The precursor to the Microsoft Exchange Server messaging system. Version 3 of Microsoft Mail provides LAN-based electronic mail to users of MS-DOS, Microsoft Windows 3.x , Windows NT, and LAN Manager.
Microsoft Mail is a shared-file mail system. The central message store, called the postoffice, consists of inbox and outbox directories on a file server. The postoffice includes information for each user such as user ID, password, preferences, message folders, and the actual mail messages and attachments received by the user.
The External program acts as a Message Transfer Agent (MTA) for moving mail using the store-and-forward method. The MTA reads a message from one message store, reads the routing information to find out its intended destination, and connects with the destination message store to write the message to it. This is a scheduled event and does not occur continuously, so messages can take some time to be delivered.
Microsoft Mail is managed using the Administrator program. This program manages the postoffice, directory synchronization, gateways, and users.