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GFI FAXmaker has a very flexible SMTP based architecture allowing you to deploy the fax server in a way that best suits your network and type of mail server. You can also choose whether you want to install GFI FAXmaker on your mail server or whether you want to run it on a separate machine (unless you have Exchange 5.5, in which case you must deploy it on a separate machine).
Since GFI FAXmaker does not require many resources, it can run in the background on your mail server machine. However, it is often considered good practice to separate your mail server from fax device hardware such as Brooktrout cards or ISDN cards. The choice will probably depend on the size of your network. Smaller networks can deploy GFI FAXmaker on the mail server, whilst for larger networks it would probably be preferable to deploy GFI FAXmaker on a separate machine. This separate machine does of course not need to be dedicated to GFI FAXmaker.
How GFI FAXmaker works with Exchange 2000/2003
If you have Exchange 2000 or 2003 as your mail server, you can choose to install GFI FAXmaker on the mail server machine itself or on a separate machine.
GFI FAXmaker installed on the Exchange 2000/2003 server
If you install GFI FAXmaker on the Exchange Server machine, GFI FAXmaker will install a standard Exchange SMTP connector and a sink (a program that captures particular messages at mail server level). No further configuration will be needed. The connector will forward all fax messages to GFI FAXmaker via the sink.
How GFI FAXmaker works when it is installed on a separate machine
GFI FAXmaker installed on a separate server
If you want to install GFI FAXmaker on a separate machine, first install GFI FAXmaker on the fax server machine (which will require the IIS SMTP service to be installed). The fax server software and a sink for the IIS SMTP service will be installed. Then run the GFI FAXmaker setup again on the Exchange server; this will create a standard SMTP connector that will forward the faxes via SMTP to the GFI FAXmaker fax server. If you wish, you can also create this Exchange SMTP connector manually as described in the chapter of the product manual entitled 'The GFI FAXmaker SMTP connector'.
The GFI FAXmaker fax server receives the faxes via SMTP and using the sink, it captures the fax and converts it to fax format and faxes it out. Then it will mail back a delivery report to the user. The same principle is applied to SMS messages.
The installation of GFI FAXmaker on a separate machine leaves Microsoft Exchange Server completely standard - no changes to Active Directory are made and no custom software will be running on your Exchange server.
How it works from the client
All faxes sent by users from the GFI FAXmaker Fax Message form or the New Message form of Microsoft Outlook are sent via Microsoft Outlook using the MAPI format number@faxmaker.com. The standard SMTP connector (which is created by GFI FAXmaker during set-up and is a completely standard Exchange connector) forwards the faxes via SMTP to the GFI FAXmaker Fax server.
How GFI FAXmaker works with Exchange 5.5
GFI FAXmaker installed on a separate machine if using Exchange Server 5.5
If you have Microsoft Exchange 5.5, you must install GFI FAXmaker on a separate machine. This separate machine must be running Windows 2000 or higher and the IIS SMTP service. Afterwards you must create a routing rule to forward all mail sent to the domains faxmaker.com and smsmaker.com to the GFI FAXmaker Fax server. Creation of this rule is described in detail in the manual: 'Configuring Exchange Server 5.5 for faxing'.
The GFI FAXmaker fax server receives the faxes via SMTP and using a sink, it captures the fax, converts it to fax format and faxes it out. Then it mails back a delivery report to the user. The same principle is applied to SMS messages.
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