XCON: X.400 Connector Configuration Checklist

• Microsoft Exchange Server, version 4.0

SUMMARY

The following checklist is intended as an aide in configuring a Microsoft Exchange X.400 connector to a foreign X.400 Message Handling System (MHS). This is not intended to replace observations on previously operational connections that may point to the actual problem, but rather as a guide to succesful configuration of between dissimilar Message Transfer Agents (MTAs). The term 'host' refers to a computer that supports a MTA.

1. Can each host ping the IP address of the other? No - Resolve network issue. Yes - If you want to use the host name versus the ip address, proceed to

            step 2. Otherwise, proceed to step 3.
   
   

2. If the host name will be used in lieu of the IP address of the target MTA, ping the host name. Note: DNS will support host name resolution or a 'hosts' file may be used. The hosts file for Windows NT Servers is located in the 'winntdir'\system32\drivers\etc directory. The format is IP address, a tab, and then the host name. Did the host name return an ip address? No - There is a problem with name resolution. Yes - Proceed to step 3.

3. Configure the Microsoft Exchange MTA to support a 2k TPDU. Start the Windows NT Registry Editor, change to:

   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services

                        \MSExchangeMTA\Parameters
   
      enter a new value of Support 2K TPDU, set the type to DWORD, and the
      value to 0x1 (1 HEX).
   
   

4. Have the administrator configuring a given MTA record the following information for the MTA that they want to connect to:

   Remote Host name: This entry is is case sensitive and may not exceed 32

                        characters in length. It is used to specifiy the
                        Remote MTA name on the General tab of the Microsoft
                        Exchange X.400 connector.
   
      Remote MTA password: This entry is case sensitive and may not exceed a
                           length of 64 characters. It is used to specifiy the
                           Remote MTA password on the General tab of the
                           Microsoft Exchange X.400 connector.
   
      T selector: This value may not exceed 32 Text characters (64 HEX
                  characters). This value is critical and must be an exact
                  match with the corresponding value specified in the
                  configuration for the MTA on the other host. This value will
                  be used for the T selector specified on the Stack tab of the
                  Microsoft Exchange X.400 connector. If the remote admin
                  wants to specify a S selector and/or a P Selector, this
                  should be done after successful messaging has been
                  established. The Selector supported in the X.400 link
                  options depends on the Mode of the MTA. 1988 mode supports
                  T, S and P selector. 1984 modes support a T selector only.
   
   

5. Use the Overide tab to specify the local MTA and Password. The Microsoft Exchange MTA will use the name of the Windows NT Server on which Microsoft Exchange Server is installed for the MTA name. If no incoming password is desired, using the Override tab is unnecessary. Using a password is redundant because the T selector provides adequate security.

6. The administrator of the foreign MTA will provide the X.400 address associated with the foreign MTA or will request that you specify a

      'wildcard' for the Country code in the address space configured on the
      Adress tab of the Microsoft Exchange X.400 connector. Using a 'wildcard'
      character, the '*', in the address space will result in a match for all
      X.400 recipients not local to the Microsoft Exchange Server.
   
   

7. The information on the Advanced tab of the Microsoft Exchange X.400 connector should be configured to match the mode of the foreign MTA. The X.400 link option for allow MS Exchange Content should always be disabled when connecting to a foreign MTA (Help on the Advanced tab). The typical foreign MTA will require that Two Way Alternate be disabled. Allow BP-15 (in addition to BP-14) is available when sending to a 1984 X.410 or a 1988 mode foreign MTA.

8. Make a custom recipient on both hosts or send to a user on the foreign host using a 1-off address in the To: line. The following is an example of a 1-off address:

         [x400:c=us;a=attmail;p=organization;o=locale;s=lastname;g=firstname]
   

9. If the above test fails in either direction, highlight the Server object in the Microsoft Exchange Admininistrator. With the Server object highlighted, select the File menu and the Properties option. Select the Diagnostics Logging tab and increase the MSExchangeMTA X.400 Interoperablility and APDU logging to Maxium. This will result in logging to the Bf0.log, Ev0.log and Ap0.log in the MTADATA directory.

10. Repeat the send mail testing and contact Microsoft Technical Support.