Managed Mail Relay Service
Secure, sovereign outbound email relay on UK infrastructure
Managed Mail Relay Service
Defended Solutions provides a hosted, highly available outbound email relay platform for organisations that cannot or should not route automated email through internal or customer-owned infrastructure. Built exclusively on UK-based, Defended Solutions-owned systems, the service ensures compliant, reliable email delivery with no dependency on AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, or any third-party provider, and no data leaving the United Kingdom.
Built for Sovereign Email Requirements
The Managed Mail Relay Service is designed for organisations whose software systems generate automated email, including meeting notifications, system alerts, and application-generated correspondence, where routing through a commercial provider or internal infrastructure is not viable or appropriate.
It is particularly relevant where:
Data sovereignty requirements prohibit the use of third-party relay services such as Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, or Mimecast
Network architecture or security policy prevents outbound email from traversing the public internet via commercial platforms
Procurement or compliance obligations require all email infrastructure to be hosted on UK sovereign systems
An existing internal mail relay is being decommissioned or is unavailable in a new environment
Choosing the Right Mail Relay for Sovereign Environments
Many organisations handling sensitive or operationally critical data already rely on commercial mail relay services such as Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, or Mimecast for their standard email needs. Where sovereign requirements apply, however, these platforms present challenges that are difficult to mitigate: data processed outside UK jurisdiction, infrastructure owned and operated by foreign-headquartered providers, and limited visibility into where email content traverses.
The Defended Solutions Managed Mail Relay Service is built specifically for environments where those constraints are not acceptable.
| FEATURE | STANDARD COMMERCIAL RELAY | SELF-HOSTED RELAY | DEFENDED SOLUTIONS MANAGED RELAY |
|---|---|---|---|
| Infrastructure Ownership | Third-party provider | Customer-owned | Defended Solutions-owned |
| Data Residency | Global or Regional | Varies | Strictly UK-Based |
| Sovereignty | None | Partial | Full UK Sovereign |
| DNS Management (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) | Self-managed | Self-managed | Managed by Defended Solutions |
| High Availability | Provider-dependent | Customer-managed | Multi-location, automated failover |
| Encryption in Transit | Varies | Customer-managed | TLS 1.2+ enforced |
| Third-Party Cloud Dependency | Yes | No | No |
| 24/7 Monitoring | Provider-dependent | Customer-managed | Included |
| Suitable for UK Sovereign Requirements | No | Potentially | Yes |
Organisations requiring a needs analysis or further technical detail prior to procurement are welcome to contact Defended Solutions directly. All enquiries are handled in confidence.
What’s Included with Sovereign Mail Relay Services
The Managed Mail Relay Service is delivered on Defended Solutions-owned UK infrastructure and managed end to end by the Defended Solutions team. The following capabilities are included as standard across all service tiers.
UK Sovereign Infrastructure
All relay nodes owned and operated by Defended Solutions on UK-based systems, with no dependency on AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud.
High Availability
Multi-location deployment across UK data centres with automated failover, ensuring continuous email delivery with no single point of failure.
Encrypted in Transit
TLS 1.2 or higher enforced on all SMTP submission connections. Older protocols are rejected as standard.
Dedicated Relay Configuration
Each customer receives a dedicated relay endpoint with no shared sending pools or cross-customer routing.
DNS Record Management
SPF, DKIM, and DMARC configuration managed by Defended Solutions, reducing spoofing and impersonation risk.
24/7 Infrastructure Monitoring
Automated monitoring and alerting for relay health and delivery failures, with incident response managed by the Defended Solutions service desk.
The service is available across three pricing tiers scaled by monthly email volume. Scroll down to view options or get in touch to discuss your requirements.
The Managed Mail Relay Service is available in three tiers, scaled by monthly outbound email volume. All tiers include the same infrastructure, security, and DNS configuration. Customers may upgrade between tiers at any point during the contract term with 30 days written notice.
Service Tiers
- Up to 10,000 emails/month
- £10.00 per 1,000 emails
- 12-month contract
- Up to 30,000 emails/month
- £7.50 per 1,000 emails
- 12-month contract
- Up to 50,000 emails/month
- £6.50 per 1,000 emails
- 12-month contract
All prices exclude VAT. Usage above defined tier volumes is costed upon application.
Onboarding is delivered remotely and is included within all service tier fees. The process is designed to be completed within a half-day session and covers everything required to bring the service into production.
Getting Started
Requirements Capture
Confirmed sending domains, application SMTP configuration, and expected email volume.
Relay Configuration
Dedicated relay endpoint provisioned, with authentication credentials and connection details provided.
DNS Configuration
SPF, DKIM, and DMARC record values provided for implementation by the customer's DNS administrator.
Integration Testing
Relay connectivity confirmed and test email delivery validated end to end.
Handover
Service credentials, monitoring access, and escalation contacts delivered to the customer.
To discuss onboarding timelines or request a service overview, contact the Defended Solutions team directly.
Delivered on UK Sovereign Infrastructure
The Sovereign Mail Relay Service runs exclusively on Defended Solutions-owned UK systems, with no dependency on third-party cloud providers. The service is delivered in accordance with ISO 27001, ISO 9001, and Cyber Essentials Plus accreditations.
All engagements are led by UK-resident, National Security Vetted (SC/DV) personnel.
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