Well it looks like a call to PSS has identified and shot down my problem. It seems there is a big difference in the way DNS queries are handled by the SMTP VIRTUAL SERVER over DNS queries made through the Network Properties function. If a mail admin plugs DNS server IP addresses into the SMTP VIRTUAL SERVER Delivery -> Advanced ->External DNS page, Exchange will query these DNS servers rather than use the DNS servers supplied via the Network Properties page.
That, by itself is not so bad, however, DNS queries made through the SMTP VIRTUAL SERVER are SINGLE THREAD only. One message queue is processed at a time and the DNS queries have to resolve or fail before the next queue is processed. When it can take 20 seconds or more for a DNS query to fail, that can be a significant amount of time to process a long line of queues before starting over again. Now this condition only comes into play when you have DNS entries in the EXTERNAL DNS page, and use DNS to do the delivery of mail messages (no smart host entries in either an SMTP connector or the virtual SMTP Server). The workaround is to A. remove the External DNS server entries and let DNS servers be designated via Network Properties, OR B. supply a SMARTHOST for mail forwarding to the Internet or other dynamic DNS environment. PSS will be forwarding me other information today. I hope you can use this information. John Matteson Geac Corporate ISS (404) 239 - 2981 Atlanta, Georgia, USA. -----Original Message----- From: John Matteson Posted At: Wednesday, October 15, 2003 1:13 PM Posted To: Exchange 2000 Discussion list Conversation: Problems with E2K SP3 bridgehead Subject: [Exchange2000] Problems with E2K SP3 bridgehead Hey Guys and Gals: Got a persistent problem that I'm trying to troubleshoot. I have a bridgehead server with two routing group connectors and three Internet mail connectors loaded on it, one SMTP virtual server. The hardware is a DELL 1650, single 1.4 Gbyte processor, 512 Mbytes of RAM, 100Mbyte NIC, OS is Win2K sp 4, E2k SP3 and September Roll up package. What happens is that the queue builds up on the bridgehead server, then delivers mail to local routing group servers, across the RGC connectors to other machines and out to the Internet (we deliver directly via DNS rather than use a single outbound gateway machine). This happens about every 8 to 10 minutes. If I bounce the Routing Engine, then some of the items get delivered then, but not all. Winroute tells me that Link State is UP on all machines in all RG's (All machines are in one admin group, but split into three routing groups) even as the queue is building. Perfmon shows little if any network traffic outbound from the bridgehead server except when the Routing Engine is bounced, or when the queue dumps on it's own every ten minutes. Where do I go to help this machine deliver mail a bit more smoothly? Currently there are no limits on connections or the number of messages per connection. But I rarely see more than 5 connections on the server 4 inbound and one outbound. Anyone have suggestions? TIA John Matteson Geac Corporate ISS (404) 239 - 2981 Atlanta, Georgia, USA. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor ---------------------~--> Buy Ink Cartridges or Refill Kits for your HP, Epson, Canon or Lexmark Printer at MyInks.com. Free s/h on orders $50 or more to the US & Canada. http://www.c1tracking.com/l.asp?cid=5511 http://us.click.yahoo.com/mOAaAA/3exGAA/qnsNAA/eJp0lB/TM ---------------------------------------------------------------------~-> Post message: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Exchange 2000 FAQ: http://www.exchange-mail.org/faq.html Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ _________________________________________________________________ List posting FAQ: http://www.swinc.com/resource/exch_faq.htm Web Interface: http://intm-dl.sparklist.com/cgi-bin/lyris.pl?enter=exchange&text_mode=&lang=english To unsubscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Exchange List admin: [EMAIL PROTECTED]