Do I really need an MX record? (for e-mail to work)

[Ketil Froyn]

Barry Margolin wrote:
> It's generally recommended to have MX records.  I've heard anecdotal 
> tales of SMTP implementations that don't properly fall back to A 
> records, although I don't really have much sympathy for them.  There's 
> also a small DNS performance benefit, as it means only one lookup (MX) 
> rather than two (MX followed by A).

I have first hand experience with stupid mail software doing just that. 
I don't remember which software it was, otherwise I'd gladly name and 
shame it. It was some virus scanning mail software that was scanning 
inbound and outbound mail, and therefore also dealing (badly) with delivery.

Ketil Froyn
ketil at froyn.name
http://ketil.froyn.name/