XADM: NDR from Postmaster Incorrectly Formatted by IS

• Microsoft Exchange Server, version 5.0

SYMPTOMS

When a user sends a message to an invalid or non-existent SMTP user, the originator of the message receives an NDR from postmaster%s_%g@site.org.com Where the %s_%g matches the wildcard used for the Microsoft Exchange Site's SMTP proxy address.

CAUSE

When the information store initializes, it queries the Directory Service for the SMTP proxy address. The information store keeps this address, in whole, in a global variable that is to be used with the Postmaster address. The information store incorrectly populates this variable with the entire SMTP proxy address rather than just the SMTP domain.

WORKAROUND

To avoid this problem, do not use wildcards in the site's global SMTP proxy address.

RESOLUTION

Apply the fix described in the "Status" section. In the fixed version, the information store was corrected to parse any characters to the left of the @ sign in the SMTP proxy address store in the Directory. The global variable is now populated with just the SMTP domain.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Microsoft Exchange Server version 5.0. This problem has been corrected in the latest U.S. Service Pack for Microsoft Exchange Server version 5.0. 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