XADM: Exchange Setup Stops During Replication with a Server

• Microsoft Exchange Server, version 4.0

SYMPTOMS

With TCP\IP as the transport protocol, Microsoft Exchange Server Setup appears to stop during the replication portion of setup that displays the progress bar stating:

   Replicating local site with server `<servername>.

CAUSE

IP routers not conforming to RFC1191 may drop frames that:

• exceed the maximum MTU size for the "next hop."
• have the "don't fragment" flag set.

WORKAROUND

Microsoft Windows NT TCP provides a number of configurable features designed to work around this router configuration limitation.

For explanations and workarounds, please see the following articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

   ARTICLE-ID: Q159211
   TITLE     : Diagnoses and Treatment of Black Hole Routers

   ARTICLE-ID: Q136970
   TITLE     : PMTU Black Hole Detection Algorithm Change for Windows NT
               3.51

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Microsoft Exchange Server version 4.0. We are researching this problem and will post new information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.

MORE INFORMATION

A network trace taken simultaneously on both the Setup server's segment and the server listed as <servername> is the best way to determine that this is indeed the issue.

Analysis of the trace may reveal that frames sent from the <servername> computer do not arrive at the Setup server. Furthermore, no ICMP diagnostic frames are returned to the <servername> computer from the router.