(I've seen similar problems, but none of the solutions I've seen suggested would appear to apply to us.)
We've got a single exchange server receiving and sending via a unix sendmail server in our DMZ. We've been experiencing delays for some time now, both receiving emails from the external unix server, and sending emails to other users on the same exchange server.
Firstly the sendmail connections: When delays are being experienced, the error message seen by the remote sender is: "timeout waiting for input from <exchange host> during client greeting" (stat=Deferred: Connection timed out...). After a time, the "blockage" clears (somehow) and the messages are sent through successfully.
From the exchange side, one user can't send to another for 45 mins or so, then suddenly the problem sorts itself and a whole batch of emails are delivered. During the times of the blockages, the EMC "Queue Viewer" often shows 0 messages, although right now it shows 6. The "SCL" column in the messages list shows "-1", whatever that means. No errors are shown in any part of the "Queue Viewer".
[PS] C:\Windows\system32>get-queue |fl RunspaceId : 0262d4a7-9a43-49fe-aac0-dea1e81d9f95 DeliveryType : Undefined NextHopDomain : Submission TlsDomain : NextHopConnector : 00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000 Status : Ready MessageCount : 6 LastError : LastRetryTime : NextRetryTime : DeferredMessageCount : 0 QueueIdentity : server\Submission Identity : server\Submission IsValid : True
Using this search for non-zero EndToEnd latency, the TrackingLog shows how the messages are "released" in blocks:
[PS] C:\Windows\system32>get-messagetrackinglog -ResultSize Unlimited -Start "04/04/2013 10:43:00 AM" -End "12/28/2013 11:51:00 PM" | ft Timestamp,Source,MessageLatency,MessageLatencyType | findstr "EndToEnd" | findstr /v "00:00:" | findstr "STOREDRIVER" 4/04/2013 12:08:44 PM STOREDRIVER 00:22:39.2500000 EndToEnd 4/04/2013 12:08:44 PM STOREDRIVER 00:12:50.1280000 EndToEnd 4/04/2013 12:08:44 PM STOREDRIVER 00:22:59.4690000 EndToEnd 4/04/2013 12:08:44 PM STOREDRIVER 00:21:20.0260000 EndToEnd 4/04/2013 12:08:44 PM STOREDRIVER 00:06:17.4240000 EndToEnd 4/04/2013 12:08:45 PM STOREDRIVER 00:17:58.8750000 EndToEnd 4/04/2013 1:46:57 PM STOREDRIVER 00:03:35.9160000 EndToEnd 4/04/2013 1:46:57 PM STOREDRIVER 00:05:19.7780000 EndToEnd 4/04/2013 1:46:57 PM STOREDRIVER 00:05:16.8840000 EndToEnd 4/04/2013 1:46:57 PM STOREDRIVER 00:05:16.9700000 EndToEnd 4/04/2013 3:59:41 PM STOREDRIVER 00:15:11.5600000 EndToEnd 4/04/2013 3:59:42 PM STOREDRIVER 00:09:13.6130000 EndToEnd 4/04/2013 11:38:33 PM STOREDRIVER 00:15:44.7380000 EndToEnd 4/04/2013 11:38:33 PM STOREDRIVER 00:12:20.3180000 EndToEnd 5/04/2013 3:54:23 AM STOREDRIVER 02:46:54.1170000 EndToEnd 5/04/2013 3:54:23 AM STOREDRIVER 02:37:38.9860000 EndToEnd 5/04/2013 3:54:24 AM STOREDRIVER 02:43:18.6330000 EndToEnd 5/04/2013 7:32:16 AM STOREDRIVER 00:26:48.8730000 EndToEnd 5/04/2013 9:55:05 AM STOREDRIVER 01:07:58.8020000 EndToEnd 5/04/2013 9:55:05 AM STOREDRIVER 00:42:34.8140000 EndToEnd 5/04/2013 9:55:06 AM STOREDRIVER 00:46:30.1410000 EndToEnd 5/04/2013 9:55:06 AM STOREDRIVER 01:05:21.8650000 EndToEnd 5/04/2013 9:55:06 AM STOREDRIVER 01:43:03.6820000 EndToEnd 5/04/2013 9:55:06 AM STOREDRIVER 01:23:08.0940000 EndToEnd 5/04/2013 9:55:06 AM STOREDRIVER 00:44:58.7470000 EndToEnd 5/04/2013 9:55:06 AM STOREDRIVER 01:07:10.8270000 EndToEnd 5/04/2013 9:55:07 AM STOREDRIVER 01:44:39.3940000 EndToEnd 5/04/2013 9:55:07 AM STOREDRIVER 01:30:47.3410000 EndToEnd 5/04/2013 9:55:07 AM STOREDRIVER 00:19:57.7990000 EndToEnd 5/04/2013 9:55:07 AM STOREDRIVER 00:15:00.6940000 EndToEnd 5/04/2013 9:55:07 AM STOREDRIVER 00:29:27.7210000 EndToEnd 5/04/2013 9:55:08 AM STOREDRIVER 00:29:27.8710000 EndToEnd 5/04/2013 9:55:11 AM STOREDRIVER 01:57:39.8710000 EndToEnd 5/04/2013 9:55:11 AM STOREDRIVER 00:08:01.9700000 EndToEnd
I checked the eventvwr arround the times of the blockage being cleared and found nothing. However, I'm not very experienced at using this tool (there seem to be so many categories!), so there may be some events that I've missed?
Some settings that might be of interest:
[PS] C:\Windows\system32>Get-ReceiveConnector | ft Identity,ProtocolLoggingLevel,IsValid,Enabled,MessageRateLimit,MaxRecipientsPerMessage Identity ProtocolLoggingLevel IsValid Enabled MessageRateLimit MaxRecipientsPerMessage -------- -------------------- ------- ------- ---------------- ----------------------- server\Default server Verbose True True unlimited 5000 server\Client server None True True 5 200
Here are some logs that I've found (using msys shell):
Administrator@VERSATZ /d/Exchange/TransportRoles/Logs
$ ls -altr `find . -name \*.LOG` | tail -15 | cut -c42-
39896 Apr 4 10:30 ./ActiveUsersStats/ACTVUSRSTAT1.020130403-1.LOG
781874 Apr 5 10:07 ./ProtocolLog/SmtpSend/SEND20130404-1.LOG
288157 Apr 5 10:26 ./MessageTracking/MSGTRKM20130404-1.LOG
1365868 Apr 5 10:28 ./MessageTracking/MSGTRK20130404-1.LOG
4075138 Apr 5 10:30 ./ProtocolLog/SmtpReceive/RECV20130404-1.LOG
7330 Apr 5 10:30 ./ServerStats/SERVERSTAT1.120130405-1.LOG
19361 Apr 5 10:30 ./ServerStats/SERVERSTAT1.120130404-1.LOG
511474 Apr 5 10:30 ./Connectivity/CONNECTLOG20130404-1.LOG
18248 Apr 5 10:30 ./ActiveUsersStats/ACTVUSRSTAT1.020130405-1.LOG
41049 Apr 5 10:30 ./ActiveUsersStats/ACTVUSRSTAT1.020130404-1.LOG
1191148 Apr 5 12:52 ./ProtocolLog/SmtpReceive/RECV20130405-1.LOG
185240 Apr 5 13:42 ./ProtocolLog/SmtpSend/SEND20130405-1.LOG
123798 Apr 5 15:57 ./Connectivity/CONNECTLOG20130405-1.LOG
96402 Apr 5 15:58 ./MessageTracking/MSGTRKM20130405-1.LOG
310495 Apr 5 15:58 ./MessageTracking/MSGTRK20130405-1.LOGI can't find any evidence in these logs why there are these delays.
Any suggestions, please?