XCON: MTA: Remote X.400 MTA Fails to Decode NDR from Exchange (164049)

SYMPTOMS

When sending a message from a remote X.400 MTA through Microsoft Exchange Server to the Internet, the remote X.400 MTA may fail to decode a Non Delivery Report (NDR). The Non Delivery Report is created by the Microsoft Exchange Server.

CAUSE

In the Non Delivery Report the "ReportTransferEnvelopeExtension" is empty. This field is in the "ReportTransferEnvelopeExtensionsFields," which is in the "ReportTransferEnvelope." This is a violation of the P1 encoding as described in the X.411 Blue Book specification.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Microsoft Exchange Server version 4.0. This problem has been corrected in the latest U.S. Service Pack for Microsoft Exchange Server version 4.0. For information on obtaining the Service Pack, query on the following word in the Microsoft Knowledge Base (without the spaces):

S E R V P A C K

MORE INFORMATION

A message sent using the following route may cause a Non Delivery Report:

    X.400 MTA -> 1988 X.400 Connector -> Microsoft Exchange Server -> Internet
    Mail Connector -> Internet

The user on the X.400 MTA sends to an Internet recipient. The address of the Internet recipient is included in the DDA Type and DDA value fields.

For Example:

c=US;a=ADMD;p=PRMD;o=ORG;dda.type=SMTP;dda.value=USER(A)DOMAIN

If the user sends to an incorrect address, for example:

c=US;a=ADMD;p=PRMD;o=ORG;s=TEST;dda.type=SMTP;dda.value=USER(A)DOMAIN

Microsoft Exchange Server creates a Non Delivery Report for this message, which is correct behavior. The remote X.400 MTA may not be able to decode this Non Delivery Report.