Exchange 2000 issues!

[HumboldtBlazer]

Ok only at my remote site I get users that complain of the "Outlook is requesting data from the MS Exchange server "error meesage. Now I have a full 1.5 mbs pipe between the sites and no kind of network traffic that would cause this to happen. All workstations are XP pro. I am running Exchange 2000 on a win2k sever. Exchange Service pack 2, with Win2k Service Pack 4. I am running Symantec's AVF for Exchange combined with the Coporate 8.0 antivirus client software.

There are only 20 users at this site. the only people that have problems are people that come in before 8:00a, and people who work after 5:00p so it seems like my Exchange server only works 8:00a -5:00p which really doesn't make any flipping sense to me as that is when all my resources are free pretty much. All servers run a automated backup @ 11:00p so that is not the problem. I am stumped for sure. I have tried to search and search for solutions but really need some outside help. So if any of you are Exchange guru's please put your .02 out there.

Ooh btw all clients are Outlook 2002

 

[slothy]

can you telnet in the server using port 25 and try to connect to exchange during those hours ? are the exchange services running ?

 

[FastEddy]

Does your server belong to a Union?
Is it on a salary rather than being paid by the hour?
Did you give it the title of Manager?

If you answered yes to one ore more of the above questions you have your answer.


:winnar: You can thank me later.
-Ed

 

[slothy]

haha ouch

 

[StrechM]

If all fails I'll loan you a Ruger 44 mag with wad cutters. I know that'll fix it.

 

[Çh®i§tiªñ]

Have you checked server load when they are getting the errors?

 

[wdavidhicks]

I only see that error message during high traffic times when Outlook is trying to resolve an Exchange account from a typed-in alias.

 

[HumboldtBlazer]

Originally posted by slothy
can you telnet in the server using port 25 and try to connect to exchange during those hours ? are the exchange services running ?

Yep I can telnet, VPN, VNC all day long. I watch CPU usage, along with memory (which Exchange is a known hog) at these times and they are not bogged down.

Originally posted by Çh®i§tiªñ
Have you checked server load when they are getting the errors?

again server load is at minimal, and network traffic is near non exsistant.

 

[slothy]

can anyone on that same wired network get to it (LAN SIDE)? (unless its just a dedicated server farm)

 

[HumboldtBlazer]

Originally posted by wdavidhicks
I only see that error message during high traffic times when Outlook is trying to resolve an Exchange account from a typed-in alias.

That's the stumper, it's like when traffic is really minimal.

It's frame relay to the other site, a full T1 for just network traffic for 20 users, and this is when only 2 or 3 of them are on. I have have a very simple setup. At site A lives a Exchange server it lives in a Win2k domain and it is it's own PDC (Primary Domain Controller) At the same site A I have a NT 4.0 PDC and at site B I have a NT 4.0 BDC of the same make and model. All the users live in the NT 4 domain and their is a trust relationship between the NT4 enviorment, and the Wink2k domain (Exchange). Of course all the users have an account also in the Win2k domain as that is how Active Directory and Exchange 2k intermesh and users become mailbox enabled, but that is another story. The users having the problems are at site B where the BDC is located.

 

[Çh®i§tiªñ]

Are the messages set to be stored on the server?

What is the Disk I/O ?

Lastly, being as it is a frame relay connection, there is a VERY good chance that it is a problem at the CO or one of them along the way. Who is the provider?

 

[Scummer]

I'd ditch exchange and install sendmail :ha: :whistle:

Thomas

 

[HumboldtBlazer]

Originally posted by Çh®i§tiªñ
Are the messages set to be stored on the server?

What is the Disk I/O ?

Lastly, being as it is a frame relay connection, there is a VERY good chance that it is a problem at the CO or one of them along the way. Who is the provider?

My Frame Relay is SBC
When you say disk I/O are you looking for what RAID I am running as it is RAID 1 (Mirroring) There are 2 100 gig UW SCSI 10,000rpm HD's

I am using Exchange in its intendend form meaning all user files and folders are stored on the Exchange server and are accessed through the client. No POP3 or IMAP4 here.

Originally posted by Scummer
I'd ditch exchange and install sendmail :ha: :whistle:

Thomas

I agree sendmail is thinner and more robust from my working knowledge, but my company has something called Sagitta. Its is a Agency Management System for Insurance Brokers. It keeps all of our policy information for our clients insurance policies. Not to get to into that but what it is: A IBM RS600 running AIX operating system that is running a PICK database. On the front end is a NT4 IIS server whick employees access the PICK data through IE GUI. Long story short Exchange integrates with this Agency Management System to keep email corrispondence in the clients file on the RS6000. With insurance by law we need to keep all emails for E&O issues.

 

[slothy]

well with that raid setup and only 20 users have should have no worries with the throughput of the drives .. nice setup

 

[HumboldtBlazer]

Its not the baddest server out or anything but it is decent and so do the job just fine. It is a P4 2.2 800mhz fsb with 1.5gig of DDR. All it runs is exchange and the antiviral software. I just don't get this. :jade:

 

[slothy]

ya our exchange2k server is amd 2800 with 1.5 gig, just running exchange and orf - blacklist software..

 

[HumboldtBlazer]

I need some blacklist software as Symantec's AVF sucks as you have to block by sender, or subeject as well as dictionaries. I want to block domains (it might do this I just haven't figured it out yet). What do you think of ORP's blacklist? Do you have a link so I could look into it. I am new to mailserver administration so any resources will be appreciated.

 

[slothy]

YA for 100 bucks this software rocks.. has a active directory checker, so if the email recpt. isnt in AD it rejects plus it uses the blacklist for a few diff server you choose . In 3 months after installing its blocked over 40-50k in emails outa 70k sent to our server

- http://www.vamsoft.com/orf/orfee_prodspec.asp

 

[HumboldtBlazer]

I will post a picture later explaining how my genius just figured out my problem with Exchange seems to be a bad switch.

 

[slothy]

lol it hooked up to a on/off switch they use when the get in to work and leave from work ? lol