My previous post about getting smtp services to work brought up an issue that we as developers often encounter: resolving server issues which may or may not have to do with a server's configuration and the blurred line between a server administrator's job and a developer's job.
I've publically boasted about the great System Admin (and Network Admin Support stud) I get to work with. When SMTP services did not work today, I exhausted every possible code-level fix along with investigating the MMC IIS SMTP setup. Then I asked my SysAdmin to try the STMP test web page I provided in conjunction with inspecting both the server SMTP setup and any firewall port settings on the network to make sure everything is working on his end. He always does this as a top priority, tests the web email page, and sometimes, like today, he'll say he checked everything and is still getting the error. Then its back in my court to move forward on the resolution. And he never, never says that something in my app must screwed up, which is usually the first thing System Admins say to developers.
My System Admin sets up the server, which includes SMTP; he's the owner. If I make any changes, no matter how seemingly insignificant, I make sure he knows about them. Tonight, I added a 127.0.01 to the accepted SMTP connection list because it was required in using the SmtpMail.SmtpServer = “127.0.0.1“ Hell, he's fine with that. Its not an issue because of a long track record of good communications, mutual respect, and our sharing security best practices as a top priority.
I've always felt that developers have to be part network/system administrators. No developer can write an application, let along an enterprise application, unless they understand how things work behind the scenes. I feel strongly that developers become much better developers when they have their own network for which they are solely responsible: for installing and configuring the servers, IIS, Exchange, SharePoint, SMTP, managing Active Directory, managing SQL Server, whatever.
So a blurred line between SysAdmin and developer responsibilities can be a good thing.