Custom Return Path

This page is accessed via Business Process Automation > Power Data > Mail Management > Mail Domains. Click the Return Path button for a mail domain.

One of the reasons to register a mail domain with OCI is to set up a custom return path. A custom return path provides better mail security for your domain by:

• Sending bounce-back emails to your mailboxes in your return path’s subdomain.
• Supporting DMARC alignment checks to ensure From addresses match your return path.
   

Return Path Management

Note: For a detailed overview of how to manage a custom return path, see Configuring a Custom Return Path.

You can manage the custom return path record on this page. This screen shows the details for a custom return path from OCI, if one exists. The CNAME subdomain and value for that return path is abbreviated on the screen with a copy button so you can copy the data to a clipboard for DNS management. If no custom return path exists, one may be added. If one exists, it may be deleted, placing it in a Deleting state in OCI. Once the custom Return Path record has been deleted (along with any DKIM<link> records), you can remove the mail domain. 

Adding a Return Path

For the custom return path, Mail Delivery requires a CNAME record in the  DNS of the return path subdomain. This CNAME record ensures that mail sent out of Mail Delivery will pass SPF checks against the return path domain. Once that return path exists, Mail Delivery can adjust the mail headers to point to the return path.
Until you add the CNAME DNS record for your custom return path, the return path status on the domain will not be green. Only when the DNS record is properly registered and propagated across the internet will the return path status change to green and mail headers be updated. This can take up to a day after DNS record additions.

There are a few strings you may need for return record registration:

• The CNAME Subdomain. This is the domain of the CNAME record a customer adds for the return path. 
• The CNAME value. This is the value of the CNAME record you add for the return path. It points back to an Oracle DNS record allowing Oracle Mail servers to pass SPF checks on the return path domain..

These values need to be copied exactly into your DNS for the custom return path to succeed. Use the Copy link to copy the text so you can then paste it directly into your DNS manager.

• The Add button will create a custom return path. When you add a return path, you will be prompted for a Subdomain name. Since DMARC-compliant return paths must be a subdomain of the mail domain, this is only the subdomain prefix. E.g., assume you wanted your return path for mydomain.com to be bb.mydomain.com. The subdomain should be “bb”. This is optional. If omitted, the system assumes the subdomain is <region>sb, where <region> is a short form of your installed region.
• The Remove button lets you remove the custom return path. Once removed, Mail Delivery will revert to using its default return path. Note that before removing a Mail Domain, any custom return path (and DKIM records) must be removed.
• There can be a delay in displaying changes you make, and the Refresh button will refresh the display to reflect those changes.  

Note: Mail Delivery requires proper DKIM set up before allowing the addition of a custom return path. See DKIM Entries for more information.