The SMF specification is often times criticized by developers because it provides only a directory and file based interface for message submission and receipt. In other words, message files are created following the SMF format, in specific directories. Three different versions of the SMF interface are currently in existence: SMF-64 (MHS 1.1 native interface, circa 1988) is limited to 8 character user and workgroup names, one file attachment per message, and one recipient per message. SMF-70 (MHS 1.5 native interface, circa 1991) supports up to 64 file attachments per message, and up to 64 recipients in a single transmission instance of a message. SMF-71 (NetWare Global Messaging and MHS 2.0, circa 1992) breaks the 8 character user and workgroup name limitations and lifts the limitation of 64 recipients in a single message. (NOTE: At the time of this writing, MHS 2.0 is not yet shipping, and MHS 1.5 is still the current version of the DOS- based engine.) Lotus and Microsoft have announced competing procedural APIs for access to their message transport services. Procedural APIs define function calls (DLLs in the Windows and OS/2 environments, linkable libraries in the DOS environment) that applications can call from higher level languages for messaging related functions. Both the Lotus and Microsoft specifications are intended to allow front-ends to access a variety of different message transport engines. This would have the largest effect on non- messaging applications that could include messaging as another function within the application. The Lotus specification, called VIM (Vendor Independent Messaging, also sometimes jokingly known as Vendors Ignoring Microsoft) was endorsed by Novell, Borland and Apple, with limited endorsement from IBM. VIM grew out of the OMI (Open Messaging Interface) introduced, but never delivered, by Lotus in 1991. VIM libraries are planned for the DOS, Windows and OS/2 environments. The Microsoft specification, called MAPI (Messaging Applications Programming Interface) is a Windows-centric API that will be included with future versions of the Windows product. The idea is to provide messaging services to Windows applications, independent of the messaging transport service installed. At this stage, both VIM and MAPI are specifications waiting for libraries to enable application developers to begin sending messages through these APIs. Novell has also pledged that both the VIM and MAPI specifications will be supported by Novell messaging engines. Mail enabled applications are an extremely exciting idea, and with the macro language flexibility of popular Windows applications like WordPerfect for Windows, Ami Pro, Microsoft Word for Windows, Microsoft Excel, and more, why should we have to wait for VIM or MAPI? Indeed, creating a message in the SMF format may be difficult from within a Windows macro, but several of the vendors of MHS/SMF-based e-mail front-ends provide messaging services that can be called via macros in Windows applications. So, if you're in one of these applications, you can easily invoke a macro through a menu option or button bar to send the current document, or the selected text. Da Vinci Systems' eMail for Windows defines a set of DDE (Dynamic Data Exchange) functions that other applications can invoke to send messages via MHS. Finansa's WinMail and Infinite Technologies' ExpressIT! for Windows include DLLs (Dynamic Link Libraries) that can be called by any application or macro language for sending a message via MHS, without the limitations of an active DDE link. The Infinite DLL is also available as a separate product, SendIT! for Windows. In the DOS environment, free utilities like SendIT! from Infinite Technologies make it easy to submit messages in the SMF format. Novell MHS and Third Party Gateways MHS provides e-mail transport services between LANs and remote systems over asynchronous dial-up links, bridged LANs (internetwork connections in MHS terminology), and via public hub services like Novell's NHUB service and the CompuServe/MHS hub option. Novell NHUB is a public hub service provided free of charge by Novell (408-473-8989). MHS hubs can connect to each other through NHUB, using NHUB as an intermediary hop. MHS hubs must dial the NHUB phone number in San Jose, California in order to send or receive mail through this service. Presently, there are between 750 and 1000 MHS hubs that are registered for this service. The CompuServe/MHS hub is a surcharged public hub service provided by CompuServe, Inc (614-457-MAIL). Thanks to CompuServe's extensive data network, CompuServe provides local phone numbers for dial-up access in most areas of the United States, as well as a growing number of international access points. Additionally, the CompuServe/MHS hub service provides access to CompuServe Mail accounts, internet addresses, AT&T Mail and AT&T Easylink, as well as FAX services. The MHS product also defines a gateway interface to allow third party gateway products to provide delivery services to other environments. When MHS receives a message that is addressed to an installed gateway process, MHS will load the defined gateway process to perform e-mail delivery. When connecting your LAN-based messaging system to the outside world with gateways, it's important to evaluate all alternatives, as there are usually several different ways to get from here to there. For example, if you want to connect your LAN to the Internet, you could choose an SMTP or UUCP gateway, or you could use a commercial service like the CompuServe/MHS hub. Third party gateway products exist to provide connectivity to the following environments (to name but a few): SMTP - An SMTP gateway requires a dedicated active link to the internet, which is generally an option only for universities, federal government agencies and defense contractors. SMTP gateway services are provided by Computer Mail Services' S-Bridge (313-352-6700) product, and a shareware product named XGATE (download XGATE.ZIP from PCVENF Library 13 on CompuServe or use the keyword XGATE with Library @ Infinite). UUCP - A UUCP gateway connects MHS to a Unix host using UUCP over dial-up or dedicated asynchronous lines. Using a popular shareware gateway named UGATE (download UGATE.ZIP from PCVENF Library 13 on CompuServe or use the keyword UGATE with Library @ Infinite) to dial into the UUNET service is an inexpensive way to gain connectivity with the internet. NoteWork Corporation (617-734-4317) also connects the MHS and UUCP environments with The NoteWork MHS/UUCP Gateway. Internet - SMTP and UUCP gateways can be used to gain connectivity with the internet. Additionally, the CompuServe/MHS hub service provides connectivity to most internet addresses, and is a viable option for low volume mail exchange with internet addresses. X.400 - X.400 is the accepted international standard for e- mail connectivity between computer systems, and can be effective when many different types of computer messaging systems must be interconnected. X.400 gateway services are provided by Retix (213-399-2200), Touch Communications (408-374-2500) and Frontier Technologies Corporation (414- 241-4555). With NetWare Global Messaging, Novell will also soon be providing an optional X.400 connectivity module. However, costs for X.400 gateways, which range between $10 to $20 thousand and up, are not within the budgets of most LAN systems. This cost becomes even more expensive when you consider that X.400 is generally not a standard feature on other computer systems, and must be purchased as an additional cost option. For the majority of situations today, direct gateway solutions between environments are more cost effective and less complicated to install and maintain. IBM SNADS, PROFS, Office Vision - IBM Mainframe connectivity is available from Novell with their Messaging Connect product, as well as gateway services from SoftSwitch. AS/400 - Blue Rainbow Software (206-357-8971) provides a gateway between MHS and Office Vision/400 on an IBM AS/400 midrange computer. VAXMail, DEC All-in-One - Connectivity to DEC VAX based e- mail systems is available through products from Joiner Associates (608-238-4454) and Xitel (215-647-2866). Wang Office - Lightspeed Mail Gateway from MacSoft (805- 324-4291) provides e-mail exchange between MHS and Wang Office. MCIMail - For MCIMail connectivity, M-Bridge from Computer Mail Services (313-352-6700) is available. AT&T Mail - NoteWork Corporation (617-734-4317) offers an MHS to AT&T Mail gateway, A-GATE for MHS, while similar connectivity is offered through the CompuServe/MHS hub service. FidoNet - For connecting FidoNet based bulletin boards with MHS, there is a shareware product named FidoGate (download FIDOGT.ZIP from PCVENF Library 13 on CompuServe or use the keyword FIDOGATE with Library @ Infinite). Thanks to Novell's relatively open specifications for defining gateway processes, there are also quite a few third party MHS gateway products that provide non-traditional extensions to e- mail capabilities. Message Forwarding agents allow messages sent to one address to be forwarded or copied to another address without requiring user intervention, which is useful for traveling users or users who must temporarily receive their e-mail at another location. (ForwardIT! from Infinite Technologies 410-363-1097, Da Vinci Assistant from Da Vinci Systems 919-881-4320) Alpha Numeric Paging gateways, such as PageIT! from Infinite Technologies (410-363-1097), provide the ability for messages to be sent via electronic mail to alpha numeric (full text) pagers. Salesmen and service technicians can receive their e-mail easily while out of the office, and receive additional information on phone calls and service calls. Remote File Retrieval utilities, like MHS Librarian from Infinite Technologies (410-363-1097), allow users to request files and other data through e-mail requests, providing bulletin board type capabilities on top of store and forward e-mail systems. Discussion Lists are another name for the type of service provided by the popular List Servers on the internet. Essentially, users are allowed to subscribe to a list, generally by an e-mail request for subscription, and any messages sent to the list address are automatically rebroadcast to the list of subscribers. In the MHS world, popular discussion lists include LIBRARY @ NOVELL (send a request with GUIDE for more information) and LIBRARY @ INFINITE (send a request with INDEX for more information, or SUBSCRIBE to subscribe). Both of these lists are available through the CSERVE and NHUB public hubs (LIBRARY @ NOVELL requires that your host be defined to NHUB). The LIBRARY @ INFINITE service was built using the MHS Librarian product from Infinite Technologies (410-363- 1097). The LIBRARY @ NOVELL service is a customized application built using the rules and message filtering capabilities of BeyondMail (617-621-0095) in conjunction with the Distributor product from WorkFrame, Inc. (617-491-4678) Voice Mail links to e-mail systems are provided by a number of innovative products from VoxLink (615-297-4271). E-mail messages can be converted to voice mail messages, and voice mail messages can even be sent via e-mail and played over a PC speaker. Print Job transmission between sites is provided by a unique application called MhsQ! by Infinite Technologies (410-363-1097). Essentially, e-mail jobs sent to a NetWare print queue on one system can be automatically compressed and transmitted via MHS to another site where they are printed. Admittedly a unique application, MhsQ! illustrates some of the open-ended possibilities for extending MHS with gateway processes. FAX gateways are provided by quite a few vendors. At a minimum, these products provide the ability for users to submit out-bound FAX requests through MHS e-mail. More advanced systems also support the ability to route in-bound FAXes to MHS mailboxes for viewing. Two of the most popular products in this market are the Optus FacSys (908- 271-9568) and Castelle FaxPress (408-496-0474). MHS gateway possibilities don't stop with these. For more information on developing your own custom MHS gateways, Novell publishes the "NetWare SMF Programmer's Reference". Additionally, a utility called RunIT!, that ships with the Infinite Technologies' MHS Scheduler product also allows you to easily create your own batch files that run as MHS gateways, allowing tape backups or other automated tasks to run on the MHS server. What to Choose? By this stage, it should be apparent that I am a strong believer in the Novell Messaging environment, and the complimentary third party products and utilities developed for this environment. It is no secret that my company has made a significant investment in producing products for this environment. However, we chose MHS because of its openness, widespread third party support, and the overall flexibility of the MHS environment. First and foremost, I am an e-mail user requiring wide area connectivity to allow my business to communicate with distributors, resellers, end-users and other industry contacts. I chose the MHS platform for my business, because thanks to third party gateway support, it was the only solution that could adequately fit these needs. ================================================================== Brett Warthen is President of Infinite Technologies in Owings Mills, Maryland, a software development company specializing in electronic mail and add-on utilities for e-mail systems. Brett is also a volunteer sysop on the Novell NetWire family of forums on CompuServe. You can reach Brett via e-mail at the following addresses: MHS: Brett @ Infinite (via CSERVE or NHUB) CompuServe: >MHS:Brett@Infinite Internet: Brett@Infinite.mhs.compuserve.com FAX: +1-410-363-3779