Can I have two mail server for different emails

Question

I have a registered domain name where the emails are handled by windows live admin center having a single mx record for my domain. I also have access to modify the dns records any time. We have around 20 email registered in windows live for my domain. for e.g. [email protected], [email protected] etc.

Some users want to go in for google app accounts as they say there are lots of features in it, and therefore I think I need more than one mail server in my organization.

Is it possible that i can have some emails redirected to windows live and some to google apps, provided that I have access to change the dns and mx records?

Answer 1

This can't be done within the DNS - mail routing is done on the domain part only.

You'll need to arrange for all of the mail to arrive at one central place, and for it to be then forwarded-on depending on who it's for.

Do note that that isn't completely trivial, although any decent mail server should be able to do it. This is because in some cases (cc:, etc) that forwarding will need to result in two copies being forwarded, i.e. if there are multiple recipients and they're not all on the same service.

Answer 2

So you want different users for the same domain to go to different mail servers?

You can't do this by manipulating the DNS records - the mail will be delivered to the server(s) defined by your MX record for the domain without any reference to the user name.

However, there's nothing stopping that mail server being an application that forwards mail onto several other servers based on the user name of the recipient...