We have 3 exchange servers - Site A (#1) server (Backend) and Site B, #2 and #3, Front end.Server #1 & #2 are both legacy servers i.e. I inherited them. #3 is a new server built to replace #2.Everything has been configured and we can send and recieve email through #3 except #3 is routing all outgoing email through #2. Looking at the logs on #2, it appears #3 is actually calling the external IP of the #2 server. The A record for #2 is still valid but it's been removed as an MX record. Any mail recieved at #3 for our local domain, appears to be routed out to #2 server, then back in for delivery. Turning off the FW rule that permits incoming mail to #2, stops #3 sending mail.We've removed #2 from the local bridgehead and the routing group exc_connect.We've been through ESM with a fine tooth comb, checked DNS, ran through ADSS and can't see anythign referencing either the external IP, A record, internal IP or hostname.

Do you need to route mail through the front-end servers for any particular reason? If not, just change your SMTP Connector to specify all servers as a local bridgehead. If you don't have an SMTP Connector, create one and so configure it. Check your SMTP virtual servers on all three servers to be sure that you don't have a smart host configured. You don't want it configured there. That's what the SMTP Connector is for.-- Ed Crowley MVP"There are seldom good technological solutions to behavioral problems.". "Mikey_SF" wrote in message news:c5383ca0-dfef-46f5-bff8-119ef9574df2... We have 3 exchange servers - Site A (#1) server (Backend) and Site B, #2 and #3, Front end.Server #1 & #2 are both legacy servers i.e. I inherited them. #3 is a new server built to replace #2.Everything has been configured and we can send and recieve email through #3 except #3 is routing all outgoing email through #2. Looking at the logs on #2, it appears #3 is actually calling the external IP of the #2 server. The A record for #2 is still valid but it's been removed as an MX record. Any mail recieved at #3 for our local domain, appears to be routed out to #2 server, then back in for delivery. Turning off the FW rule that permits incoming mail to #2, stops #3 sending mail.We've removed #2 from the local bridgehead and the routing group exc_connect.We've been through ESM with a fine tooth comb, checked DNS, ran through ADSS and can't see anythign referencing either the external IP, A record, internal IP or hostname. Ed Crowley MVP "There are seldom good technological solutions to behavioral problems."

Do you need to route mail through the front-end servers for any paticular reason? If not, just change your SMTP Connector to specify all servers as a local bridgehead. If you don't have an SMTP Connector, create one and so configure it. Check your SMTP virtual servers on all three servers to be sure that you don't have a smart host configured. You don't want it configured there. That's what the SMTP Connector is for.-- Ed Crowley MVP"There are seldom good technological solutions to behavioral problems." We'd like to keep the mail coming into/out of the Site B, at site B. None of the SMTP servers have a smart host configured and the local bridgehead on the connector have only #1 and #3 server in it - we removed #2. The only visible difference I can see is that #3 has an internal SSL cert, #2 does not ahve any SSL cert.