Email Configuration

IdentityCenter uses email for notifications, alerts, and communication with users and administrators. This guide covers how to configure email settings.

Email Architecture

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                  IdentityCenter Email System                 │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│  ┌─────────────┐  ┌─────────────┐  ┌─────────────┐         │
│  │  Templates  │  │   Queue     │  │   Sender    │         │
│  └─────────────┘  └─────────────┘  └─────────────┘         │
│         │              │              │                     │
│         ▼              ▼              ▼                     │
│  ┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐   │
│  │              SMTP / Email Service                    │   │
│  └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘   │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
                         │
            ┌────────────┼────────────┐
            ▼            ▼            ▼
      ┌──────────┐ ┌──────────┐ ┌──────────┐
      │ Exchange │ │ Office   │ │ SMTP     │
      │ Server   │ │  365     │ │ Relay    │
      └──────────┘ └──────────┘ └──────────┘

SMTP Configuration

Navigate to Email Settings

1. Log in to IdentityCenter as an administrator
2. Navigate to Administration > Settings > Email
3. Select SMTP Configuration

Basic SMTP Settings

Authentication

Common SMTP Configurations

Microsoft 365

Server: smtp.office365.com
Port: 587
SSL/TLS: StartTLS
Authentication: OAuth2 or Basic
Username: your-account@company.com

On-Premises Exchange

Server: mail.company.com
Port: 587
SSL/TLS: StartTLS
Authentication: Basic (NTLM)
Username: DOMAIN\serviceaccount

Gmail (G Suite)

Server: smtp.gmail.com
Port: 587
SSL/TLS: StartTLS
Authentication: OAuth2
Username: your-account@company.com

Generic SMTP Relay

Server: smtp-relay.company.com
Port: 25
SSL/TLS: None (internal only)
Authentication: None

Testing Email Configuration

Send Test Email

1. Navigate to Administration > Settings > Email
2. Click Send Test Email
3. Enter a recipient email address
4. Click Send
5. Check for:
   • Email received
   • Correct sender information
   • No spam folder issues

Test Results

Email Settings

General Settings

Notification Categories

Enable/disable specific notification types:

Rate Limiting

Prevent email flooding:

Troubleshooting Email

Connection Issues

Cannot connect to SMTP server:

1. Verify server hostname is correct
2. Check port number (25, 465, 587)
3. Verify firewall allows outbound SMTP
4. Test with telnet: telnet smtp.company.com 587

SSL/TLS errors:

1. Verify certificate is valid
2. Check TLS version compatibility
3. Try different port (587 vs 465)
4. Enable/disable StartTLS

Authentication Issues

Authentication failed:

1. Verify username and password
2. Check authentication method
3. For OAuth2, verify token refresh
4. Check account lockout status

Access denied:

1. Verify sender address is allowed
2. Check relay permissions
3. Verify IP is authorized
4. Check mailbox permissions

Delivery Issues

Emails going to spam:

1. Set up SPF record for sender domain
2. Configure DKIM signing
3. Set up DMARC policy
4. Use consistent from address

Emails not received:

1. Check recipient address
2. Verify no mail loops
3. Check recipient spam folder
4. Review email server logs

Advanced Configuration

Multiple SMTP Servers

Configure failover SMTP servers:

Primary:
  Server: smtp-primary.company.com
  Port: 587

Secondary:
  Server: smtp-secondary.company.com
  Port: 587

Failover: Yes
FailoverTimeout: 30 seconds

Email Archiving

Archive sent emails for compliance:

Archive:
  Enabled: Yes
  Location: Database
  RetentionDays: 365
  IncludeAttachments: Yes

Custom Headers

Add custom headers to outgoing emails:

CustomHeaders:
  X-Application: IdentityCenter
  X-Environment: Production
  X-Category: {email.category}

Security Considerations

Credential Storage

• SMTP passwords are encrypted at rest
• Consider using service accounts
• Rotate passwords regularly

Email Security

• Use TLS for all connections
• Validate server certificates
• Implement SPF, DKIM, DMARC

Monitoring

• Monitor email queue size
• Track delivery success rate
• Alert on authentication failures

Configuration File Reference

Email settings in appsettings.json:

{
  "Email": {
    "Smtp": {
      "Server": "smtp.company.com",
      "Port": 587,
      "UseSsl": true,
      "Username": "identitycenter@company.com",
      "Password": ""
    },
    "From": {
      "Address": "identitycenter@company.com",
      "DisplayName": "IdentityCenter"
    },
    "Settings": {
      "MaxRetries": 3,
      "RetryIntervalMinutes": 15,
      "MaxEmailsPerHour": 100,
      "EnableArchiving": true
    }
  }
}

Next Steps

• Creating Email Templates
• Template Variables Reference
• Notification Settings