MX error message

[Mark_Andrews at isc.org]

> 
> 1) I am having some problems with DNS/MX and sendmail and I would like you
> to look
> over my setup to be sure that I have the DNS part set correctly.
> 
> 2) My goal is to have all mail go through mailrelay to be scanned for spam
> and
> viruses and then relayed  on to our mail server.

	Well your design is flawed.   It depends on rogue software doing
	the right thing by obeying MX preferences.
 
 
>          WAN
>           ^
>           |
>           |
>           |
>          \ /
>     mailrelay ------------->smtpserver
>          / \
>           |
>           |
>           |
>          LAN
> 
> I want all mail to be sent to mailrelay, checked and the relayed on to the
> smtpserver. But if mailrelay is down I would like mail to be sent to
> mailhost
> directly.
> 
> 
> The smtpserver has several virtual address
> 
> The smtpserver has it real name and several virtual IP addresses
> 
>    gauss.dept.univ.edu r
>    mailhost.dept.univ.edu v
>    ptmshost.dept.univ.edu v
> 
>    HOSTINFO
> 
>    100.200.3.11    gauss.dept.univ.edu
>    100.200.3.12    mailhost.dept.univ.edu dept.univ.edu
>    100.200.3.183   mailrelay.dept.univ.edu
> 
>    DNS INFO
>    $ORIGIN univ.edu.
>    dept   3600    IN  SOA nomenclator.cc.univ.edu. hostmaster.ns.univ.edu. (
>      270 10800 3600 3600000 86400 )
>      3600    IN  NS  ns.univ.edu.
>      3600    IN  A   100.200.3.12
>      3600    IN  MX  30 mailrelay.dept.univ.edu.
>      3600    IN  MX  50 mailhost.dept.univ.edu.
>    $ORIGIN dept.univ.edu.
>    gauss 3600    IN  A   100.200.3.XX
>       3600    IN  MX  30 mailrelay.dept.univ.edu.
>       3600    IN  MX  50 mailhost.dept.univ.edu.
>    mailhost    3600    IN  A   100.200.3.12
>       3600    IN  MX  30 mailrelay.dept.univ.edu.
>    mailrelay   3600    IN  A   100.200.3.183
>    allotherhosts 3600    IN  A   100.200.3.XX
>       3600    IN  MX  30 mailrelay.dept.univ.edu.
>       3600    IN  MX  50 mailhost.dept.univ.edu.
> 
> 
> I have the virutal address to make it easier for the users and myself if I
> need to
> move the mail server to another host in case there is a problem with the
> host
> gauss.
> 
> I have all my hosts set up the same what as "allhost" i.e. they have the two
> MX
> records.
> 
> 
> Here is an example of the error message that I am getting.
> The original message was received at Tue, 21 Oct 2003 07:26:02 -0500 (EST)
> from mailrelay.dept.univ.edu [100.200.3.183]
> 
> ----- The following addresses had permanent fatal errors ----- 
> look at xxx.lonestar.org
> 
> (reason: 553 5.3.5 system config error)
> 
> (expanded from: look at dept.univ.edu)
> 
> ----- Transcript of session follows -----
> 
> 553 5.3.5 mailrelay.dept.univ.edu. config error: mail loops back to me (MX
> problem?) 554 5.3.5 Local configuration error

	You have to teach sendmail that one of the machine's names is
	mailrelay.dept.univ.edu or just use the name the machine knows
	itself as in the MX record.

> QUESTIONS:
> 
> 1) Is my DNS setup correct? If not please pass on suggestions.
> 
> 2) I have dept.univ.edu set as an aliases to mailhost.dept.univ.edu. Is this
> ok?
> 
> 3) What could be causing the "Local configuration error"
> 
> I have searched google and have made changes but things still get these
> messages.
> 
> thanks
> 
> Robert
> 
> 
> 
> 
--
Mark Andrews, Internet Software Consortium
1 Seymour St., Dundas Valley, NSW 2117, Australia
PHONE: +61 2 9871 4742                 INTERNET: Mark.Andrews at isc.org