SMTP Host connection dropping off

SMTP Host connection dropping off - Event ID 977 & 978

Please help,

I am having an issue where my Exchange 2000 SMTP-connection to my SMTP 
host(Mcafee SCM 320 box) drops off like every 10 minutes. I have been 
investigating this for a long time and have not found the cause.

To give a back ground of my configuration:

My smtp host sits in a dmz seperated by Pix firwall with the lastest version 
of the software.  I am using Exchange 2000 SP4 with latest patches.  SMTP 
host is a Mcafee SCM 320 box but used to be a TrendMicros IMSS box, the 
issue was still there when we migrated to mcafee box but now is more worst. 
I have 2 exchange servers with SMTP connectors to the smtp host.  Both of 
them a giving this connection drop off.  I did the following so far:
- Testing DNS issues - resolution works well
- Nick Card testing shows no issue
- Cisco switch logs do not show any connection/packets drops or CRC errors
- Turned on network monitor analysing the logs but can't give me anything
- When the connection status is showing dropped-off I am able to telnet to 
the smtp host and able to send a test mail.

After  the following analysis, I am thinking the problem is in the firwall 
or the exchange servers.  I found on the internet similar problem report on 
http://www.webservertalk.com/archive130-2005-8-361566.html which seem to 
have solved his problem.   Can anyone second confirm if the solution by 
trmbr to reinstall SMTP service from exchange server is correct.  I don't 
know if this is the cause because I have not found any documents that says 
when installing Exchange 2000 I should install SMTP service from Exchange CD 
and not from windows 2000.

If this may not be the cause, can someone help with any other suggestions 
please.

I am sorry for the long email but need a answer desperately as I find no one 
else to help aceept you good guys on this forum.

thanks Eric

date: Tue, 2 May 2006 08:46:01 +1000 author: eric hela

Re: SMTP Host connection dropping off - Event ID 977 & 978

Hi,

What are the text of the events?

I tried www.eventid.net (they usually knows everything) but the 978 event 
was not there.

Leif

"eric hela"  wrote in message 
news:%23LA5jFXbGHA.1208@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
> Please help,
>
> I am having an issue where my Exchange 2000 SMTP-connection to my SMTP 
> host(Mcafee SCM 320 box) drops off like every 10 minutes. I have been 
> investigating this for a long time and have not found the cause.
>
> To give a back ground of my configuration:
>
> My smtp host sits in a dmz seperated by Pix firwall with the lastest 
> version of the software.  I am using Exchange 2000 SP4 with latest 
> patches.  SMTP host is a Mcafee SCM 320 box but used to be a TrendMicros 
> IMSS box, the issue was still there when we migrated to mcafee box but now 
> is more worst. I have 2 exchange servers with SMTP connectors to the smtp 
> host.  Both of them a giving this connection drop off.  I did the 
> following so far:
> - Testing DNS issues - resolution works well
> - Nick Card testing shows no issue
> - Cisco switch logs do not show any connection/packets drops or CRC errors
> - Turned on network monitor analysing the logs but can't give me anything
> - When the connection status is showing dropped-off I am able to telnet to 
> the smtp host and able to send a test mail.
>
> After  the following analysis, I am thinking the problem is in the firwall 
> or the exchange servers.  I found on the internet similar problem report 
> on http://www.webservertalk.com/archive130-2005-8-361566.html which seem 
> to have solved his problem.   Can anyone second confirm if the solution by 
> trmbr to reinstall SMTP service from exchange server is correct.  I don't 
> know if this is the cause because I have not found any documents that says 
> when installing Exchange 2000 I should install SMTP service from Exchange 
> CD and not from windows 2000.
>
> If this may not be the cause, can someone help with any other suggestions 
> please.
>
> I am sorry for the long email but need a answer desperately as I find no 
> one else to help aceept you good guys on this forum.
>
> thanks Eric
>
>
>

date: Mon, 8 May 2006 23:00:31 +0200 author: Leif Pedersen [MVP]

Re: SMTP Host connection dropping off - Event ID 977 & 978

Event  id:

977 says:

Following connector fails to connect to its target bridge head. 
CN=MC-ExtSmtp,CN=Connections,CN=MC,CN=Routing Groups,CN=First Administrative 
Group,CN=Administrative Groups,CN=OTML,CN=Microsoft 
Exchange,CN=Services,CN=Configuration,DC=oktedi,DC=internal

Event Id 978 says:

Following connector fails to connect to its target bridge head. 
CN=MC-ExtSmtp,CN=Connections,CN=MC,CN=Routing Groups,CN=First Administrative 
Group,CN=Administrative Groups,CN=OTML,CN=Microsoft 
Exchange,CN=Services,CN=Configuration,DC=oktedi,DC=internal

Source is: MSExchangeTransport

hanks for your help
Eric
"Leif Pedersen [MVP]"  wrote in message 
news:uAqlyJucGHA.5116@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
> Hi,
>
> What are the text of the events?
>
> I tried www.eventid.net (they usually knows everything) but the 978 event 
> was not there.
>
> Leif
>
> "eric hela"  wrote in message 
> news:%23LA5jFXbGHA.1208@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
>> Please help,
>>
>> I am having an issue where my Exchange 2000 SMTP-connection to my SMTP 
>> host(Mcafee SCM 320 box) drops off like every 10 minutes. I have been 
>> investigating this for a long time and have not found the cause.
>>
>> To give a back ground of my configuration:
>>
>> My smtp host sits in a dmz seperated by Pix firwall with the lastest 
>> version of the software.  I am using Exchange 2000 SP4 with latest 
>> patches.  SMTP host is a Mcafee SCM 320 box but used to be a TrendMicros 
>> IMSS box, the issue was still there when we migrated to mcafee box but 
>> now is more worst. I have 2 exchange servers with SMTP connectors to the 
>> smtp host.  Both of them a giving this connection drop off.  I did the 
>> following so far:
>> - Testing DNS issues - resolution works well
>> - Nick Card testing shows no issue
>> - Cisco switch logs do not show any connection/packets drops or CRC 
>> errors
>> - Turned on network monitor analysing the logs but can't give me anything
>> - When the connection status is showing dropped-off I am able to telnet 
>> to the smtp host and able to send a test mail.
>>
>> After  the following analysis, I am thinking the problem is in the 
>> firwall or the exchange servers.  I found on the internet similar problem 
>> report on http://www.webservertalk.com/archive130-2005-8-361566.html 
>> which seem to have solved his problem.   Can anyone second confirm if the 
>> solution by trmbr to reinstall SMTP service from exchange server is 
>> correct.  I don't know if this is the cause because I have not found any 
>> documents that says when installing Exchange 2000 I should install SMTP 
>> service from Exchange CD and not from windows 2000.
>>
>> If this may not be the cause, can someone help with any other suggestions 
>> please.
>>
>> I am sorry for the long email but need a answer desperately as I find no 
>> one else to help aceept you good guys on this forum.
>>
>> thanks Eric
>>
>>
>>
>
>

date: Tue, 9 May 2006 13:48:20 +1000 author: eric hela