You Have Mail: Setting Up Mail Servers

When launching a new website, you may have set up a new domain to go along with it. You’ll probably want email addresses in that domain as well. Setting up email involves setting up MX (Mail Exchange) records.

When someone sends you an email, your name server knows. The message is received and routed to your mail server by following the MX record configuration. MX records are very important, and you should edit them with care.

Most MX records are established in a set, with different preferences for mail delivery across multiple servers. This technique is applied to provide preference to a main mail server, as well as backups and load balancing for peak times.

When editing MX records, it is important to have detailed documentation from your web host, email provider, or technical lead. Misconfiguring MX records can result in mail not being delivered, and/or email not being available for your entire organization.