Sendmail Tests SenderID
Sendmail, publishers of the popular open-source mail server, has released a new beta module that implements the SenderID specification. For anyone that doesn't remember what SenderID is, it is the child of CallerIDfor E-mail and the Sender Policy Framework. SenderID validates mail from the source to make sure the message originated from the valid MX records (as best I understand it).
News.com has more:
The majority of e-mail carried across the Internet uses the open-source Sendmail program, which runs on the Linux and Unix operating systems. The new module for the program allows e-mail administrators to modify their systems and add the authentication technology. The e-mail server will then forward messages with the necessary Sender ID information and authenticate incoming e-mail messages using the system.
[...]
Sendmail is distributing a test version of the software to get enough companies onboard and gauge a computer's ability to authenticate e-mail messages in real time. Adding the authentication to an e-mail server slowed processing down by 8 percent for outbound traffic and 15 percent for inbound traffic, according to the Sendmail's testing site.
Two main questions here. First, is this slowed processing time significant enough to prevent it from being used. If mail is still received and then verified, seems that the bandwidth actually goes up (with processing times). Second, if e-mail becomes reliable again, will people stop rallying for RSS-based one-to-one conversations a la RSS E-mail?