asked on

Exchange Configuration

We are currently running a Microsoft Exchange 2003 environment with a front end Server that sends mail to our Sonicwall Smarthost which in turn delivers the mail to the Internet. There are 2 back end servers that hold the Exchange mailboxes. We recently implemented an Exchange 2007 configuration in anticipation of migrating from the 2003 environment over a period of time. The implementation of the 2007 environment went perfectly and we are able to run both systems concurrently and transfer mail with no issue. Unfortunately, our Sonicwall Smarthost failed and we opted to go with an external provider (McAfee SaaS formerly MX Logic). This has created some transport issues. We would like to make the Exchange 2007 Hub Transport server the primary “gateway” to the McAfee service. We have made all of the configurations to do so and there are no issues when sending from the 2007 mailboxes. However, when sending from the 2003 environment to the 2007 hub transport server we experience the following error intermittently. - >>

A configuration error in the e-mail system caused the message to bounce between two servers or to be forwarded between two recipients. Contact your administrator.

<RFGATEMAIL.RFEK.com #5.4.6 smtp;554 5.4.6 Hop count exceeded - possible mail loop>
On the 2003 FE Server there is a send connector that is configured as follows:

• Forward all mail through this connector to the following smart hosts -> rfvhubcas.rfek.com (2007 Hub Transport Server)
• Local Bridgeheads ->Server: RFGatemail Virtual Server:Default SMTP Virtual Server

Could someone assist in adjusting the configuration to eliminate this error?
Thank you in advance for your assistance.

Tomas Valenta

there is loop between your servers. If you look in Message tracking log you will see what is route of your message and what is making loop.

RFEMHelpdesk

ASKER

You are correct hence the question. It is looping between the 2003 server and the 2007 server.

endital1097

disable link state on the 2003 server, these updates can cause looping in a mixed environment

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa996728.aspx

endital1097

do you have a send connector configured on the 2007 server? I would only have the send connector on the 2007 server used for outbound mail (that will be the end result anyway)

endital1097

there should be a routing group connector between 2003 and 2007 that will route mail to the send connector
you should not use a smtp connector unless they are unique exchange organizations

RFEMHelpdesk

ASKER

Your link points to Exchange server 2010. Is there a link for exchange 2003?

endital1097

i don't think the link state is the issue
re-reading your post, it is going to be the smtp connector routing mail to the 2007 hub transport
you want to use the native routing group connector to route the message to 2007 and then 2007 will handle delivery from that point

RFEMHelpdesk

ASKER

That is what I believe is currently configured and yet periodically we get this bouncing back and forth from 2003 to 2007. There are 3 connectors in the connectors folder in the 2003 ESM.
1. FaxPress E2K Connector - This is for our faxserver
2. RFEMail - RFVHubcas - This is the default 2007 connector created when 2007 was installed
3. SMTP Traffic - This is the 2003 connector that existed prior to the 2007 install but, modified as indicated above.

endital1097

you need to remove the SMTP traffice connector, that is the piece that is causing routing issues
the 2003 servers should use the RGC not the SMTP

RFEMHelpdesk

ASKER

Testing your theory now. I will let you know how it goes.

RFEMHelpdesk

ASKER

This appears to have resolved the original issue however a new wrinkle has appeared. We are now receiving a large number of the following errors as the mail is now being routed correctly ->>

The following recipient(s) could not be reached:

Jayne@email.com on 9/4/2010 9:55 AM
This message is larger than the current system limit or the recipient's mailbox is full. Create a shorter message body or remove attachments and try sending it again.
<RFVHUBCAS.RFEK.com #5.3.4 smtp;550 5.3.4 ROUTING.SizeLimit; message size exceeds fixed maximum size for route>

amy@email.com on 9/4/2010 9:55 AM
This message is larger than the current system limit or the recipient's mailbox is full. Create a shorter message body or remove attachments and try sending it again.
<RFVHUBCAS.RFEK.com #5.3.4 smtp;550 5.3.4 ROUTING.SizeLimit; message size exceeds fixed maximum size for route>

The size of the attachment is 8MB and if split is delivered?

endital1097

check the size limit restrictions

get-receiveconnector | ft name,maxmessage*
get-sendconnector | ft name,maxmessage*
get-transportconfig | fl max*

RFEMHelpdesk

ASKER

[PS] C:\Windows\System32>get-receiveconnector | ft name,maxmessage*

Name MaxMessageSize
---- --------------
Default RFVHUBCAS 100MB
Client RFVHUBCAS 100MB
RFPDD SMTP AutoSupport Transfer 10MB

[PS] C:\Windows\System32>get-sendconnector | ft name,maxmessage*

Name MaxMessageSize
---- --------------
Outbound Connector 10MB

[PS] C:\Windows\System32>Get-TransportConfig | fl max*

MaxDumpsterSizePerStorageGroup : 18MB
MaxDumpsterTime : 7.00:00:00
MaxReceiveSize : 500000KB
MaxRecipientEnvelopeLimit : 5000
MaxSendSize : 100MB

endital1097

you can also check
get-routinggroupconnector | fl max*

and
get-mailbox amy | fl max*

RFEMHelpdesk

ASKER

OK new to this.....not the same as 2003. What adjustments need to be made based on what you see to allow a 100MB limit?

endital1097

for the routing group connector
get-routinggroupconnector | set-routinggroupconnector -MaxMessageSize 100MB

RFEMHelpdesk

ASKER

This will eliminate the messages we are receiving above?

endital1097

it will allow messages to go out from 2003 that are up to 100MB
right now that connector is limiting

RFEMHelpdesk

ASKER

I have changed per the command above we are going to test now to see if the issue is resolved. Thank you for your rapid responses!

RFEMHelpdesk

ASKER

Diagnostic information for administrators:

Generating server: RFVHUBCAS.RFEK.com

schumdj2@hotmail.com
#550 5.3.4 ROUTING.SizeLimit; message size exceeds fixed maximum size for route ##

darcywired@hotmail.com
#550 5.3.4 ROUTING.SizeLimit; message size exceeds fixed maximum size for route ##

Original message headers:
Received: from RFVCCR.RFEK.com ([192.168.0.34]) by RFVHUBCAS.RFEK.com ([::1])
with mapi; Tue, 7 Sep 2010 11:10:35 -0400
Content-Type: application/ms-tnef; name="winmail.dat"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: binary
From: David J Schumacher <dschumacher@rothwellfigg.com>
To: "'schumdj2@hotmail.com'" <schumdj2@hotmail.com>,
"'darcywired@hotmail.com'" <darcywired@hotmail.com>
Date: Tue, 7 Sep 2010 11:09:49 -0400
Subject: FW: Testing Outbound Max Size
Thread-Topic: Testing Outbound Max Size
Thread-Index: ActOnSaNhTAbim1uTyWU/otxontsDgAAVhbg
Message-ID: <9B4EE6761998AB4AA00F952FDE6A9456A46E7E079D@RFVCCR.RFEK.com>
Accept-Language: en-US
Content-Language: en-US
X-MS-Has-Attach: yes
X-MS-TNEF-Correlator: <9B4EE6761998AB4AA00F952FDE6A9456A46E7E079D@RFVCCR.RFEK.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0

endital1097

your send connector is set to 10MB

RFEMHelpdesk

ASKER

How do I change it to allow the 100MB limit we are attempting to setup?

ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION

endital1097

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RFEMHelpdesk