POP3 Service Authentication Methods

Applies To: Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2003 R2, Windows Server 2003 with SP1, Windows Server 2003 with SP2

POP3 service authentication methods

The POP3 service provides three different authentication methods for verifying users connecting to the mail server.

You must choose an authentication method before creating any e-mail domains on the mail server. You can change the authentication method only if there are no existing e-mail domains on the mail server.

The following table describes when to use each authentication method:

Authentication method	When to use this authentication method
Local Windows accounts authentication	Your mail server is not a member of an Active Directory domain; -AND- You want to store user accounts on the server on which the POP3 service is installed.
Active Directory integrated authentication	Your mail server is a domain controller or a member of an Active Directory domain.
Encrypted password file authentication	Your mail server is not using Active Directory; -OR- You do not want to have user accounts for the POP3 service on the local computer.

For more information about the POP3 service authentication methods, see the following topics:

• Local Windows accounts authentication

• Active Directory integrated authentication

• Encrypted password file authentication

Notes

• If the computer on which the POP3 service is running is either a member of an Active Directory domain or a domain controller, the default authentication method is Active Directory integrated authentication. Otherwise, the default is local Windows accounts authentication.

• If the computer where the POP3 service is running is a domain controller, the available authentication methods are Active Directory integrated authentication and encrypted password file authentication. If the computer where the POP3 service is running is a member server in an Active Directory domain, all three authentication methods are available. Otherwise, the available authentication methods are local Windows accounts authentication and encrypted password file authentication.