What Salesforce platform capability should an Integration Architect consider when migrating from a legacy system with existing SMTP-based integrations?

When migrating from a legacy system with existing SMTP-based integrations, the most effective capability to consider is the use of a custom Apex class with web service methods that implement the SMTP protocol. This approach enables you to establish a tailored integration solution that can communicate directly using the SMTP protocol, which is essential when dealing with email transport.

By using a custom Apex class, an Integration Architect can create methods specifically designed to send or receive emails over SMTP, ensuring that the system can replace or replicate existing functionalities found in the legacy system. This flexibility allows for fine-tuning and managing the interactions with mail servers, addressing specific business logic that may not be covered by out-of-the-box solutions.

In contrast, other options might not effectively address the challenges of working directly with SMTP:

• Utilizing a Custom InboundEmailHandler would be more suitable for handling incoming emails rather than creating a full-fledged SMTP integration.

• Lightning Connect with an OData/SMTP interchange does not align well with SMTP protocols, as Lightning Connect is designed for accessing external data sources and may not support SMTP functionality directly.

• A Custom Apex batch job to check for SMTP messages could facilitate regular checks for messages, but it does not address the foundational need to create or manage SMTP directly, which is critical during a