Hi,I have exchange 2003 -SP2 on my organisation. When any one sends email from outside, it comes to my mail relay gateway server (solaris 8 runs with sendmail) and my mail relay gateway hand overs to my local email forwarder server (solaris 8 - runs with sendmail.) and my local email forwarder server will delivers to my exchange server which has alluser email boxes. Actuall my local email forwarder has some hardware issue, so i configured one more new hardware server with same funtions and configuration . I repalced the new hardware with old hardware.During my test, when i sent email from my hotmail account to my work email address, it is coming to my mail realy server and mail realy server hadn overs to local email forwarder server. And my local email forwarder server delivers to my exchange server. After mails coming to my exchange server, it is sitting there in the queue. It is not delivering to my local email box.But my outbound emails are working fine.For outbound my exhcnage server directly hand overs the email to my relay server through SMTP connector. After i put back my old mail forwarder server, my inbound emails are working fine. After some time all the mail in queue gave me NDR . Here is the error message, Your message did not reach some or all of the intended recipients. Subject: Output from "cron" command Sent: 5/2/2009 7:37 AM The following recipient(s) cannot be reached: bneelaka@wyoming.maryland.telogyinc.com on 5/2/2009 9:46 AM A configuration error in the e-mail system caused the message to bounce between two servers or to be forwarded between two recipients. Contact your administrator. <wyoming.maryland.telogyllc.com #4.4.6>I dont't know where i was making mistake. Is there any one faced this kind of problem. Please let me know what should i do to fix this issue.Thanks,Sys Admin

I did one test via telnet telogyinc.com MX preference = 10, mail exchanger = mail.telogyinc.com mail.telogyinc.com internet address = 12.238.12.77-----220 pennsylvania.telogyllc.com ESMTP Sendmail 8.11.7p3+Sun/8.11.7; Mon, 4 May 2009 12:04:20 -0700 (PDT)ehlo microsoft.com250-pennsylvania.telogyllc.com Hello [xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx], pleased to meet you250-ENHANCEDSTATUSCODES250-EXPN250-VERB250-8BITMIME250-SIZE250-DSN250-ONEX250-ETRN250-XUSR250 HELPmailf500 5.5.1 Command unrecognized: "mailf"mail from: test@hotmail.com250 2.1.0 test@hotmail.com... Sender okrcpt to: bneelaka@wyoming.maryland.telogyinc.com250 2.1.5 bneelaka@wyoming.maryland.telogyinc.com... Recipient okdata354 Please start mail input.this is just a test email..250 Mail queued for delivery.Now my question is - Where is this server? pennsylvania.telogyllc.com ? (this is the first server who answered to SMTP port 25). and this server must be deliverying the email to other local relay server and then it will deliver the email to exchange server - am i correct?It likeInbound mailflow:Internet=>pennsylvania.telogyllc.com => (Local relay Server) => (Exchange Server) ||| am i correct?how about if you skip the local relay server and let pennsylvania.telogyllc.com server to directly deliver the email to exchange? (just curious if there is any configuration issue with Local relay server, so we can specifically look in to the Local relay server then.Do update!Arun Kumar | MCSE - 2K3 + Messaging | ITIL-F V3

You are right. But i can't skip my local relay server, because it has all alliases locally on the server. And more over this is the central allias database server for my other UNIX based servers. Do you think any DNS related issue on exchange server? Please get back to me. Thanks, Bala.Sys Admin

Okey.. lets do a trick.Do telnet to your local relay server and drop and email to your exchange server and see how it worksLiketelnet localhostrelay 25mail from: abc@hotmail.comrcpt to: bneelaka@wyoming.maryland.telogyinc.comdatathis is test email.quitand check if this helps,The only reason for skiping the local relay server would be confirming is there is any specific issues with exchange server or the relay server.. and yes this sounds like a DNS issue.Arun Kumar | MCSE - 2K3 + Messaging | ITIL-F V3

Yes, i did this test y'day when i replace the mailrealylocal hardware. It says message queued for delivery.When i check 'System Manager - Queue ' on Exchagne server, i see the mails are stilling on the queue.Sys Admin

Okey.. and if you click that queue in ESM, then what would be status of that queue? how about if you enabled diagnostic loggin to debug level(7) in registry and restart SMTP and Routing Enginee?Is the queue status is retry or active?Arun Kumar | MCSE - 2K3 + Messaging | ITIL-F V3

Hi, Regarding the issue, would you please help me gather following information to troubleshoot the issue? 1. Whether only one Exchange Server exists in the environment? If several Exchange Server exists, whether the recipient mailbox is on the Exchange Server where the messages are queued. 2. Whether all the inbound messages encountered the problem? 3. Which queue the message is queued? What the Additional queue information is when the message is queued. How to use Queue Viewer to troubleshoot mail flow issues in Exchange Server 2003 http://support.microsoft.com/kb/823489 4. I agree with Arun that we need to increase Diagnostic Logging Level of Transport to troubleshoot the issue. You can increate Diagnostic Logging by using following method: ESM->Server->Properties->Diagnostics Logging->MSExchangeTransport Please increate all Categories to Maximum and reproduce the issue to check the issue. Mike

I will try this again during the weekend. I will increase the log level and let you know. Please let me know which log files i need to refer for this issue.Thanks,Bala.Sys Admin

You need to refer application logs for the same after enabling diagnostic loggin on MSExchangeTransport Level.Arun Kumar | MCSE - 2K3 + Messaging | ITIL-F V3

You needs to check, application log, NCSA loggin of relay server, exchange server as well... and if needed we might have to take netmon on exchange and on the relay server as well.Arun Kumar | MCSE - 2K3 + Messaging | ITIL-F V3

Hi Arun,I increased the logging level , but i don't see any error message on the applicaiton log. These are the event id's 975,996,981,1002 and 7006But i don't see any log on my relay servers(solaris box).But all my emails leaving from my relay and local ralay servers and emails getting queued up on my exchange server,I see Message Queued For Defferred delivery SMTP Default SMTP Vitual Server Ready 71 Actually the emails were 85 stilling on the queue, once i reverted back to my old hardware(local realy server) , the queue getting reduced slowly.I don't know what could be the reason for this issue. Thanks,Bala.Sys Admin

Recently we installed Symantec Anti Spam application on my excahnge server, i stoped the service and restated exchage services and SMTP. but still not working.Sys Admin

Here is the NCSA log message also,10.0.90.27 - OutboundConnectionResponse [08/May/2009:20:19:33 -0800] "- -?250 2.1.0 <root@georgia.telogyinc.com>... Sender ok SMTP" 0 5110.0.90.27 - OutboundConnectionCommand [08/May/2009:20:19:33 -0800] "RCPT -?TO:<bneelaka@wyoming.maryland.telogyinc.com> SMTP" 0 410.0.90.27 - OutboundConnectionResponse [08/May/2009:20:19:33 -0800] "- -?250 2.1.5 <bneelaka@wyoming.maryland.telogyinc.com>... Recipient ok SMTP" 0 6710.0.90.27 - OutboundConnectionCommand [08/May/2009:20:19:33 -0800] "DATA - SMTP" 0 410.0.90.27 - OutboundConnectionResponse [08/May/2009:20:19:33 -0800] "- -?354 Enter mail, end with "." on a line by itself SMTP" 0 4810.0.90.27 - OutboundConnectionResponse [08/May/2009:20:19:33 -0800] "- -?250 2.0.0 n493Ioi28749 Message accepted for delivery SMTP" 0 5210.0.90.27 - OutboundConnectionCommand [08/May/2009:20:19:33 -0800] "QUIT - SMTP" 0 410.0.90.27 - OutboundConnectionResponse [08/May/2009:20:19:33 -0800] "- -?221 2.0.0 pennsylvania.telogyllc.com closing connection SMTP" 0 5510.0.90.27 - pennsylvania.telogyllc.com [08/May/2009:20:19:33 -0800] "EHLO -? pennsylvania.telogyllc.com SMTP" 250 32010.0.90.27 - pennsylvania.telogyllc.com [08/May/2009:20:19:33 -0800] "MAIL -? From:<root@georgia.telogyinc.com> SMTP" 250 5110.0.90.27 - pennsylvania.telogyllc.com [08/May/2009:20:19:33 -0800] "RCPT -? To:<bneelaka@wyoming.maryland.telogyinc.com> SMTP" 250 5210.0.90.27 - pennsylvania.telogyllc.com [08/May/2009:20:19:33 -0800] "DATA -? <200905090201.n4921aU18181@missouri.telogyllc.com> SMTP" 250 13410.0.90.27 - pennsylvania.telogyllc.com [08/May/2009:20:19:33 -0800] "QUIT -?pennsylvania.telogyllc.com SMTP" 240 7910.0.90.27 - pennsylvania.telogyllc.com [08/May/2009:20:19:33 -0800] "DATA -? <200905090144.n491i127011414@georgia.telogyinc.com> SMTP" 250 13510.0.90.27 - pennsylvania.telogyllc.com [08/May/2009:20:19:33 -0800] "QUIT -?pennsylvania.telogyllc.com SMTP" 240 7910.10.10.10 - usa.telogyinc.com [08/May/2009:20:19:40 -0800] "EHLO -? usa.telogyinc.com SMTP" 250 321Sys Admin

when my emails are getting flushed from the queue, i am getting the undelevierable email from the system administrator like this, Your message did not reach some or all of the intended recipients. Subject: Output from "cron" command Sent: 5/8/2009 6:44 PM The following recipient(s) cannot be reached: bneelaka@wyoming.maryland.telogyinc.com on 5/8/2009 8:51 PM A configuration error in the e-mail system caused the message to bounce between two servers or to be forwarded between two recipients. Contact your administrator. <wyoming.maryland.telogyllc.com #4.4.6> Sys Admin

Here is the bounced back message from my hotmail test email, This is an automatically generated Delivery Status Notification. Unable to deliver message to the following recipients, because the message was forwarded more than the maximum allowed times. This could indicate a mail loop. bneelaka@wyoming.maryland.telogyinc.com --Forwarded Message Attachment--From: balki24@hotmail.comTo: bneelaka@telogyllc.comSubject: RE:Date: Fri, 8 May 2009 18:48:21 -0700It had two attachemnts also, here they are,Reporting-MTA: dns;wyoming.maryland.telogyllc.comReceived-From-MTA: dns;pennsylvania.telogyllc.comArrival-Date: Fri, 8 May 2009 20:48:39 -0700 Final-Recipient: rfc822;bneelaka@wyoming.maryland.telogyinc.comAction: failedStatus: 4.4.6Sys Admin

Hi, Thanks for your response. I understand that the message stuck in the queue Message queued for deferred delivery. In addition, no further error event is received after increasing diagnostic logging. You have attempted to disable According to the previous KB, the message stuck in the queue Message queued for deferred delivery may occur if an administrator configures SMTP in a way that causes a message to loop. SMTP moves these messages to this queue. This permits the administrator to correct the problem without causing messages to immediately return with "maximum hop count exceeded" errors. Moving messages to this queue also helps to prevent too many performance hits to the server resources. At this time, would you please let me know? 1. If the right click the Message queued for deferred delivery queue and click Force Connection, whether the message get delivered. If still not, whether any error is encountered in the Additional Queue information. 2. Whether only one Exchange 2003 exists in the environment and all the mailboxes are on the Exchange 2003 Server 3. If only one Exchange 2003 Server exists, I suggest you enable message tracking the Exchange 2003 Server How to enable message tracking in Exchange 2000 Server and in Exchange Server 2003 http://support.microsoft.com/kb/246856/en-us After that, please send a new message to from external account to reproduce the issue. Please remember the message ID. When the message stuck in the Message queued for deferred delivery queue, please send the related message tracking log to me at v-mishen@microsoft.com and let me know the Message ID. By default, the log files can be located in C:\Program Files\Exchsrvr\ 4. Please let me know how many SMTP Virtual Server configured on the Exchange 2003 server. Please help me gather the configuration of the SMTP virtual server. Right click the SMTP virtual server and click Properties. Under Messages tab, please capture a screenshot to me. Under Delivery tab, please click Advanced button and capture a screenshot to me. 5. I suggest you run EXBPA on the Exchange Server to do a configuration check and fix related issues. a. Download and install Microsoft .NET Framework 1.1 on a client computer from this link: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=262d25e3-f589-4842-8157-034d1e7cf3a3&DisplayLang=en Note: If you have already installed Microsoft .NET Framework 1.1, skip this step. b. Download and install Exchange Server Best Practices Analyzer Tool from this link: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=DBAB201F-4BEE-4943-AC22-E2DDBD258DF3&displaylang=en c. Log on the computer as Domain Administrator. d. Click Start, and then click Run. e. In the Open box, type cmd, and then click OK. f. In the command window, locate the directory where Exchange Server Best Practices Analyzer Tool is installed. By default, the directory is C:\Program Files\ExBPA. g. Type exbpacmd.exe in the command line; and ExBPA begins to examine the server deployment and configuration. h. Wait until ExBPA finishes its examination and shows you the directory where the output xml file is located. i. Please send the XML file to me for further check. Mike

Hi Can you check the smarthost entry in Default SMTP virtual server=>delivery tab=> adavanced. wyoming.maryland.telogyinc.com is authoritative domain in your exchange organization or non authoritative.? Thanks Hitendra singh

Hello,Yeah, could you please check and confirm the Jitendra's suggestion and update us accordingly, 10.0.90.27 - OutboundConnectionCommand [08/May/2009:20:19:33 -0800] "QUIT - SMTP" 0 410.0.90.27 - OutboundConnectionResponse [08/May/2009:20:19:33 -0800] "- -?221 2.0.0 pennsylvania.telogyllc.com closing connection SMTP" 0 5510.0.90.27 - pennsylvania.telogyllc.com [08/May/2009:20:19:33 -0800] "EHLO -? pennsylvania.telogyllc.com SMTP" 250 320Looking at your NCSA loggin it seems like after mail submitted to your server it is trying to relay the email to pennsylvania.telogyllc.com... Arun Kumar | MCSE - 2K3 + Messaging | ITIL-F V3

Hi Mike,I will follow you suggestions and send you an email with all attachments very soon.Thanks for your support,Bala.Sys Admin

Hi Jitendra,Under Advanced tab,Here are the details,Max Hop Count - 30Masquerade Domain - telogyllc.comFully.qualified.domain.name - wyoming.maryland.telogyllc.comsmarthost - BlankThanks,Bala.Sys Admin

hiCan you confirm wyoming.maryland.telogyinc.com is authoritative domain in your exchange organization or non authoritative?ThanksJitendra S

I have the follwing smtp address policy on my excahnge server,%1g%7S@maryland.telogyinc.com%1g%7S@maryland.telogyllc.com%1g%7S@telogyinc.com%1g%7S@telogyllc.com (Primary Address)%1g%7S@wyoming.telogyinc.com%1g%7S@wyoming.telogyllc.comAnd for all the ablve policy "This Excahnge Organization is responsible for all mail delivery to this address" box is checked.Thanks,Bala.Sys Admin