Multiple Smarthosts 1

[sorehead]

Hi

Right, here's the problem....

I have a single server exchange 2003 installation sat behind an IIS SMTP relay which itself is behind an ISA 2004. Mail flows from the exchange server through the relay, ISA, other firewalls and on through one of the popular mail delivery services to its destination. Great. Smarthost is defined as the mail relay in the exchange server, and as the external company on the relay. All works well.

Now, for one reason or another, I need to direct mail that goes to one domain to a different smarthost and mail to everywhere else exactly as it goes currently. So, I set about trying to configure a second SMTP connector on exchange (with the address space as required) to forward direct to the new smarthost. Now, mail aimed at the new domain (that goes to the new smarthost) gets queued in the 'Failed message retry queue' and goes nowhere. Mail going anywhere else gets delivered.

I have tried 2 SMTP virtual server on the *relay* (pointing at diffrerent directions), 2 VS's on the exchange box (pointing at the separate relay VS's) each having their own connector pointing at them with different smarthost destinations but can't get this to work either (all mail ends up being directed by the default virtual server on the mail relay). I've since read that you can only have one relay VS and one smarthost destination per relay VS.

Truth be told, I'm giong round in circles and would really like some advice.... any one done this? can you see what I'm doing? Are the any fundamental mistakes I'm making or any good old 'gotchas?? All advice appreciated and all questions answered at my earliest opportunity.

Thanks
Jim.

 

[N0ktar]

I think this might work if you configured an additional smart host on your local network with IIS and SMTP installed and forwarded all your current Exchnage email to it. From there you could direct traffic to external smart hosts based on the sender's email domain. I have never implemented it but in theory this could work. Here's a little help from Microsoft.

http://support.microsoft.com/Default.aspx?kbid=293800

 

[sorehead]

Yeah cheers. This is something I thought of but I really wanted to add this in as a no cost solution rather than having to put in another mail relay.

I was (niaively perhaps) thinking that this might be a simple task which I could put in quickly.

Seems not huh?

Jim

 

[nickpark]

So you want to utilise a different 'popular mail delivery service' smarthost for specific domain.

If your relay server can connect to this new smarthost via SMTP - TCP/25, then you could create a new remote domain on your relay, no?

 

[sorehead]

Yes, I can connect to it over port 25 from the IIS relay, and that sounds like exactly what I want to do - is there an idiot guide or something?

Thanks
Jim.

 

[nickpark]

Do you have google installed on your internet??


Try this:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;310336&sd=tech

 

[sorehead]

This is the bit that I can't get working. Whichever domains I put in there, all mail appears to still be relayed to the 1st smarthost. Which is not what I want.

Presumably I have to have the catch all domain as the last one in the list?

Also, is this list applicable only to inbound mail or is it both in and outbound....?

What's Google?

 

[rmh3619]

you should create an addional virtual smtp server on your exchange server, that can do the trick.

 

[nickpark]

I have 2 remote domains:
1) my domain: set to route messages to my mail server
2) another domain: set to route messages to a specific server/smarthost. (due to a dns issue with this domain)

All other messages are delivered directly. (ie different to your setup)

I believe that instead of a catchall remote domain, you should have the smart host setup in the default smtp server properties->deliverey->advanced - not as a wildcarded remote domain.

The remote domain list is applicable to any smtp message coming to the server. Obviously, it looks like the * catch all remote domain is consuming everything.

http://www.windowsitlibrary.com/Content/141/09/3.html

>This option overrides the Smart Host setting at the
> Default SMTP Site level.
Although, wrong version of iis - seems to support my statements.

 

[sorehead]

Gotcha, thanks. I've done this on the test rig and it looks to be working. Thanks very much, problem solved.