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There are several reasons why the IMS, MTA or x400 queues will build, many of which are discussed in the Microsoft Support Knowledge Base. Monitoring every possible cause of failure is sometimes not plausible for small shops. This article provides a step by step process to monitor your IMS, MTA and x400 queues.

Monitoring Internet Mail Queues

1. In Exchange Administrator, go to File > New Custom Recipient.
2. Select Internet Address
3. Click OK
4. Type: nevergonnabeanemailaddress@doodahdoodah982.com (or whatever you think will never be an SMTP address)
5. Click OK
6. Assign the appropriate name to the Custom Recipient display name **and** alias (i.e. Bouncing the Internet from ) **Hint: The alias is what is displayed in the Exchange warnings and alerts and will provide valuable troubleshooting information.
7. Click OK
8. Go to the monitors container in the Site.
9. Go to File > New Other > Link Monitor
10. Set the display name and the directory name of the monitor to "Bouncing the Internet from "
11. Under the notification tab give the appropriate administrators the notification type of your choice. (I prefer to use a script that notifies my pager via a modem using a third party software or your own script.)
12. Under the Recipients tab click the modify button under "Message subject returned from"
13. Select the Custom Recipient created in steps 1 thru 5.
14. Install Exchange Administrator (SP4) on a NT server or desktop (preferably with a modem and access to an analog line) on your local area network.
15. Open Exchange Administrator on the workstation noted in step 14.
16. Go to the Monitor container on the workstation in step 14 in the Site of the Exchange Organization.
17. Click on the "Bouncing the Internet from "
18. Go to Tools > Start Monitor
19. When prompted to connect to an Exchange Server, type in the name.
20. Click OK

Monitoring MTA Queues

1. Create a mailbox on each server in the Site
2. Assign the appropriate name to the mailbox display name **and** alias (i.e. "MTA Link ")
3. Under the Limits tab, set the send/receive limit to 1k on all of the "MTA Link " mailboxes.
4. Go to the Monitors container in the Site.
5. Go to File > New Other > Link Monitor
6. Set the display name and the directory name of the first monitor to " link to MTAs in "
7. Under the notification tab give the appropriate administrators the notification type of your choice. (I prefer to use a script that notifies my pager via a modem using a third party software or your own script.)
8. Under the Recipients tab click the modify button under "Message subject returned from"
9. Select all of the mailboxes, with exception to the "MTA Link "
10. Click OK.
11. Under the Bounce tab, set the appropriate Warning and Alert levels.
12. Click OK.
13. For each Exchange Server go to step 1 then repeat and replace with , etc.
14. Install Exchange Administrator (SP4) on a NT server or desktop on your local area network.
15. Open Exchange Administrator on the workstation noted in step 14.
16. Go to the Monitor container in the Site of the Exchange Organization
17. Click on the ">FirstExchangeServer> link to MTAs in " Monitor
18. Go to Tools > Start Monitor
19. When prompted to connect to an Exchange Server, type in the name.
20. For each Link Monitor Created, go to step 17 then repeat and replace with , etc.

Monitoring x400 Queues

1. In Exchange Administrator, go to File > New Custom Recipient.
2. Select "X.400 Address"
3. Click OK
4. Type (an alias that does not exist in the Site being monitored) in the Surname textbox.
5. Type the Site Name of the monitored site in the "Organization" text box.
6. Type the Organization's name in the "PRMD" text box
7. Insert a space in the "ADMD" text box
8. Select the country code of the site connector to be monitored. (i.e. US, NL, etc.)
9. Click OK
10. Assign the appropriate name to the Custom Recipient display name **and** alias (i.e.. Bouncing )
11. Click OK
12. Go to the Monitors container in the Site.
13. Go to File > New Other > Link Monitor
14. Set the display name and the directory name of the monitor to "Bouncing "
15. Under the Notification tab give the appropriate administrators the notification type of your choice. (Once again, I prefer to use a script that notifies my pager via a modem using a third party software or your own script.)
16. Under the Recipients tab click the modify button under "Message subject returned from"
17. Select the Custom Recipient created in steps 1 thru 11.
18. Install Exchange Administrator (SP4) on a NT server or desktop (preferably with a modem) on your local area network.
19. Open Exchange Administrator on the workstation noted in step 18.
20. Go to the Monitor container in the monitoring (not monitored) Site of the Exchange Organization
21. Click on the "Bouncing " Monitor
22. Go to Tools > Start Monitor
23. When prompted to connect to an Exchange Server, type in the (or where the x400 connectors are installed) name.
24. Click OK

Last Updated by Simpler-Webb on 8/7/2003 1:59:40 PM (QID #1190)
Categories: Exchange 5.5/Monitoring Queues |