Exchange 2000 - email slow to deliver/hangs in box

[psolis]

When sending emails - email is slow to deliver and even when sent, the outbox will show populated (bold) with 1 message in it and not until you click on inbox or sent or drafts or any other location will the outbox then empty. Same with inbox, if I send to someone on the exchange internally, and then walk over to the persons desk to see if it has arrived, I then need to even close outlook and start it up again and then the emaail will be there. Its as if I need to give the system a kick start or something.

I recently brought our exchange server inside and pointed the MX records from our hosting company's DNS to our internal server. We use to have an internal mail server for internal email only and it sent mail instantainiously. But now that I have set up Exch2000 and have mail coming in, we have this lag. Any ideas?

 

[Xybertron]

Are you blocking UDP at all? Dan
Microsoft Exchange Support @ Microsoft

 

[psolis]

can that be the cause?

 

[Xybertron]

Yes thats why I asked

We send the client UDP packets for new mail notification and such thus to tell it to refresh the view. Dan
Microsoft Exchange Support @ Microsoft

 

[psolis]

If I allow UDP - can this cause a security problem?

 

[Xybertron]

UDP is allowed by default. Only firewalls and such block it. Dan
Microsoft Exchange Support @ Microsoft

 

[psolis]

Here is part ogf the puzzle that I forgot to include - I'm glad you mentioned the firewall (CISCO PIX 520) - I have the Exchange server on the DMZ and we are accessing it from the INSIDE interface (network). Now, if I unblock UDP, will this cause a security problem in the PIX? or can I do this just for the inside to te dmz. Not sure your experience w/PIX but any help would be great.

 

[Xybertron]

You need UDP for this to work.

You don't put mailboxes in the DMZ...

Move Exchange inside and open port 25, 80 and 110. There is a bigger security risk having it in the DMZ. Dan
Microsoft Exchange Support @ Microsoft

 

[psolis]

my worry was, if I put it in the inside, if an attacker gets into it due to the static map which allows for OWA, then they would be able to ruin the entire internal network, that's why i put it on the dmz - if they take it down there, they only take that one computer down, - by the way - OWA is a must for our company, - what is your advice knowing that I need OWA and have to have a staticmap in the PIX to get to the server. Should I still put the exchange on the inside? Thanks

 

[Xybertron]

Yuppers! Bring it in. Make sure you stay current on IIS patches and you will be ok. Dan
Microsoft Exchange Support @ Microsoft

 

[t113598]

I have the sam symptoms described in this message.

My Exchange server is inside our firewall and on the same segment as my users.

Has anyone else experienced this problem or have any suggestions?

Thanks

Joe