Mail not getting from E2003 to E2007 server 1

[ShackDaddy]

I've come in to a partially complete coexistence setup in which an E2007 server has been added to an existing E2003 organization that has a FE/BE arrangement. The intention is to migrate all mailboxes to the new server, once we've tested difference scenarios and know that things are working properly, and then sunset the old server.

Right now the only problem we are having is delivering mail from the outside to a mailbox on the E2007 server. That mail is being received by an E2003 FE server and then it doesn't land anywhere, but an event 3005 is generated, which refers to a routing loop.

Mail originating from an E2003 mailbox is delivered to the E2007 server, and the E2007 server's mailboxes can send email outbound directly to the internet and also to mailboxes on the E2003 server.

I'm tempted to have the E2007 server start handling inbound public mail, but I'd like to resolve this issue on the routing level.

The routing groups were automatically generated when the new server was added to the org, but they reference routing only between the E2003 BE server and the E2007 server, and not between the E2003 FE server:

---- ------------------ ------------------
EXCHANGE7-EXCHANGE Exchange Routing Group ... First Routing Group
EXCHANGE-EXCHANGE7 First Routing Group Exchange Routing Group

Could that be the issue? Do I need to create a separate group between the E2003 FE and the E2007 server? I had been thinking that the FE/BE were treated as a single unit as far as routing went.

Happy for any ideas.

Dave Shackelford
Shackelford Consulting

 

[ShackDaddy]

BTW, I went through the FAQ: faq1582-6695 that Zel made, but I skipped the step that involves deleting the default/client receive connectors since I wasn't sure that that was a critical part of the solution. If it is, could someone explain why?

Dave Shackelford
Shackelford Consulting

 

[ShackDaddy]

Ok, I resolved this. Turns out that the original E2003 server had the Virtual SMTP Server configured with a smarthost instead of having a connector set up with a smarthost. Once I deleted the smarthost settings from the virtual server and built a catch-all connector that routed to the smarthost, the new server-to-server connector was able to do its stuff properly.

Dave Shackelford
Shackelford Consulting

 

[58sniper]

Funny you should mention that, Dave. I'm seeing a LOT of client lately that route to the smarthost via the VS instead of an SMTP connector.

Use a connector, people!

Glad to see that you got it resolved, and star for posting the solution.

Pat Richard
Microsoft Exchange MVP
Contributing author The Complete Reference: Microsoft Exchange Server 2007

 

[Zelandakh]

Guys - can one of you make an FAQ on that basis so that we can point members at it if it is happening regularly?