How to troubleshoot scenarios in which an event ID 9316 message is logged in Exchange Server 5.5

This article describes how to troubleshoot scenarios in which an event ID 9316 message is logged in the Application log. Specifically, this article describes how to perform the following troubleshooting steps:

• Verify the Message Transfer Agent resource
Verify the configuration of the Dynamic RAS connector
• Make sure that the number of messages in the outgoing queue does not exceed the Dynamic RAS connector�s threshold
• Make sure that the Dynamic RAS connection can authenticate
• Make sure that the Remote Server name in Dynamic RAS connector is the same as the Local MTA name in the MTA


• Verify that RPC communication is working
• Verify the connection information if you use site connectors and intrasite communication RPC over a VPN

This article describes how to troubleshoot scenarios in which the event ID 9316 message is logged.

When you experience mail flow issues in Microsoft Exchange Server 5.5, the following event may be logged in the Application log:

Event ID: 9316
Source: MSExchangeMTA
Type: Warning
Description: An RPC communications error occurred. No data was sent over the RPC connection. Locality table (LTAB) index: x. Windows NT error: xxx.

To troubleshoot this event, use the troubleshooting methods that are described in this section.

Make sure that the Message Transfer Agent has sufficient resources

Warning Serious problems might occur if you modify the registry incorrectly by using Registry Editor or by using another method. These problems might require that you reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that these problems can be solved. Modify the registry at your own risk.

To make sure that the Message Transfer Agent (MTA) has sufficient resources, review the value of the Concurrent XAPI sessions registry entry. If the value of this registry entry is less than the hexidecimal value of 50, mail flow may be slow, and an event ID 9316 message may be logged in the Application log. Additionally, the following event may be logged in the Application log:

Event ID: 3120
Source: MSExchangeMTA
Type: Warning
Description: A resource limit has been reached when attempting to open an association. Number of sessions configured: 30

To increase the number of resources that are available to the MTA, follow these steps:

1. Start Registry Editor.
2. Locate and then click the following registry subkey:
   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\MSExchangeMTA\Parameters\
3. Double-click the Concurrent XAPI Sessions registry entry.
4. In the Radix area, click Hex.
5. In the Data box, type 50, and then click OK.
   
   Note By default, the Concurrent XAPI sessions registry entry is set to the hexidecimal value of 50 (the decimal value of 80). If Performance Optimizer is run with the default settings, the value will be set to 30.
6. Exit Registry Editor.
7. Stop and then restart the Microsoft Exchange Message Transfer Agent service.

Verify the Dynamic RAS connector configuration

If you send a message between two Microsoft Exchange Server environments that are connected with a Microsoft Exchange Dynamic RAS connector, make sure that the configuration of the Dynamic RAS connector is correct. If the Dynamic RAS connector is not configured correctly, the messages may become stuck in the Microsoft Exchange MTA queue, and an event ID 9316 warning message may be logged in the Application log. This problem may occur if the RPCSend call to the remote MTA that was initiated by the local MTA fails.

To verify the Dynamic RAS connector configuration, follow these steps:

1. Start the Microsoft Exchange Administrator program.
2. Verify that the name in the Remote Server Name box on the General tab is in uppercase letters.
3. Verify that the RAS Override properties are correct.
4. Verify that the local MTA name that is located in the Message Transfer Agent properties matches the NetBIOS name of the server that is running Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 or Microsoft Windows 2000 Server.
5. Verify that the site name that is listed in the X400 properties is correct.

For more information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: To determine Dynamic RAS connector error codes that appear in the event message description, see the Rasphone.hlp file that located on the Exchange Server computer.

Make sure that the number of messages in the outgoing queue does not exceed the Dynamic RAS connector�s threshold

By default, the threshold value for the outgoing queue is set to 50. When the number of messages in the outgoing queue exceeds this threshold, an additional association is generated. However, the MTA that sends messages passes an invalid context handle to the MTA that receives the messages. Therefore, the connection is ended.

To increase the threshold value, install Microsoft Exchange Server 5.5 Service Pack 1 (SP1).

If the number of messages in the Dynamic RAS connector's outgoing queue exceeds the Dynamic RAS connector's configured threshold, an event ID 9316 message that includes the Windows NT error 1783 may be logged. This Windows NT error indicates "Bad Stub Data." Additionally, the following event may be logged in the Application log:

Make sure that the Dynamic RAS connection can authenticate

If a Dynamic RAS connection that is configured to use override account information cannot authenticate, the servers cannot bind over RPC. When this issue occurs, an event ID 9316 message is logged on the server that is sending the message. Additionally, the following events may be logged:

Event ID 9318
An RPC communications error occurred. Unable to bind over RPC. Locality Table (LTAB) index: 5, NT/MTA error code: 1722. Comms error 1722, Bind error 0, Remote Server Name SREX [MAIN BASE 1 500 %10] (14)

Event ID: 5719
Source: Netlogon
Type: error
No Windows NT Domain Controller is available for domain CRM. (This event is expected and can be ignored when booting with the 'No Net' Hardware Profile.) The following error occurred: There are currently no logon servers available to service the logon request.

Event ID 9322:
An interface error has occurred mta bind back over rpc has failed locatility table 108, mta error: 1722 1722 bind error 0, remote server name... protocol string id-tcp:ipaddress of server.

We recommend that you use the Windows NT backup servers or primary domain controllers (PDC) to handle Dynamic RAS connectors. Member servers that handle Dynamic RAS connectors add an extra step in which the domain controllers are queried for account validation. This extra step may add overhead that may prevent the connection from being established. Therefore, mail flow may stop.

Make sure that the Remote Server name in the Dynamic RAS connector is the same as the Local MTA name in the MTA

If the data in the Remote Server Name box in the Dynamic RAS Connector dialog box differs from the data in the Local MTA Name box in the Message Transfer Agent properties, mail flow may stop, and an event ID 9316 message may be logged. If the names are not the same, the following events may also be logged.

Note To view these events in the Application log, set MTA diagnostics logging to Maximum for Field Engineering and for X.400.

Event ID: 9322
Source: MSExchangeMTA
Description: An interface error has occurred. An MtaBindBack over RPC has failed. Locality Table (LTAB) index: %1, NT/MTA error code:5. Comms error %3, Bind error %4,Remote Server Name %5, Protocol String %6 [%7 %8 %9 %10]

Event ID: 289
Source: MSExchangeMTA
Type: Warning
Category: X.400 Service
Description: A connection to /O=OrganizationName/OU=SiteName/CN=Configuration/CN=Connections/CN=ConnectorName could not be opened. [MTA XFER-IN 17 26] (12)

Event ID: 1294
Source: MSExchangeMTA
Type: Warning
Category: X.400 Service
Description: An association with entity /O=OrganizationName/OU=SiteName/CN=Configuration /CN=Connections/CN=ConnectorName ended abnormally. [198 1 0 1 PLATFORM KERNEL 20 130] (10)

Event ID 9311
Source: MSExchangeMTA
Type: Warning
Description: A RAS communications error has occurred for gateway /o=MS/ou=PSS/cn=Configuration/cn=Connections/cn=DR. RAS error code returned: 718, RAS Table index: 0. The MTA will attempt to recover the RAS connection. [BASE IL PIPE RAS 35 230] (12)

To resolve this issue, type the name in the Remote Server Name box exactly as it appears in the Local MTA Name box, and then stop and restart the MTA. Note that the data is case sensitive.

Verify that RPC communication is working

If Exchange Server 5.5 is running on Windows NT Server 4.0 or on Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0 Terminal Server Edition, the event ID 9316 message indicates RPC problems. If you are experiencing RPC problems, the following event is also logged in the Application log:This issue may occur if the Windows NT RPC component on the receiving computer puts the association in the wrong address space. Then, when the initiating MTA uses the correct address to send mail to the receiving MTA, the receiving MTA cannot find the association. The receiving MTA does not believe it has an association with the initiating MTA. Therefore, the receiving MTA sends a Bind NAK call. After the message threshold has been reached on one of the MTAs, the receiving MTA will make a new association and start delivering messages again.

To resolve this problem, obtain the latest service pack for Windows NT Server 4.0 or for Windows NT Server 4.0 Terminal Server Edition. For more information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Verify the connection information if you use site connectors and intrasite communication RPC over a VPN

If a site connector uses a virtual private network (VPN) connection, you may have slow or intermittent mail flow. Or, the mail flow may stop. Event ID 9316, 9318 or 9322 messages may be logged by the Exchange Message Transfer Agent service in the Application log. These event ID messages are also logged if the site connector or the MTA communication within sites spans a VPN. These event ID messages may contain the following error codes:

• Error code 1722: This error code indicates that a connection to the RPC server cannot be made. This error code may also indicate a possible name resolution problem. To resolve this issue, make sure that your name resolves as expected.
• Error code 1753: This error code indicates that the Endpoint mapper on port 135 is not responding to a port request.
• Error code 5: This error indicates that access was denied. To resolve this issue, use the Override tabs on the Site Connector properties to verify the account and the password.

The nature of site connectors and intrasite communication RPC over a VPN is not a good combination. As a general guideline, a site connector must have at least 56 Kbps of network bandwidth that is available for Exchange Server communications only. Note that the 56-Kbps transfer rate is a bare minimum for light mail flow when there is little or no directory replication traffic. For more information about considerations and limitations of communication within sites and the use of site connectors over VPN, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: