The MSExchange Transport service may crash intermittently on the Exchange 2007 server

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Symptoms

After you enable "Address Rewrite Outbound Agent" on an Exchange 2007 server that has Edge server role installed, the MSExchange Transport service may crash intermittently on the Exchange 2007 server. Additionally, the following error is logged in the Application log:

Event Type: Error 
Event Source: MSExchange Common 
Event Category: General  
Event ID: 4999 
Description: 
Watson report about to be sent to dw20.exe for process id: 3680, with parameters: E12, RTL-AMD64, 08.01.0311.000, edgetransport,  M.E.M.EdgeAgents, M.E.M.A.RewriteHelper.IsSenderInternal, System.NullReferenceException, e689, 08.01.0311.000.  ErrorReportingEnabled:  True

Event Type: Error 
Event Source: MSExchangeTransport 
Event Category: PoisonMessage  
Event ID: 10003 
Description: 
The transport process failed during message processing with the following call stack: System.NullReferenceException: Object reference not  set to an instance of an object. 
   at Microsoft.Exchange.MessagingPolicies.AddressRewrite.RewriteHelper.IsSenderInternal(MailItem mailItem, SmtpServer server)
   at Microsoft.Exchange.MessagingPolicies.AddressRewrite.AgentOutbound.RewriteMessage(RoutedMessageEventSource source,  QueuedMessageEventArgs args)  
   at Microsoft.Exchange.Data.Transport.Routing.RoutingAgent.Invoke(String eventTopic, Object source, Object e) 
   at Microsoft.Exchange.Data.Transport.Internal.MExRuntime.Dispatcher.Invoke(MExSession session) 
   at Microsoft.Exchange.Data.Transport.Internal.MExRuntime.MExSession.AsyncInvoke(Object state) 
   at Microsoft.Exchange.Data.Transport.Internal.MExRuntime.MExSession.BeginInvoke(String topic, Object source, Object e, AsyncCallback  callback, Object callbackState) 
   at Microsoft.Exchange.Transport.Categorizer.MExEvents.RaiseEvent(MExSession mexSession, String eventTopic, AsyncCallback callback,  Object state, Object[] contexts) 
   at Microsoft.Exchange.Transport.Categorizer.MExEvents.RaiseOnRoutedMessage(TaskContext context, AsyncCallback callback, MailItem  mailItem) 
   at Microsoft.Exchange.Transport.Categorizer.CategorizerComponent.Stage5OnRoutedMessage(TransportMailItem transportMailItem,  TaskContext taskContext)
   at Microsoft.Exchange.Transport.Categorizer.TaskContext.Invoke() 
   at Microsoft.Exchange.Transport.Categorizer.CatScheduler.JobThreadEntry(Object ignored) 
   at System.Threading.ExecutionContext.Run(ExecutionContext executionContext, ContextCallback callback, Object state) 
   at System.Threading._ThreadPoolWaitCallback.PerformWaitCallbackInternal(_ThreadPoolWaitCallback tpWaitCallBack) 
   at System.Threading._ThreadPoolWaitCallback.PerformWaitCallback(Object state)

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Cause

In the address rewrite progress, if the sender e-mail address is empty in the message envelope (P1 head), Exchange server will try to use P2 head to decide whether the message is sent by an internal sender. However, P2 head is null that results in the exception.

Note Each Internet mail message contains two portions: the RFC 2821 portion, which is also known as the P1 header, and the RFC 2822 portion, which is also known as the P2 body. P1 head is that the sender's address in the "MAIL FROM" field during the SMTP connection that is defined in RFC 2821. P2 head is the sender's address in the message body that is defined in RFC 2822. It includes the FROM, REPLY TO and SENDER fields.

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Resolution

To resolve this problem, install Update Rollup 7 for Exchange 2007 Service Pack 1. For more information about Update Rollup 7 for Exchange Server 2007 Service Pack 1, see the following Exchange Help topic:

Description of Update Rollup 7 for Exchange Server 2007 Service Pack 1

For more information about how to obtain the latest Exchange service pack or update rollup, see the following Exchange Help topic:

How to Obtain the Latest Service Pack or Update Rollup for Exchange 2007

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More information

For more information about address rewriting, visit the following Web site:

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa996806.aspx

For more information about the glossary that helps you explain the core concepts and technologies that are associated with Microsoft Exchange Server 2007, visit the following Web site:

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb125255.aspx

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