Outbound Queue Constantly Full

[madeinwales]

I hope someone can help with this. Users reported our email system was running slowly this morning. When it was checked the Outbound Queue had 10000 mails in it waiting for delivery. As soon as these were deleted (they were spam) it immediately filled with another 10000 mails. The server is now not connected to any network in order for us to clear all mails but it keeps filling the queue as soon as we try and empty it. I presume there is another queue somewhere that keeps filling the Outbound Queue. Is there any way of emptying this or viewing it? Or is there another solution.

Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

 

[Dyadmin]

First Step is to turn message tracking on. That way you see who is sending the email.

Second step, relay secure your sever. We just had a big discussion on that and you will see a lot of valuable information by the great people here in this community.

 

[madeinwales]

Thanks for that. I have just had checks run by a few companies to check that we are not an open relay so I know this is secure.

I think I have switched the tracking on but can you confirm the steps?

Do you know if there is a program that can sit on the server and generate thousands of mails?

 

[devastator]

If your system is relay secure and you have tested and verified this, who are the originators in the mail que? Is it <>. If so you are probably just getting blasted with email to anyone@yourdomain.com and your mail server is trying to reply back to the sender that that user cannot be found for your domain. Of course if the email address that it is trying to reply to is false than it just piles up in your mail que.


Dev

 

[Javamahn]

Devastator: Is there anyway to eliminate these types of queue clogging responses?

 

[devastator]

Not sure where or if you can do anything an Exchange. I bought a Watchguard Firewall and under the SMTP Proxie it allows me to accept mail to: and there instead of plugging in @mydomain.com, I put in the 30 email addresses that we have internally. That way all mail is only accepted for those accounts and everything else is bounced back to the sender from the firewall thus relieving the Exchange Server from having to send out NDR's.

Dev

 

[fuego007]

Check the mesage details on some of them. This can sometimes give you a clue as to what the problem is, or where the messages are originating.

 

[badbuda]

I am having the exact same problem! I was wondering if you have found out where it is comming from. Is it a virus of some kind? It keeps taking down my mail server, any information you have gathered would be very helpful! Thanks in advance.

 

[madeinwales]

The problem did end up being an open relay but because it was going through our firewall it was timing out on the Exchange Server before confirming it as an open relay. As soon as I closed the open relay it stopped. I ended up having to take the server off our network and delete all the messages still in the 'out' folder of the IMC Directory. I'm not 100% sure how safe this was but it seems to have worked for us.

 

[crazypainter]

This may also help, here's how to get rid of the <> messages for good -
See my FAQ entitled Non-Delivery Reports.
Hope this helps you all