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Connector issue - 7.Apr.2010 10:45:22 AM

hopefu11

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Hi - a real strange thing is happening here and hopefully someone maybe able to help please.
Scenario 2003 SBS Exchange running ESCM to the outside world
New 2007 Exchange machine on 64 bit windows 2008

With the current connector settings on 2007 all incoming and outgoing email work fine. You can forward any email from any mailbox to any address. However when you try setting up the mail forwarding on the user account to forward emails to the users external email address an NDR is immediately sent to the sender relating to the external email address -however the email is received fine in the users mailbox.

I sensed a connector config error and tested out. Within the Send Connectors I can change the Network Setting from using the smart host to Use Domain Name system (DNS) MX records to route mail automatically on the connections the mail then gets forwarded fine to the external email address but is not delivered to the users mailbox and they lose the ability to send email - and no errrors occur.

All mailboxes are on the 2007 machine
Anyone any idea please - I have no hair left :-)
Thanks a lot

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RE: Connector issue - 7.Apr.2010 7:29:35 PM

boneyfrancis

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Got lost at the last party..
Once you set the Send Connector to use DNS (instead of smart-host), the mail gets auto-forwarded to the external email address; however, the internal user (which is the intended recipient) does not receive the same??

I dont understand the relationship between a Send connector and an internal user receiving the mail. If the Send connector setting is reverted and set to use smart-host:
- does the mail flow work internally?
- can an internal user send a mail to the external email address to which you are setting up the auto-forward?
- how are you setting up the auto-forward, and what is the NDR you get?

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RE: Connector issue - 8.Apr.2010 1:19:23 PM

thehutch

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Are you setting up forwarding in the Exchange Mailbox properties or in as a forwarding rule in Outlook?

If you are setting it up in the Mailbox Properties then you may want to consider setting up the external email address as an Outlook Contact (hidden from the GAL of course) and then forwarding to that contact. This works every time.

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RE: Connector issue - 9.Apr.2010 5:38:57 AM

hopefu11

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Hi folks, thanks a lot for your repliesAfter more testing I've got the following I use an SBS 2003 exchange box to route mail to and from the 2007 box -SBS 2003 is the dns server Concerning the SMTP send connectors in Org configuration / hub transport / send connectors I use smart host settings on the network tab to achieve this. I have perfect send & receive capabilities for all users with all mailboxes on the 2007 exchange box. However the problem I have is that as soon as I enable mail forwarding (in mailbox properties) to the users external email address (delivering to both mailbox and external address) The users cannot receive email to their external email address and an NDR is send to the sender of the email In essense the NDR is
anyone@usersexternalemail.com
Requested #521 mail.domain.com does not accept mail ##
Right - to resolve this I can remove the smart host in the network tab for one of the default connectors and change it to "use DNS "MX" records to route mail automatically" This works perfectly for maybe an hour or so then mail delivery to the users mailbox gets queued on the SBS2003 server - I cant even force it to deliver. However the email immediately gets delivered to the users external email address !! lolSometimes this clears itself and email is then delivered to both but more often than not I have to nip into the send connector - add the smart host - force the mail then return it to "use DNS "MX" records to route mail automatically" again to avoid the NDR'sThis is nuts as I have to sit here and if mail starts queing then I have to change the settings on the 2007 so they can get their mail to their mailboxes. It may be a dns issue but i nslookup the 2003 server when the email is in the queue ands all seems good - doh Thanks so much - any ideas are really welcome

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RE: Connector issue - 9.Apr.2010 8:00:24 AM

thehutch

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You say the SBS 2003 server is the DNS server for the SBS 2007 server.

Does that mean that you are entering the IP address of the 2003 server as the primary DNS server in the 2007 server's TCP/IP settings tab?

If that is the case then is the 2003 server hosting the DNS service and is it Active Directory Integrated? Does it provide root hints for lookups? Are either of these Exchange servers Domain Controllers?

If neither system is running DNS then you have to direct each server to an actual DNS server independently. This would explain most of the issues you are having.

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RE: Connector issue - 9.Apr.2010 8:42:05 AM

hopefu11

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Hiya and thanks for the quick reply
yea, the sbs 2003 server is the dns server for the AD domain -ipconfig confirms this includes the exchange 2007 box
thanks

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RE: Connector issue - 9.Apr.2010 8:53:08 AM

hopefu11

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Hi again - the queue on the 2003 SBS exchange server sees the SMTP connector as it says SMTP - server2007.domain.local (SMTP local) This can suddenly release itself by itself and send the email to the user or I change the network setting in the 2007 connector to use the IP address of itself and the queue is released to the user instantly -
Thanks a lot for your help

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RE: Connector issue - 9.Apr.2010 11:21:18 AM

thehutch

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I'm having a hard time determining if this is a addressing space or DNS issue from the info given so far. Could you take just a moment to provide me with an end to end scenario of mail flow when mailbox forwarding is enabled?

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RE: Connector issue - 9.Apr.2010 12:26:41 PM

hopefu11

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Sure - 5 mins - thanks Hutch

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RE: Connector issue - 9.Apr.2010 12:36:10 PM

hopefu11

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Thanks - here you go
Firstly there was an SBS server 2003 - working fine and forwarding emails to users mailboxes and external email addresses. Then this weekend enter the 2007 Exchange server standard to work with the SBS 2003.
All mailboxes moved to 2007
Mail Flow
Gateway -> E trust SCM on SBS 2003 machine which cleans the email and sends on to Exchange (on same machine). Then SBS Exchange 2003 sends to Exchange 2007. Exchange 2007 sends back to SBS exchange 2003 which sends it through E trust SCM who sends it to the outside world
Hope thats whats needed - thanks a lot
(All address spaces * )

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RE: Connector issue - 9.Apr.2010 4:21:58 PM

boneyfrancis

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Well, still haven't been able to figure out the relationship between a Send connector and its consequences on an internal mail getting queued up > may just be a coincidence!!

However, first things first.. If all the outbound mails from the new Exchange 2007 has to go to the SBS 2003 and then to E Trust SCM, then you dont need a Send connector on the Exchange 2007 on the first hand. Exchange 2007 recognizes the SMTP connector on the SBS 2003 as the outbound route, and so forward all internet mails thru the SBS2003.

Ofcourse the RG connector has to be functiopning properly between the 2 servers.

With that done, then you can narrow down the possible cause of mail flow or auto-forwarding issue, if any!

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RE: Connector issue - 12.Apr.2010 5:46:50 AM

hopefu11

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Hiya boney - thx again for your reply
I suppose that I am looking at the connectors for the solution as they have an immediate effect on the problem. It was all working fine over the weekend (at least it was for the three or fours times I checked) until this morning - about 10:00 the mails start queueing again - doh When I change one of the connector settings to using the smart host (IP address) in the network tab, mail delivery commences although if I left it like that then all the forwarded mails that are being sent automatically will start to bounce. I then change it back to the DNS (MX) option where it sometimes works - or not. :-)

I have two send connectors on the 2007 box and if I remove the one created by the Echange install then users recieve mail stops and the other one I created the send mail doens't work. Wow this is a real headache :-)
thanks m8

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RE: Connector issue - 12.Apr.2010 9:09:14 AM

hopefu11

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Hi again
I have been using the event viewer main screen to keep an eye out for any errors and none showed. However when I was rooting around in one of the other screens I found these errors that have been cropping up regularly. (Domain is our local domain)

5016
The Active Directory topology service could not discover any route to connector CN=SMTP,CN=Connections,CN=first routing group,CN=Routing Groups,CN=first administrative group,CN=Administrative Groups,CN=domain,CN=Microsoft Exchange,CN=Services,CN=Configuration,DC=domain,DC=local in the routing tables with the timestamp 12/04/2010 10:34:15. This connector will not be used.

5015
Microsoft Exchange cannot find a route to the source transport server or home MTA server CN=sbs2003,CN=Servers,CN=first administrative group,CN=Administrative Groups,CN=domain,CN=Microsoft Exchange,CN=Services,CN=Configuration,DC=domain,DC=local for connector CN=SMTP,CN=Connections,CN=first routing group,CN=Routing Groups,CN=first administrative group,CN=Administrative Groups,CN=domain,CN=Microsoft Exchange,CN=Services,CN=Configuration,DC=domain,DC=local in routing tables with timestamp 12/04/2010 10:34:15. Microsoft Exchange is ignoring the source transport server.

2114
Process MAD.EXE (PID=5252). Topology discovery failed, error 0x80040a02 (DSC_E_NO_SUITABLE_CDC). Look up the Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) error code specified in the event description. To do this, use Microsoft Knowledge Base article 218185, "Microsoft LDAP Error Codes." Use the information in that article to learn more about the cause and resolution to this error. Use the Ping or PathPing command-line tools to test network connectivity to local domain controllers.

5006 warning
A route to Mailbox server CN=sbs2003,CN=Servers,CN=first administrative group,CN=Administrative Groups,CN=domain,CN=Microsoft Exchange,CN=Services,CN=Configuration,DC=domain,DC=local could not be found for store CN=Mailbox Store (sbs2003),CN=First Storage Group,CN=InformationStore,CN=sbs2003,CN=Servers,CN=first administrative group,CN=Administrative Groups,CN=domain,CN=Microsoft Exchange,CN=Services,CN=Configuration,DC=domain,DC=local in routing tables with timestamp 12/04/2010 10:34:15. Recipients will not be routed to this store.

I also had a chance to run the mailflow wizard this lunchtime and things showed up - The dns server on 2003 seems fine but .....

Domain 2007box.domain.local is a remote domain to which server SBS2003 is trying to send messages. Though no 'MX' records of the domain 2007box.domain.local were found, the 'Host' record(s) were found (2007box IP address XXX XXX XXX XXX). Please ensure that these 'Host' record(s) are pointing to valid mail server(s) as server SBS2003 may be trying to send messages to server(s) of these 'Host' records.

Domain 2007box.domain.local is a remote domain to which server SBS2003 is trying to send messages but no 'MX' records of domain 2007box.domain.local can be obtained from any DNS servers server SBS2003 uses.

Does it need to be the SBS 2003 box to be the dns server if its the authoratative server for everything or can I use the new 2007 box? However the 2007 box is behind the gateway ....

thanks a lot

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RE: Connector issue - 13.Apr.2010 9:11:15 AM

thehutch

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I'm with boney on this one. I think the only send connector that your 2007 server needs is one to use the 2003 server as a Smart Host.

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RE: Connector issue - 13.Apr.2010 9:50:38 AM

hopefu11

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Hiya and thanks for the response Hutch
I deleted the connector I created and users couldn't send email. So I remade it and disabled the original one that 2007 automatically made on install and users couldn't receive. Today for example I had to spend 2 hours nippng into the original SMTP connector and adding the smart host (IP address of the 2007 box) instead of the use dns MX records. Then force the mail from 2003 which works instantly - then putting the connector back to using dns and mx records. The rest of the time everything works perfectly. I noticed today when the mail is queued on the 2003 that the status of the connector says "unable to bind to the destination server in DNS"

I have recreated the dns records for the 2007 box on the 2003 a few times now and all to no avail.

This is ageing me so any ideas are so welcome thanks :-)

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RE: Connector issue - 13.Apr.2010 10:21:14 AM

hopefu11

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Hiya - heres my 2 send connectors config - thanks

General
Name    SMTP    (this is the original added by exchange on the install )
FQBN    Blank (unable to add anything)

Address Space
TYPE            SMTP
ADDRESS    *
COST            1

Network
Use domain name system (DNS) MX records ...... automatically

Source Server
SBS2003
==========================================

General
Name    Send 2 (the one i made)
FQBN    mail.domain.com (EHLO same as ESCM gateway)

Address Space
TYPE            SMTP
ADDRESS    *
COST            1

Network
Smart Host - IP of SBS2003

Source Server
2007 Exchange Box

Thanks

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RE: Connector issue - 14.Apr.2010 5:39:07 AM

hopefu11

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Hi folks
As you know i need two send connectors for users to send and receive - but maybe thats because of another setting. If I get the other setting then perhaps I only need the one connection to solve these problems. On investigation I have found that in Global settings / Transport settings propertiers / message delivery / remote ip addresses that there is no entry. - Do I need an entry here please

Does anyone have an SBS 2003 forwarding to 2007 that they can list the connector properties on both boxes please - and perhaps see if this transport setting nominates the 2003 server

thanks as always

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RE: Connector issue - 19.Apr.2010 12:12:36 PM

hopefu11

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Hi all
Just a note to thankyou for your thoughts on the problem I was having. After banging my head against a brick wall, I had to get MS and CA involved and eventually it got sorted. Indeed there needed to be 2 connectors for this scenario but because it worked 90% of the time thats why it was so difficult to find the problem.

If all mailboxes are on one sever then one connector is enough but as the public folders replicate from 2003 to 2007 and mail delivery was in/out the 2003 thats why it needed 2 connectors.

As I had implemented a workaround for ESCM to deliver mail to the resident 2003 which then delivered & received to 2007 mailboxes. MS were unable to clarify why there would be an intermittent issue. Instead we simply changed the routing and for those that employ a ESCM gateway on the same box as an exchange server be warned, as this is what made things difficult. Simply put Exch 2003 was listening on a different port to 25 for mail from the gateway, which although is by design on ESCM when the exchange server is resident on the same machine - if you think about it it has to be this way.

Anyway by routing straight to 2007 then delivering what was needed to 2003 - then back out from 2007 allowed exchange 2003 to be configured back to port 25 and all seems good - torch wood or even touch wood :-)

Cheers

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