SQL SERVER - Difference Between Database Mail and SQLMail « Journey to SQL Authority with Pinal Dave

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SQL SERVER - Difference Between Database Mail and SQLMail

July 5, 2008 by pinaldave

In recent user group meeting in my city Ahmedabad, I have found that not every user knows difference between these two features of SQL Server. I do not blame any user for not knowing difference between Database Mail and SQLMail as this is very confusing sometime. I will try to explain this concept here.

Database mail is newly introduced concept in SQL Server 2005 and it is replacement of SQLMail of SQL Server earlier version. Database Mail has many enhancement over SQLMail. Database Mail is based on SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol) and also very fast and reliable where as SQLMail is based on MAPI (Messaging Application Programming Interface). Database mail depends on Service Broker so this service must be enabled for Database Mail. Database Mail can be encrypted for additional security. SQLMail is lesser secure as it can encrypt the message as well anybody can use SMTP to send email. Additionally, for MAPI to be enabled for SQLMail it will require Outlook to be installed. All this leads to potential security threat to database server.

In summary, I suggest if you are using SQLMail, it is right time to upgrade to Database Mail.

If you still want to use SQLMail you will have to enable it with specific commands.

EXEC sp_configure ‘SQL Mail XPs’, 1 GO RECONFIGURE GO

Again, I suggest upgrade to Database Mail and start to stop using SQLMail.

Reference : Pinal Dave (http://www.SQLAuthority.com)

Posted in Pinal Dave, SQL, SQL Authority, SQL Query, SQL Security, SQL Server, SQL Tips and Tricks, T SQL, Technology | Tagged SQL Mail, Service Broker | 8 Comments

8 Responses to “SQL SERVER - Difference Between Database Mail and SQLMail”

on July 6, 2008 at 6:21 pm Nice

one.
on July 10, 2008 at 9:35 pm Brandon M

‘SQL Mail XPs’ or ‘Database Mail XPs’?
on July 10, 2008 at 9:37 pm Brandon M

Oh, I see… nevermind my last comment. You were telling them how to turn on the old SQL Mail XPs, not how to turn on the new Database Mail XPs.
on July 12, 2008 at 4:09 pm Girish M

Nice and concise. Switching to SMTP makes setting up mail capability on your SQL server a breeze.
on July 18, 2008 at 10:29 pm SQL SERVER - Introduction to Service Broker Journey to SQL Authority with Pinal Dave

[...] for SQL Server. It is used for sending emails and through Database Mails. You can read about SQL SERVER - Difference Between Database Mail and SQLMail here. Service Broker is feature which provides facility to SQL Server to send an asynchronous, [...]
on July 20, 2008 at 11:20 pm Ram

Can you please put a blog on how to setup database mail (step by step). I am trying to send response back if a Job fails.
on September 5, 2008 at 9:00 am Joseph

Hi Pinal,

If I want to read emails and process them using database mail, how can I do it. Are you able to help.

Thanks,
on October 28, 2008 at 12:27 pm Karthikeyan

good one. is there any condition that db server and smtv server should be on same physical machine?