An alternative email address can be assigned to a user account within a directory service that manages network resources. This secondary address delivers messages to the primary inbox of the associated user. For example, if a user’s primary email is “john.doe@example.com,” an alias such as “sales.john@example.com” could also deliver emails to the same inbox.
The creation of such alternate addresses offers several advantages. It simplifies email management by providing multiple contact points without managing separate inboxes. This can be useful for role-based addressing, such as directing communications for a specific department to an individual responsible for that function. Historically, this functionality has been crucial for organizations needing to manage varied communication streams efficiently.