SQL Database Mail Error The mail could not be sent to the recipients because of the mail server failure. Exception Message: Cannot send mails to mail server. (Service not available, closing transmission channel. The server response was: 4.3.2 Service not available).

In a client's set up, there is a database mail server that sends mail externally via an Exchange server. Great, no issues with that... Until I wanted to set the test environment to also send test mails... For some reason I would get the following error:

• The mail could not be sent to the recipients because of the mail server failure. (Sending Mail using Account 4 (2015-12-05T17:18:36). Exception Message: Cannot send mails to mail server. (Service not available, closing transmission channel. The server response was: 4.3.2 Service not available).

I double-checked my config's, but no joy. So I went delving into Exchange (this is a Windows 2011 SBS Standard box)...


I took a step back, and asked myself what am I trying to do... I am trying to use Exchange to relay messages to the internet... RELAY, of course!!! SMTP Relay connectors!!!


Quick as a flash,

• I went to Microsoft Exchange -> Exchange On Premise -> Server Config -> Hub Transport
• I double clicked the SMTP Relay connector
• Clicked on Network
• Added the IP address of the test server to "Receive mail from remote servers"
• OK
• Ran the test again

TA-DA!!! It works


Hopefully this will save anyone out in CyberLand countless hours of testing :)


Enjoy


Z

Forwarding emails from Exchange to an External address

Okay, so this may be simple for an exchange / AD guru, but myself, I had to set this up recently, and it was actually very painless...

1. In AD, create a contact for the address you want to send to
2. In Exchange (on SBS2003), open the account on which you want to apply the forwarding
3. In Exchange General, click on Delivery Options
4. Select "Forward To"
5. Select the new contact
6. choose whether the emails must be sent to both mailboxes, or only the external

As easy as that... not that a DBB developer should have to know it, but hey, it cvan't hurt to have abit of knowledge of other products?