Files can be transferred within a network using the Simple Mail Transfer Protocol. The network should support the transmission. This can be done using internet and intranet.

The simple mail transfer protocol is protocol which is used for sending e-mails between servers. Most mails sent over the internet are sent using the SMPT protocol. In addition to this the Simple Mail Transfer Protocol can be used to send messages from a client to a server.

Usually two computers are involved in a Simple Mail Transfer Protocol method of file transfer. The first computer is the file transfer protocol server and the other is known as the client. The server is the database and it receives requests for connection from other computers. A simple client software program is used to get connected to the server. When connection is completed files can be downloaded or uploaded, manipulated and many other edit functions can be done according to an individual’s need.

Sometimes mail transfers may not require human intervention. A programmer can write programs which automatically transfer data to another computer when ever there is need for it to be transferred. Thus Simple Mail Transfer Protocol plays a very important role in the internet world.

Simple Mail Transfer Protocol is a simple protocol through which the receivers of the message can be specified along with the text. Even encoded objects can also be sent. Once the message is complete it is transferred to a remote server or even directly to the receiver’s computer and in this case the user’s email acts as the Simple Mail Transfer Protocol.

Finally the Simple Mail Transfer Protocol starts a TCP connection. An SMTP server can be tested using the telnet program. Actually Simple Mail Transfer Protocol is a push protocol so that it does not allow pulling of contents from the remote server on requirement.

The Simple Mail Transfer Protocol is enforced to function over the internet port 25. But since this protocol follows the queing system an alternative to this protocol has been found and is in vogue in Europe and is known as the extended Simple Mail Transfer Protocol. This ESMPT helps in sending of multmedia files as e-mails.

Eventhough it is advantageous to use Simple Mail Transfer Protocol for message transfers, there are certain demerits also. They are:

-Passwords and transferred files can be viewed by others when relayed through Simple mail transfer protocol. Thus when personal data is transmitted there is always a fear that anybody can view it. It gives an in secured feeling when important and secret data is transferred. However these days to secure transfer software have been developed.

-Also there are examples when the server cannot decide whether the transfer has been successfully finished or not. This is due to the limitations in the Simple mail transfer protocol software.

Simple mail transfer protocol started to be used widely in the early years of 1980. It was introduced as a complement to UNIX to UNIX copy. This UUCP was more useful when two systems were intermittently connected. But simple mail transfer protocol is used when both the server and the client is connected to the network.