Exchange SMTP Outbound Queue...

[OxygenThief]

Hi, help equired please by new member.

Our Exchange 2000 SP3 server has suddenly stopped working. On first inspection the database was 17Gb (bursting). Users deleted their rubbish and this went down to 14GB. Ran eseutil /d to free up the space.

Still, all the emails are stuck in the SMTP queue, marked as 'retry'. However much I force connections and unfreeze messages, nothing moves at all, except for timing out.

Can someone please help.

Regards

Chris

 

[securityforums]

Is the simple mail transfer protocol actually started in administrative tools->services?

Is it actually running?

telnet exchange.server.ip 25

How big are your queues, if there is a huge build up of messages you may need to 'freeze' larger messages with attachments and let any text based ones go first

Any ids from event viewer?


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[tahda]

i have a simalar problem, to the one refered to above, i have the ability to email to some address but as soon as i try to email to some specific ones that are large respectable companys i can do so the email address has not been blocked nor black listed it just sits in the retry que and does not send

nate

 

[OxygenThief]

Hi, thanks for the replies.

All the services are started correctly. Networking services are tested thoroughly and work in the normal way, eg DNS.

Can connect to and from the server with telnet on 25, also can send SMTP outbound with telnet.

The problem lies with Exchange not using the 'next hop' correctly, I'll have more details later.

This has been escalated to Microsoft product Support. First they checked the general settings -> all OK. Then they added an smtp connector (it was using the default amtp server) -> no change.
We will now be installing NetMon to listen to the servers negotiating the connection.

 

[securityforums]

Id be interested in any resolution to the 'next hop' problem

Please post a solution you have one and let everyone know how you got on

good luck!

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[OxygenThief]

OK, we got MS support involved, and this was basically the resolution.

Install SMS netmon, provided by MS.
Activate all logging for IIS, Applog, SMTP. Start Netmon.
Send trace logs to MS.
Install SMTP connector, we were using just the default virtual server (which I may add was working fine for 12 months).
Changed SMTP deliver type to Smarthost, using ISP smarthost address.
No result, changed settings back to DNS delivery.
No result.
More logs sent to MS.
Advised to reinstall IIS and Exchange, and service packs as Q320202.
This took a day or so after I had done multiple backups of the stores etc.
This still did not work, but put it did allow the logs to start capturing more data.
More logs sent to MS.

This pointed to the Exchange routing service not working. And there it was, in services, set to automatic and not started. Service would not start, saying that the path could not be found, even though the path existed. This service not starting was not recorded in the logs!

Q320202 installation done again.

This time the server started OK and all is well.

I hope this helps.