4.2 TCP/IP Link: Outbound Transfer to the Internet Delayed or Unsuccessful

This message flow diagram shows how outbound messages travel through the GroupWise directory structure to the Internet when there is a TCP/IP link between the MTA and the Internet Agent and when the Internet Agent cannot communicate successfully with the Internet host to which the message is addressed.

Figure 4-2 Message Flow When the TCP/IP Link is Closed

Table 4-2 Message Flow When the TCP/IP Link is Closed Stages

Stage

Icon

Description

Sender

The user sends a message to recipients across the Internet by providing their Internet addresses.

In this diagram, the access mode setting for the local post office is Client/Server Only.

Sender’s GroupWise Client

The GroupWise client communicates the message to the POA by way of TCP/IP.

POA for Sender’s Post Office

The POA receives the message from the GroupWise client and performs the following actions for the sender:

  • Adds the message to the message database (msgnnn.db) assigned to the sender.

  • Creates a pointer in the sender’s user database (userxxx.db) so the message appears in the sender’s mailbox as a sent item.

  • Places attachments larger than 2 KB in one of the post_office\offiles\fd0-F6 subdirectories and creates pointers from the message to its attachments. (For database efficiency, messages and distribution lists larger than 2 KB are also handled as attachments.)

  • Creates a copy of the message in the appropriate priority 0-7 subdirectory of the MTA input queue in the sender’s post office, in case the TCP/IP link to the MTA is currently closed.

POA for Sender’s Post Office

The POA then communicates the message to the MTA for the sender’s domain by way of TCP/IP, and deletes the copy in the MTA input queue because the TCP/IP transfer to the MTA was successful.

MTA for Sender’s Domain

The MTA for the sender’s domain receives the message and places it into the MTA “in progress” (gwinprog) queue.

MTA for Sender’s Domain

The MTA determines that the message must be sent out across the Internet. Because there is a TCP/IP link between the MTA and the Internet Agent, the MTA creates a copy of the message in the appropriate priority 0-7 subdirectory of the Internet Agent hold queue (mslocal\mshold\gatewayx\0-7), in case the TCP/IP link to the Internet Agent is currently closed.

MTA for Sender’s Domain

The MTA then communicates the message to the Internet Agent for the sender’s domain by way of TCP/IP, and deletes the copy in the Internet Agent holding queue because the TCP/IP transfer to the Internet Agent was successful.

Internet Agent for Sender’s Domain

The Internet Agent receives the message and places it into the MTA output queue (wpcsout\gwid\0-7) on behalf of the MTA. The MTA output queue is the Internet Agent input queue.

Internet Agent for Sender’s Domain

The Internet Agent scans its input queues according to the Idle Sleep Duration setting on the Gateway Time Settings page of the Internet Agent object in ConsoleOne. The Internet Agent picks up the file in binary-encrypted format from the wpcsout\gwid\0-7 directory and converts it.

The Internet Agent encodes the message in MIME format with the appropriate encoding scheme.

When the message file is built, the Internet Agent saves it with S as the first character of the filename and places the message file in the domain\wpgate\gwia\send directory for processing.

Internet Agent for Sender’s Domain

While the Internet Agent is processing the message file in the send directory, it changes the first character of the filename to P. When processing is completed, the Internet Agent sends the message to the destination host across the Internet.

Internet Agent for Sender’s Domain

If the Internet Agent does not receive a 250 OK SMTP reply code from the destination Internet host, the Internet Agent renames the P*.* message file back to S*.* and creates a file named R*.* that records the SMTP reply codes (error messages) in the wpgate\gwia\result directory. After the Internet Agent completes the communication with the destination host, it moves the S*.* message file from the send directory to the result directory along with the corresponding R*.* file.

Internet Agent for Sender’s Domain

The Internet Agent analyzes the files in the result directory, comparing the SMTP reply codes in the R*.* file.

If the R*.* file has a temporary transmission error (meaning it has a 400-level SMTP reply code such as 450 Host Down), the Internet Agent moves the S*.* message file to the defer directory. Continue with Stage

If the R*.* file has a fatal error (meaning it has a 500-level SMTP reply code such as 550 Host Unknown), the Internet Agent deletes the S*.* file because it is undeliverable. Skip to Stage

Internet Agent for Sender’s Domain

Based on the Intervals to the Retry a Deferred Message setting on the SMTP/MIME Settings property page of the Internet Agent object in ConsoleOne, the Internet Agent requeues the S *.* message file back into the send directory for reprocessing.

Internet Agent for Sender’s Domain

After an S*.* message receives 400-level SMTP reply codes until the Maximum Number of Hours to Retry a Deferred Message setting is reached, or if a message receives 500-level SMTP reply codes, the Internet Agent deletes all related schedule files from the defer directory because the message is undeliverable. The Internet Agent then creates an Undeliverable status message in the MTA input queue (wpgate\gwia\wpcsin\0-7) in case the TCP/IP link to the MTA is currently closed.

Internet Agent for Sender’s Domain

The Internet Agent then communicates the Transferred status message to the MTA for the sender’s domain by way of TCP/IP, and deletes the copy in the MTA input queue because the TCP/IP transfer to the MTA was successful.

MTA for Sender’s Domain

The MTA for the sender’s domain receives the Transferred status message and places it into the MTA “in progress” (gwinprog) queue for processing.

MTA for Sender’s Domain

The MTA for the sender’s domain communicates the Transferred status message to the POA for the sender’s post office by way of TCP/IP.

POA for Sender’s Post Office

The POA for the sender’s post office updates the sender’s message database (msgnnn.db) with the Transferred status information.

POA for Sender’s Post Office

The POA for the sender’s post office communicates the Transferred status to the sender’s GroupWise client by way of TCP/IP.

Sender

When the sender checks the sent items in his or her mailbox in the GroupWise client, the message displays the Transferred status because the Internet Agent was able to send it successfully.