What does p=none vs p=quarantine vs p=reject mean in DMARC?
The DMARC policy tag (p=) tells receiving mail servers what to do when a message fails both SPF and DKIM alignment. “none” means take no action and just send reports (monitoring mode). “quarantine” sends failing messages to spam. “reject” blocks failing messages entirely. Most organizations start at “none” to collect data, then move to “quarantine” and finally “reject”.
How do I read DMARC aggregate reports (rua)?
The rua tag specifies where aggregate XML reports are sent. These daily reports show which IP addresses sent email using your domain and whether those messages passed or failed SPF and DKIM. Raw XML reports are difficult to read manually — tools like MiN8T’s DeliverIQ parse the XML and display the data in dashboards.
Can I have DMARC without SPF or DKIM?
Technically yes, but best practice requires both. SPF validates the sending server’s IP, while DKIM validates message integrity with a cryptographic signature. If only one is configured, a single point of failure could cause all your email to fail DMARC alignment.
