Re: Need help finding tools to diagnose SBS/Exchange prob...

Hi, Joe:

Thank you for your response.

My replies/comments/questions/snarky retorts are in-line, below:

"Joe" wrote:

Jim Graue wrote:
Thanks, again, Costas:

<<SNIP>>

So, if there is a big queue, it means things aren't getting routed, I
imagine. I wonder where to look to see why this is happening.


It depends how far things are getting.

To begin with, is mail even attempting to leave the SBS? The ISA Monitor

Respectfully, in my OP, I indicated that ISA is UNinstalled.

is probably the first place to look. ISA is amazingly easy to get wrong,
but at least it will tell you if it's blocking something. Assuming you
asked for Internet email in the CEICW, ISA *ought* to be allowing
outbound port 25 connections.

I did.

Is your router showing outbound port 25 connections? Please don't tell
me you don't have a router.

Again, if you would read my OP, you would note that I mention a
router/firewall.
Its logging is fairly limited, though. My burdens are many.

The router's logs are probably the single
most useful tool in diagnosing Internet problems. If you don't have a
logging router, then Network Monitor will have to do, though it takes a
while to get the hang of it again if you only use it once a year. It's

I'm a six-times a year, maybe more, kind of guy.

better to have something independent of SBS and easily configurable.

Under the circumstances, this may not be possible.


Next, for email, the Exchange Message Tracking Center, under Tools. It's
not amazingly helpful, but occasionally it will turn up some useful
information. It logs each email going in and out, with sender and
recipient, which sometimes is all you need to know. In this case, it's
probably of no use, as nothing is going out, but this might just be the
time it shows you the reason why.

I'll check this.


Then there's the SMTP logs. Probably in
WINDOWS\system32\LogFiles\SMTPSVC1 which is the default location. If you
enabled maximum SMTP logging as advised, then the logs contain various
messages explaining why the receiving servers would not accept mail.
Again, on this occasion they may not help, as if your SBS isn't talking
to any other servers, then nothing of use will be recorded. These logs
are the only real way of knowing why email is being refused by some
servers and not others, so leave maximum logging permanently on. You
*will* need it one day, if it doesn't help you today.

Most advice around this says that maximum logging degrades Exchange
performance. Are you saying otherwise?

Somewhere along this chain of logs ought to be some clue as to what's
happening.

Thanks for this. I'll check these logs right away.
----
Best regards,

Jim
.

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