XCON: Message Looping NDR for Newly Created SMTP Custom Recipients

• Microsoft Exchange Server, versions 4.0, 5.0, 5.5

SYMPTOMS

You create a custom recipient (CR) for an SMTP address. After creating the address, you send a test message to the custom recipient and receive a non-delivery report (NDR) because of message looping.

CAUSE

When the message is composed to the recipient, the default address is an SMTP address, and is thus routed to an Internet Mail Service in the organization. The server receiving the message, however, does not have that recipient in the directory because of latency in the replication schedule, and attempts to route on the Distinguished Name (DN) of the custom recipient. This results in the message being passed back to the sending server, which generates a loop, and the message transfer agent (MTA) generates an NDR with the loop detection message.

RESOLUTION

To avoid the problem, allow time for directory replication to occur between the two sites before sending mail to the newly created custom recipient. After replication has occurred, the MTAs in the second site can resolve the custom recipient back to the SMTP address and forward the message onto an Internet Mail Service for final delivery.

Additional query words:

Keywords          : exc4 exc5 exc55 
Version           : winnt:4.0,5.0,5.5
Platform          : winnt 
Issue type        : kbprb 

Last Reviewed: July 27, 1999