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How are email message connection limits and concurrent outbound connections managed for deliverability?

Summary

Managing email message connection limits and concurrent outbound connections is crucial for email deliverability. Internet service providers (ISPs) and mailbox providers (MBPs) enforce these limits to prevent spam and ensure network stability. For senders, understanding and adhering to these technical boundaries is vital to maintain a good sender reputation and ensure emails reach the inbox reliably.

What email marketers say

Email marketers often navigate the complexities of connection limits and concurrent outbound connections by relying on their email service providers or by observing real-world sending behavior. While general guidelines exist, the dynamic nature of ISP policies means that practical experience and monitoring bounce feedback are often the most reliable indicators of current limits.

Marketer view

Marketer from Email Geeks indicates that it's challenging to find fixed standard connection limits for ISPs because these often depend on a sender's reputation and can vary greatly. They've personally observed these standards fluctuating over time.

19 Sep 2019 - Email Geeks

Marketer view

Marketer from a Reddit thread mentions that for smaller sending volumes, connection limits are rarely an issue, but for large campaigns, it becomes critical to monitor SMTP logs for any throttling responses. They recommend scaling sending gradually.

15 Mar 2024 - Reddit

What the experts say

Experts emphasize that the management of email message connection limits and concurrent outbound connections is primarily a function of the Mail Transfer Agent (MTA) and the ESP. They highlight the highly dynamic nature of these limits, which are intrinsically tied to sender reputation and real-time network conditions. Adherence to throttling responses through adaptive sending logic is paramount.

Expert view

Expert from Email Geeks states that the MTA itself needs to have these configurations for connection limits. They also add that if you use an ESP, they should be the ones actively managing these settings for you.

19 Sep 2019 - Email Geeks

Expert view

Expert from Word to the Wise suggests that unforeseen spikes in sending volume can quickly lead to hitting ISP connection limits, even if your overall reputation is good. They advise careful traffic shaping.

05 Mar 2024 - Word to the Wise

What the documentation says

Technical documentation from major Mailbox Providers and industry standards like RFCs often define the underlying protocols that govern connections and message handling. While explicit numerical limits are rarely published publicly due to their dynamic nature, the documentation provides foundational understanding of how servers communicate, acknowledge, and potentially defer email traffic based on perceived load or sender behavior.

Technical article

Documentation from RFC 5321 (SMTP) outlines that mail servers may return temporary negative completion replies (4XX codes) to indicate transient problems, such as a server being temporarily unable to accept more connections or process mail.

10 Apr 2008 - RFC 5321

Technical article

An ISP Postmaster Guide states that excessive concurrent connections from a single IP address are a common trigger for rate limiting and can lead to immediate connection drops or temporary blacklisting (blocklisting) of the sending IP.

01 Jan 2023 - ISP Postmaster Guide

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