XCON: MTA Error 209: Submitting Domain Is Inconsistent

• Microsoft Exchange Server, version 4.0

SYMPTOMS

When connecting the Microsoft Exchange Server X.400 Connector to a foreign X.400 message transfer agent (MTA), the incoming message is not accepted by the Microsoft Exchange Server MTA. The MTA may generate the following error message in the Windows NT Server event log and the Microsoft Exchange Server Evx.log (if enabled):

   Event:      209
   Source:     MSExchangeMTA
   Category:   X400 Service

   Unable to transfer in message C=xx;A=attmail;
   P=prmd;L=<m0vBOkQ-0000xxxxxxxxxxx> because the submitting domain
   identifier was inconsistent. A non-delivery report was generated with
   reason code unable-to-transfer and diagnostic code invalid-arguments.
   Contact Microsoft Product Support Services. [MTA XFER-IN 22 101] [14]

   EVx.log

   (MTA XFER-IN(22) Proc 101) 10-30-96 11:44:26am
             Transfer-In failure, submitting domain inconsistent
               X.400 reason code     unable-to-transfer
               X.400 diagnostic code invalid-arguments
               MTS Identifier C=US;A=ATTMAIL;L=0045900001000181000002

CAUSE

The Microsoft Exchange Server MTA rejects the message whenever the global domain identifier on the first element of the trace information is different from the one specified in the MTSID. The global domain identifier information in the MTSID must be the same as the first element on the trace information. These values are generated by the submitting MTA.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Microsoft Exchange Server version 4.0. This problem was corrected in the latest Microsoft Exchange 4.0 U.S. Service Pack. For information on obtaining the service pack, query on the following word in the Microsoft Knowledge Base (without the spaces):

   S E R V P A C K

MORE INFORMATION

There are two reasons as to why Microsoft Exchange Server rejects this message, and both of them are by design.

The first reason has to do with the firewall function. The firewall is designed to prevent any message transfer if the message's true origin appears to have been altered. Because the MTSID cannot be changed across any relaying MTA, it reflects the true global domain identifier of the message. However, the global domain identifier on the trace information can be altered to reflect a different country, ADMD, or PRMD, creating contradictory information about the message's origin. The firewall does not allow this inconsistency.

The second reason has to do with conformance testing. This is required to pass NCC conformance tests.