Why are telcos using Oracle MX hosts and how does Synacor relate to their email policies?

Summary

Telcos are leveraging Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) for its scalable, high-performance, and secure MX hosting capabilities. Many are outsourcing their email policy and deliverability management to Synacor, which offers white-labeled solutions and integrates with services like Validity for feedback loop data. Outsourcing allows Telcos to focus on their core business by offloading complex tasks like anti-spam management, compliance, and security. Oracle's global network and Synacor's anti-spam systems provide robust email delivery infrastructure.

Key findings

  • Oracle OCI benefits: Oracle Cloud Infrastructure provides scalable, secure, and high-performance MX hosting solutions for telcos.
  • Synacor Email Management: Synacor offers white-labeled email solutions, handling email policies, filtering, and deliverability.
  • Outsourcing advantages: Telcos outsource email management to leverage Synacor's expertise, reduce operational overhead, and comply with regulations.
  • Security Enhancement: Synacor integrates with anti-spam and anti-abuse systems, preventing malicious emails and enhancing security.
  • Validity FBL integration: Synacor's partnership with Validity offers feedback loop (FBL) data, improving spam identification and deliverability.

Key considerations

  • Customization Needs: Assess if Oracle and Synacor offer the necessary level of customization for unique telco requirements.
  • Integration Effectiveness: Ensure smooth integration between Oracle, Synacor, Validity, and existing systems.
  • Data Compliance: Verify that data handling and processing adhere to relevant data privacy regulations like GDPR.
  • Cost Evaluation: Conduct a thorough cost analysis comparing outsourcing with in-house email infrastructure management.
  • Security Measures: Evaluate Synacor's security protocols and measures to protect against evolving email threats.

What email marketers say
16Marketer opinions

Telcos are leveraging Oracle's robust cloud infrastructure for hosting their MX records, drawn by its scalability, performance, and reliability. Synacor, in turn, manages the email policies, deliverability, and security aspects for these telcos. This partnership allows telcos to outsource complex email infrastructure management, compliance, and security concerns, saving them from investing in specialized expertise and resources. Outsourcing to Synacor removes the need to develop specialist knowledge, and enables Synacor to use its expertise to help with preventing malware, phishing and ransomware. This division of labor allows telcos to focus on their core competencies while ensuring efficient and secure email delivery.

Key opinions

  • Infrastructure: Oracle provides a scalable and reliable cloud infrastructure for hosting MX records.
  • Policy Management: Synacor manages email policies, deliverability, spam filtering, and compliance with regulations like GDPR.
  • Expertise: Telcos outsource email management to leverage Synacor's specialized knowledge and resources.
  • Cost Efficiency: Outsourcing can be more cost-effective than building and maintaining in-house email infrastructure.
  • Security: Synacor provides security to protect from malware, phishing and ransomware

Key considerations

  • Scalability: Consider the scalability of Oracle's infrastructure to accommodate fluctuating email traffic.
  • Deliverability: Ensure Synacor can maintain high deliverability rates and comply with email regulations.
  • Security: Evaluate Synacor's security measures to protect against spam, phishing, and other threats.
  • Cost Analysis: Perform a thorough cost analysis to compare outsourcing versus in-house management.
  • Compliance: Consider compliance is important for Telcos
Marketer view

Email marketer from Email Geeks shares his finding during an audit of FBLs that a group of telcos appear to use Oracle. The MX hosts all use IPs that belong to Oracle. He suggests Oracle may have a specific CRM product for the telco industry and this platform participates in the Validity FBL feed.

November 2021 - Email Geeks
Marketer view

Email marketer from StackExchange user EmailAdmin explains that managing email deliverability effectively requires specialized knowledge which Telcos usually do not have in house. Outsourcing to Synacor removes the need to develop this specialist knowledge.

January 2023 - StackExchange
Marketer view

Email marketer from Email Geeks responds that they did an MX lookup and found Oracle Bare Metal instances, suggesting they might share a common email delivery provider hosted on Oracle.

August 2023 - Email Geeks
Marketer view

Email marketer from Email Geeks suggests the Oracle MX hosts might be associated with Synacor, which is part of the Validity FBL.

July 2021 - Email Geeks
Marketer view

Email marketer from Quora user EmailExpert responds that it can be cost-effective for telcos to use Oracle for hosting and Synacor for email management. Oracle provides the scalable infrastructure while Synacor optimizes deliverability, reducing the need for telcos to invest heavily in in-house email expertise.

June 2021 - Quora
Marketer view

Email marketer from Email Geeks clarifies that while Oracle hosts the MX records, Synacor sets the policies.

October 2021 - Email Geeks
Marketer view

Email marketer from Email Vendor Selection Guide highlights that one of the main reasons Telcos select an email vendor, like Synacor, is to handle compliance and policy enforcement regarding email delivery.

January 2024 - EmailVendorSelection.com
Marketer view

Email marketer from Email Geeks confirms the information, stating it matches Synacor's client list and Synacor is on the Validity FBL feed.

February 2022 - Email Geeks
Marketer view

Email marketer from Reddit user TechGuru shares that telcos often outsource complex email infrastructure management to companies like Synacor. This is because maintaining robust email systems with high deliverability requires specialized knowledge and resources that are not core competencies for telcos. Oracle hosting provides the infrastructure, while Synacor manages the policies and deliverability aspects.

July 2023 - Reddit
Marketer view

Email marketer from Email Geeks confirms Synacor's involvement based on the mx.armstrong.syn-alias.com record.

October 2023 - Email Geeks
Marketer view

Email marketer from EmailDeliverabilityBlog.com shares that managing compliance with GDPR and other legislation is difficult for Telcos. They outsource this so that experts handle this, meaning that Telcos can focus on their main product offering.

September 2022 - EmailDeliverabilityBlog.com
Marketer view

Email marketer from Email Geeks noticed the same pattern with telecoms using Oracle-hosted MX records and suggests this setup could impact mail flow and policy.

September 2022 - Email Geeks
Marketer view

Email marketer from LinkedIn user NetworkEngineer shares that using Oracle MX hosts gives telcos robust network infrastructure and high uptime. Synacor then handles email-specific policies and spam filtering to ensure reliable email delivery.

March 2022 - LinkedIn
Marketer view

Email marketer from Quora user EmailSecurityPro shares that Synacor are experts at identifying and preventing attacks from malware, phishing and ransomware.

September 2024 - Quora
Marketer view

Email marketer from EmailGeek forum user Mailman shares that Synacor's role includes enforcing email sending policies, such as rate limiting and authentication requirements, to maintain high deliverability rates for telcos. They essentially act as a gatekeeper for outbound email traffic.

November 2021 - EmailGeeks Forum
Marketer view

Email marketer from Reddit user CloudSolutions responds that a significant advantage for telcos using Oracle's infrastructure is the inherent scalability of their cloud platform, which allows for dynamically adjusting resources based on fluctuating email traffic.

March 2024 - Reddit

What the experts say
3Expert opinions

Experts suggest that Telcos may outsource their email infrastructure and policy management to improve efficiency and focus on their core business. Oracle provides reliable and scalable infrastructure for MX hosting, while Synacor manages email policies, deliverability, and anti-abuse measures. Some suggest larger Telcos could probably handle it all internally.

Key opinions

  • Outsourcing for Efficiency: Telcos outsource specialized email functions rather than manage them in-house.
  • Oracle's Role: Oracle delivers robust and scalable infrastructure for MX hosting.
  • Synacor's Role: Synacor manages email policies, deliverability, and anti-abuse measures.
  • Internal vs External: Some suggest that a larger Telcos could probably handle it all internally.

Key considerations

  • Cost-Benefit Analysis: Telcos should evaluate the cost-effectiveness of outsourcing versus managing email internally.
  • Scalability: Confirm Oracle's infrastructure meets the telco's scalability requirements.
  • Policy Customization: Ensure Synacor can customize email policies to meet the telco's specific needs.
Expert view

Expert from Spam Resource highlights that some companies may find the reliability and up-time of cloud based solutions easier to manage by outsourcing their infrastucture, and then the policies. A large Telco would probably handle it all internally.

August 2023 - Spam Resource
Expert view

Expert from Email Geeks confirms that the setup smells like Synacor and suggests Udeme Ukutt or Alex Brotman could confirm.

November 2023 - Email Geeks
Expert view

Expert from Word to the Wise, Laura Atkins, explains that Telcos might use Oracle for MX hosting as Oracle provides robust and scalable infrastructure. Synacor likely manages the actual email policies, deliverability, and anti-abuse measures, as many Telcos find it more efficient to outsource these specialized functions rather than manage them in-house.

July 2024 - Word to the Wise

What the documentation says
5Technical articles

Telcos are leveraging Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) for hosting MX records because of its scalability, performance, security, and customized configurations. Synacor provides white-labeled email solutions and manages email policies, filtering, and deliverability for telcos. Validity partners with Synacor to provide feedback loop (FBL) data for identifying and addressing spam issues. Oracle's global network infrastructure further supports reliable email delivery, and Synacor integrates with anti-spam systems to prevent malicious emails.

Key findings

  • Oracle Infrastructure: OCI offers scalable, high-performance, and secure bare metal instances suitable for hosting MX records.
  • Synacor Email Management: Synacor manages email policies, filtering, and deliverability for telcos, reducing their operational overhead.
  • Validity FBL Integration: Validity provides FBL data to Synacor, aiding in spam identification and improved deliverability.
  • Global Network: Oracle's global network infrastructure enhances the reliability of email delivery for telcos.
  • Anti-Spam Integration: Synacor integrates with anti-spam systems to prevent malicious emails from being sent.

Key considerations

  • Customization: Evaluate the level of customization offered by OCI and Synacor to meet specific telco requirements.
  • Integration: Consider the ease and effectiveness of integration between Oracle, Synacor, and Validity services.
  • Data Privacy: Ensure compliance with data privacy regulations in the handling and processing of email data.
  • Service Level Agreements: Review the service level agreements (SLAs) provided by Oracle and Synacor for uptime and performance.
  • Scalability Planning: Plan for future scalability needs of email infrastructure when selecting Oracle and Synacor services.
Technical article

Documentation from Oracle explains that Oracle's robust global network infrastructure makes it ideal for companies looking to host globally distributed email servers. Telcos can thus leverage Oracle's infrastructure for reliable delivery.

January 2023 - Oracle
Technical article

Documentation from Synacor describes the platforms integration with various anti-spam and anti-abuse systems. This service allows them to prevent malicious emails from being sent by spammers.

May 2022 - Synacor
Technical article

Documentation from Synacor details their email platform, which provides white-labeled email solutions for service providers, including telcos. Synacor manages email policies, filtering, and deliverability on behalf of their clients. Telcos outsource these services to Synacor to reduce operational overhead and leverage Synacor's expertise.

February 2024 - Synacor
Technical article

Documentation from Oracle explains that Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) offers a range of services, including bare metal compute instances, which telcos might use for hosting MX records due to the scalability, performance, and security offered. OCI allows for customized configurations which could be beneficial for managing email infrastructure.

January 2022 - Oracle
Technical article

Documentation from Validity explains that they partner with Synacor to provide feedback loop (FBL) data. This data helps Synacor identify and address spam issues within the telco's email infrastructure, improving overall deliverability.

October 2024 - Validity