[ExchangeList] Re: How to Clear Up Queues (and solve some of my problems!)
- From: "John L. Gitzen II" <john_gitzen_ii@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <exchangelist@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sat, 20 Oct 2007 05:53:18 -0400
Simon,
Thank you for the quick response. I started the process to set up SMTP
connectors, but my process kept failing because of authorization. As it
turns out I had two different problems with my DNS setup. Please note that
DNS primary runs on the DC which I did not set up. It was configured to not
allow Recursion, so my Exchange Server could never get external server
address to connect the SMTP connectors with. Once that was corrected my
email started flowing.
The problem I was having with setting up the SMTP connectors was also likely
a DNS issue. I had started to install DNS on my Exchange Server setting it
up as a Secondary zone with replication from the primary DNS, but once I got
into the wizard I got scared and cancelled the installation. This left DNS
defined to my server but not replicating. It had no entries, including
pointers to my own DC where my active directory also resides, so the wizard
to define the SMTP connector failed every time because the AD check failed
to even find the AD server.
Almost all of my email is now flowing in and out just great - except to my
yahoo.com email address. Since I use this address a lot to test and I
initiate a lot of email from it, I would like to get this corrected, so I am
considering the SMTP Connector route for this one domain. I posted an
inquiry on yahoo.com's Contact Us link but I don't expect any amazing
solutions from them.
Has anyone ever had this problem and how did you approach the vendor? I
think my site or my personal email address may be on yahoo.com's grey list,
but I have no way to prove it. I know that the Troubleshooting Assistant
shows the email leaving my site and going to mta300.mail.mud.yahoo.com, but
that is as far as I can tell it gets. Also be advised that earlier
yesterday I was able send and receive from my yahoo.com email address
Thanks
John
Technology Applied
-----Original Message-----
From: exchangelist-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:exchangelist-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Simon Butler
Sent: Wednesday, October 17, 2007 5:21 AM
To: 'exchangelist@xxxxxxxxxxxxx'
Subject: [ExchangeList] Re: How to Clear Up Queues (and solve some of my
problems!)
Quick way to deal with those messages while you wait for the DNS to clear is
to setup an SMTP connector to route email via your ISPs SMTP server.
http://www.amset.info/exchange/smtp-connector.asp
Also don't forget that the retry times for Exchange increase over time, so
the longer it goes the more time between retries. However setup an SMTP
Connector and the messages will be gone.
Finally - it isn't really the MX record that is causing the problem - but
PTR (aka reverse DNS) records. You need to speak to your ISP about those.
Ideally you should have the server announcing itself as the same name as on
the reverse DNS. Your current reverse DNS record looks like a dynamic
allocation, so messages will get rejected.
Simon.
--
Simon Butler
MVP: Exchange, MCSE
Amset IT Solutions Ltd.
e: simon@xxxxxxxxxxx
w: www.amset.co.uk
w: www.amset.info
Need cheap certificates for Exchange, compatible with Windows Mobile 5.0?
Go to http://www.certificatesforexchange.com/ for certificates for just $20
a year.
_____
From: exchangelist-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:exchangelist-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of John L. Gitzen II
Sent: 17 October 2007 07:57
To: exchangelist@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [ExchangeList] How to Clear Up Queues (and solve some of my
problems!)
Hello Exchange Experts!
I have over 100 queues with SMTP Connector Entries for outgoing mail that is
not making it to their intended recipients. I have had some problems with
my DNS records and understanding how DNS works with my external webhosting
company and also my Internet Provider. I hope I have those correctly set
now, but with the lag in DNS records being refreshed and then Email servers
recognizing the changes I am frustrated to say the least waiting to see if
my email problems will clear up.
At this point I can not send out email from a user on my Exchange server to
any of the addresses I can query on - yahoo.com, gmail.com, Comcast.net or
charter.net. They all sit waiting on the remote server to respond.
So two questions -
1. How do I clear up these SMTP connector entries? Being an old school
mainframer, I am used to getting error messages, being able to look them up
to find the root cause and having tools I can run to tell what is going on.
If they are available for Exchange they are pretty well hidden. The closest
I can find is the Troubleshooting Assistant, but in my case it is not giving
me back anything I can use. On my last pass it told me that it had a fatal
error accessing active directory.
a. The two corrections listed were to try connecting to exchange server
analyzer without specifying a domain controller. I don't see where the tool
ever asks for a domain controller. Under advanced login options I could
specify a domain, but I don't use the advanced login, the id I am logged on
with is as high up in our Active Directory as you can get. I specify an
Exchange Server name and a Global Catalog Server Name. It won't run without
these.
b. The other possible solution says to specify a domain controller that
is running and is available to you. I only have 1 domain controller, it is
running, and it is available to me. I checked Active Directory on it and it
is working. I have accessed the Exchange portions of the Active Directory
Users on the same server, which is my exchange server that I am running my
test on. I have tried to reboot both servers - AAARGGH - Nothing changed,
the same results.
c. Regardless of this lame solution, I have reason to believe my
outgoing email is not making it to their intended SMTP connectors because
the DNS MX record at the site hosting my domain was pointing to
mail.thompsonig.com instead of exchangesrvr.thompsonig.com. The email going
out was coming from exchangesrvr.thompsonig.com, but when the servers to a
DNS lookup on thompsonig.com, it was finding mail.thompsonig.com.
exchangesrvr.thompsonig.com would match the *.thompsonig.com A record that
pointed to the web hosting IP address and not the ip address for my Exchange
Server. So now that this is fixed - how do I get my outgoing email moving
again and this stuff cleaned up
2. Second, is there a way I can test DNS and Email changes without
having to wait 24 to 48 hours? This is an eternity when you have the whole
company breathing down your back.
My domain is thompsonig.com. my ip address for my email server should be
67.108.89.73. my Exchange server FQDN is exchangesrvr.thompsonig.com.
Any and all advice is appreciated. Sorry for the long winded email, it is
late.
John
Technology Applied
The more I learn the more I realize I don't know!
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