XCON: Message Transfer Agent Uses Node IP Address Instead of Cluster IP Address (251318)

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Exchange Server 5.5 SP3

This article was previously published under Q251318

SYMPTOMS

When you have two Exchange Server computers in two sites that are connected with a site connector through a firewall as follows:

Exchange Server in Site 1 <--> [firewall] <--> Exchange Server (on a Cluster Server) in Site 2

If the firewall between the sites opens only to the Cluster Server IP address, no mail can be sent or received.

CAUSE

This issue can occur if the message transfer agent (MTA) uses the active node IP address instead of the Exchange Server Cluster Server group IP address to initiate a connection.

RESOLUTION

To resolve this problem, obtain the latest service pack for Exchange Server 5.5. For additional information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

191014 XGEN: How to Obtain the latest Exchange Server 5.5 Service Pack

WORKAROUND

To work around this issue:

Move to an X.400 Connector and fix the address.For additional information, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
197378 XCON: MTA Generates 9301 Events on Incoming Connections
Open the IP addresses of the nodes in the firewall.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in Microsoft Exchange Server version 5.5 Service Pack 3. This problem was first corrected in Exchange Server 5.5 Service Pack 4.

Modification Type:	Major	Last Reviewed:	10/9/2003
Keywords:	kbbug kbExchange550preSP4fix kbExchange550sp4Fix kbfix kbQFE KB251318