Defer directory

[deejay33]

Can someone take a look in their wpgate/gwia/defer directory and tell me how many files are in it and how many users do you have. We have about 30 users and have 22,288 files in the defer directory. That sounds too high to me. It has been growing by about 300 a day for the last two weeks. Thanks for any info.

DeeJay33

 

[pallu2k]

Deejay

i have 28 users, but the defers directory is empty,only one subdirectory is (work)available
i have noticed , when ever there are multiple copies of mails which are being erronously sent to users, a file is getting created in defer directory and also the work directory
i'm using NW5.0 with GW5.5
all i do is delete these files

regards
Biju Vidyadharan

 

[michigan]

Hi deejay33 -

It's possible it's being relayed. Check out this TID. Sounds a lot like your situation:

http://support.novell.com/cgi-bin/search/searchtid.cgi?/10024174.htm

Also, complete admin documentation for your review at:

http://www.novell.com/documentation/lg/gw55/index.html?gw55ia/data/a354wa3.html

- I looked at my DEFER. Like pallu2k, I also have a "Work" directory, and one file.

From what I gather, everything that is outbound, and has received a "Host Down" or some other transmission error will be held in this "DEFER" directory. Default hold time is 4 days.

Good Luck.

 

[yvfwc]

I found that the messages in the directory that are going to my domain have been either sent to a mis-spelled or non-existent user @mydomain or are a result of a user's rule replying to a listserv or site that sends but does not receive and returns mail to postmaster@mydomain.

According to Novell:
The WPGATE\GWIA\DEFER directory is used to store message files that the GWIA cannot immediately deliver.
Note: The DEFER directory is a holding queue for message files that the GWIA cannot deliver right at the moment. These files are deleted, and an undeliverable message is returned to the sender, if delivery is not accomplished in 4 days.
The DEFER directory retries messages every 20 min for the first hour then every 4 hours for 4 days. After this time the sender is sent an undeliverable message.

Look to see if you are getting 450 errors in GWIA. These can be linked to the Defer directory files many times.
Possible reasons for 450 error:
1. IP address to DNS has changed. If this is the case update the RESOLV.CFG
2. IP filtering has been added to the routers so the gateway cannot see the DNS machine.
3. Bad network card (NIC).
4. TCP/IP is not bound to the network card.
5. Bad network cabling.
6. named is not running on the DNS machine.
7. The DNS machine is down.
8. The specific site your sending email may be down. If you can send email to other locations, then in most cases all your GWIA/DNS settings are fine. Try sending the email again later to see if their site is running. A good test is loading ping at the server console and try pinging the site your trying to send email to.
9. The ISP which is hosting the DNS may have the wrong entry for the MX record.


Cheers,

Mark ;-)

 

[deejay33]

Thanks for all the information. I didn't realize how out of proportion that directory was.

DeeJay33