Now that I have a better understanding of this one person's configuration with regards to his mail server being on the border, I can see where the problems arose.
And I don't really quibble on the three criteria you posit as the way to test for relay. I would point out, however, that the three tests in and of themselves are not sufficient. The goal is to ensure to that the target server/domain does not do open relay. If it does open relay one should be able to send a message to it for relay and have it successfully be relayed. If the message does not arrive, even though the server/domain may not pass the other three tests it is, in fact, not relaying and that is indeed the desired end result. I propose that you add this fourth step as a way to allow for the configuration that led to this thread in the first place. Granted that the system never returned and NDR and that is non-compliant. However that non-compliance in itself is not fatal; the bottom line is the system/domain was not relaying. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Paul Cummins" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "Exchange Discussions" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Cc: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Tuesday, December 04, 2001 10:06 AM Subject: Re: ORB UK - cross post - long > > Note that relays are specifically mentioned in 2821. In the discussion > > of relaying the bottom line is that a relay is not expected to do much > > of anything at all, though it _should_ do xyz and _may_ do abc. > > Agreed. > > > What he should be testing on is the return of the NDR. > > No. There are three things specifically tested for. > > 1) Ability to Relay. This uses 19 different tests, hacks and back doors. I > don;t propose explaining all of them here. > > 2) RFC Compliance. Rejection of relay without NDR. > > 3) RFC compliance. Is postmaster and abuse accepted by the server. > > If the server fails on any one of these tests it is, or remains, listed. > > -- > Dr Paul Cummins - Internet Engineer | /"\ ASCII RIBBON > Tel: 07021 117179 Fax: 07092 105150 + \ / CAMPAIGN > Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] | X AGAINST HTML MAIL > | / \ AND POSTINGS > > _________________________________________________________________ > List posting FAQ: http://www.swinc.com/resource/exch_faq.htm > Archives: http://www.swynk.com/sitesearch/search.asp > To unsubscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > Exchange List admin: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > _________________________________________________________________ List posting FAQ: http://www.swinc.com/resource/exch_faq.htm Archives: http://www.swynk.com/sitesearch/search.asp To unsubscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Exchange List admin: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
