PMDF System Manager's Guide

The third component is the transfer of the message files between PMDF and the PC holding area described above. The PC mail systems supported by PMDF other than Lotus Notes (discussed separately in Section 38.6) interface with PMDF via intermediary files. Some PC mail systems use one or more files for each message. Others use one file for multiple messages. These files can be stored on disk drives local to the PC, stored on a PC based file server, or stored on a file server accessible directly from the system running PMDF (e.g., an OpenVMS or UNIX hosted file server). In the latter case, there is no need to actually transfer the files, you just have to tell PMDF where the files are.

Messages inbound to PMDF must be moved from the PC mail system to the PMDF system. Messages outbound from PMDF must be moved from the PMDF system to the PC mail system. To provide a satisfactory level of service, this transfer mechanism is normally automated and runs every few minutes throughout the day. It needs to be robust and capable of unattended operation for long periods of time.

Depending on the network setup, the transfer function can be performed by the support PC as part of the PC mail system, by a different PC (called the "transfer PC" to distinguish it from the support PC) or by PMDF. For high mail volume, multiple PC systems can be used with some PCs acting as support PCs and others as transfer PCs.