Re: Outside Mail Delivery Stalled -- sudden Problem

Comments inline.

--
Bharat Suneja
MVP - Exchange
www.zenprise.com
NEW blog location:
www.exchangepedia.com/blog
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"Ridge Kennedy" <rkennedy@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:e$iV5yh8GHA.1248@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Bharat said:

- Are the messages making to your SMTP/Exchange server *at all*? Check
the SMTP log?

I started a lot (wasn't part of our normal setup. I am getting lots of log
entries but I'm not sure how to interpret them. I checked client IP, user
name, Server Naem, Server IP address, Bytes Sent, Bytes Received and Host.
It appears to me that we are getting mail from all the data (though in
notepad, it is somewhat of a mystery to me).

- you can use spreadsheets like Microsoft Excel to look at SMTP (and other
text-based) log files

We are getting *some* messages from outside.

- If not, does the external sender get a NDR?

I got one message that said my message was delayed, don't re-send. Have
not gotten any response from other test messages that have not yet been
delivered to me inside the network.

- Things to check for the ones you get DSNs for: SMTP log on internet-facing
server - do you seen any SMTP connections from remote host?


Isolate the issue -
- whether it is network connectivity issue

I think we are good there. Have internet access. Can ping all the
servers, gateway, router, etc. Mail is going out OK.

- smtp connectivity from outside the firewall (will have to monitor smtp
connectivity from outside and inside)

Thoughts or links to recourses appreciated on that subject. OUtgoing
seems normal. It's just incoming that is bollixed up.

Are all remote hosts having issues sending inbound mail consistently? Have
you tried more than 1 remote hosts?
SMTP can be monitored from outside by using a script/monitoring software to
telnet to smtp port, or more thoroughly by sending inbound mail (from
outside) every few minutes. This can be done using scripts/monitoring
software/monitoring services or a combination of these.




- smtp connectivity from inside as well (check smtp service, smtp virtual
server, connection restrictions on smtp virtual server in terms of number
of messages per connection, number of connections, et al)

System was stable and running fine. Then, all of sudden ??? And we have
spam filters off, now, so we are getting all these nice offers . . .

You wouldn't have all the fun troubleshooting if these weren't so sudden and
came with ample warning... :)


Thanks, Bharat.

R.

--
Bharat Suneja
MVP - Exchange
www.zenprise.com
NEW blog location:
www.exchangepedia.com/blog
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"Ridge Kennedy" <rkennedy@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:OWsz1ah8GHA.2128@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Dear All,

Exchange 2003 on Windows 2003. Using automatic updates.

Overnight, our exchange server abruptly seems to have virtually stopped
delivering e-mail from outside our local network. A few messages drip
trhough, but very few it seems. If I send 5 test messages from hotmail,
one may get through. I've uninstalled Ninja spam prevention software
from Sunbelt. That doesn't seem to be the issue. I've uninstalled
e-Trust anti-virus software and excange agent from the mail server.
That hasn't helped.

Are there any exploits or viruses going around that could cause this
kind of behavior.

Ridge (with big problem in New Joisey)










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