 SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol) is the procedure by

which email data packets are transferred from one networked

machine to another.

 SMTP defines the message format and the message transfer

agent (MTA), which stores and forwards the mail.

 SMTP is a relatively simple, text-based protocol, where one or

more recipients of a message are specified and then the
message text is transferred.
 Transfer email between mail servers reliably and efficiently .

 In order to send email, the client sends the message to an

outgoing mail server, which in turn contacts the destination mail
server for delivery.
 SMTP uses persistent connections

 SMTP uses TCP port 25.

 SMTP requires message (header & body) to be in 7 -bit ASCII

 No sender authentication.

 Unsecured against spam.