Advantages of using a central mail server:

• The BTU's central mail server is a dedicated server that is used exclusively for the mail service for BTU employees and students.
• The server has a high level of security as it does not offer any services other than the mail service.
• The server is administered by qualified staff. Administration includes configuring the operating system and mail service, regularly updating the operating system and mail service, monitoring the system and implementing user requests. Data protection, data security and availability are guaranteed.
• IT-Services staff constantly monitors security-related messages from DFN CERT and relevant mailing lists to ensure a quick response to security vulnerabilities and their elimination.

Disadvantages of using decentralised mail servers:

• Double administration effort
• Administrators of decentralised mail servers are often overwhelmed by the complex and complicated configuration of the service and rely on the experience of the IT-Services.
• Decentralised mail servers often provide additional services and therefore cannot be operated at the same high level of security as a dedicated central mail server. This means that these servers could be misused as a springboard for the misuse of other computers. It is also possible that decentralised mail servers could be misused as relays, thereby damaging the reputation of the BTU. (The mail relay problem is explained further up on this page.)