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Mavericks mail server stops distributing group email after a few hours of usage

I've been having problems with our Mavericks mail server ever since our upgrade with group mail.


The server will distribute group email for a few hour, then it simply stops working.
No error message, no bounces, and the server keeps the incoming mail in its incoming queue.


Restarting the mail services by either server.app or serveradmin mail stop; serveradmin mail start command like are the only way I can get it to continue to distribute the email. I suspect it has to do with postfix itself hiccuping? But this is a reproducable problem.


Mail filtering is on, score set to 6, 10 mb limit, spamhaus is active.


Looking for tips on how to stablize this service short of setting up cron job to restart the services every few hours.

Mac mini, OS X Mavericks (10.9), OpenLDAP and Server.app user

Posted on Nov 1, 2013 10:43 AM

Reply
40 replies

Nov 18, 2013 7:07 AM in response to Lynda Leung

I know this is not the fix you are looking for, but it's what I had to do, so I thought I'd share.


Hopefully, someone will be able to figure it out the "right" way!


I created this AppleScript that will stop and start the mail service every hour.


You can copy and paste it into AppleScript Editor, compile it and save it as an application. You can then run it. You need to run it from an administrator account and keep that user logged in.


If once an hour (every 3600 seconds) is too often, just change 3600 to however many seconds you want.


Be sure to change AdminPassword with the Admin user's actual password.


repeat

do shell script "/Applications/Server.app/Contents/ServerRoot/usr/sbin/serveradmin stop mail" password "AdminPassword" with administrator privileges



delay 60


do shell script "/Applications/Server.app/Contents/ServerRoot/usr/sbin/serveradmin start mail" password "AdminPassword" with administrator privileges


delay 3600


end repeat

Nov 18, 2013 12:11 PM in response to Philip GW

Same issue here. Here is the entry in mail.log which never gets delivered.


postfix/smtp[11311]: CA7018A39B: to=<team@#####.com>, relay=127.0.0.1[127.0.0.1]:10024, delay=5.2, delays=0.02/0.01/0/5.2, dsn=2.0.0, status=sent (250 2.0.0 from MTA(smtp:[127.0.0.1]:10025): 250 2.0.0 Ok: queued as F105F8A3AC)

Nov 18 14:59:55 ######.com postfix/qmgr[11290]: CA7018A39B: removed

Nov 18 14:59:56 ######.com postfix/local[11327]: F105F8A3AC: to=<team@######.com>, relay=local, delay=0.03, delays=0/0.01/0/0.02, dsn=2.0.0, status=sent (delivered to command: /Applications/Server.app/Contents/ServerRoot/usr/libexec/MailService/list_serve r_post post team)

Nov 18, 2013 5:12 PM in response to Philip GW

This is how I worked around it. create a crontab as root to reset the service every 6 hours. Best if you use a number divisible by 24 for obvious reasons.



use this single line entry:
0 */6 * * * /Applications/Server.app/Contents/ServerRoot/usr/sbin/serveradmin stop mail >> /dev/null ; /Applications/Server.app/Contents/ServerRoot/usr/sbin/serveradmin start mail >> /dev/null


Seriously, Apple miserablly dropped the ball on this one, and I was really disappointed to not see this fixed the Server 3.01 update.

Nov 21, 2013 6:45 PM in response to Lynda Leung

Same problem here. I can't get it to resolve. If this helps anyone find the solution I also noticed this in the List Server log files at the same time a user attempts to send mail to a group email address:


Nov 21 21:35:50 hygieia.#####.com list_server_post[2245] <Info>: message: 1385087750.509450.61ADA1C3F565A6C0.msg from: #####@icloud.com posted to: officemanager (size=2350)

Nov 21 21:35:53 hygieia.#####.com list_server_mgr[1436] <Info>: list manager wake event: 00D736C8-DFFA-457F-94FD-5871BD45A5C1

Nov 21 21:35:53 hygieia.#####.com list_server_agent[2252] <Info>: list agent started for list ID: 00D736C8-DFFA-457F-94FD-5871BD45A5C1

Nov 21 21:35:53 hygieia.#####.com list_server_agent[2252] <Info>: moved message: 1385087750.509450.61ADA1C3F565A6C0.msg to: /Library/Server//Mail/Data/listserver/messages/error

Nov 21 21:35:53 hygieia.#####.com list_server_agent[2252] <Info>: delivered message: 1385087750.509450.61ADA1C3F565A6C0.msg to group: officemanager

Nov 21 21:35:53 hygieia.#####.com list_server_agent[2252] <Error>: failed to delete: /Library/Server/Mail/Data/listserver/messages/inbound/00D736C8-DFFA-457F-94FD-5 871BD45A5C1/1385087750.509450.61ADA1C3F565A6C0.msg due to: The file doesn\u2019t exist.

Nov 21 21:35:53 hygieia.#####.com list_server_agent[2252] <Info>: list agent sleeping for 60 seconds

Nov 21 21:36:53 hygieia.#####.com list_server_agent[2252] <Info>: list agent exited

Dec 2, 2013 7:12 AM in response to Lynda Leung

Given that you all are working with list groups, I thought I'd share that there is also a bug that prevents emails over a certain size from working, specifically with list groups. This is different that the maximum message size that you can set. This only applies to lists, and according to Enterprise Support, there is no current patch for it. So, if you are not getting ALL your emails from the list server (when it's running), that might be why. Here is the thread which talked about it and where I posted my horrible workaround: https://discussions.apple.com/thread/5508396?answerId=23980388022#23980388022&ac_cid=tw123456#23980388 Since the fix replaces the functionality of list groups, it's also a work around for the problems in this thread. Just keep in mind that it NOT elegant.

Dec 9, 2013 9:22 AM in response to Pinion Software

Pinion Sofware:

I agree that it's the same issue. So, I suggest you post to this thread https://discussions.apple.com/thread/5508396?answerId=23980388022#23980388022 I am actively working with Enterprises Support, and they are in contact with a software engrineer. They have already given me one thing to try (didn't work), but as soon as I get something helpful, I will post it. If you have a small number of email groups, then the solution I posted will help you and prevent the list_server from locking up too (this thread). It's not pretty, but it fixed all my mail group problems and everyone is finally happy in my office!

Dec 13, 2013 6:25 AM in response to Philip GW

Got the same bug here, have follow this procedure to setup my mail group forwarding:


http://www.macjunky.nl/setup-email-forwarding-to-more-than-one-user-within-mount ain-lion-server/


works great but suddlenly mail fed to group stop to be deliver and I have to restart mail services to start receiving them again ????


If someone have any update on this one will be great.



Thanks !


Dec 30, 2013 1:03 PM in response to Lynda Leung

Just wanted to pass on that I just got an email from Apple Support that they have setup a test environment and have been able to recreate the issue. It is actively being diagnosed. They are working on both the issue requiring a restart of the email service / list_server and the issue where large attachments sent to a list group are truncated. I will keep everyone informed when I hear more.

Jan 8, 2014 1:42 PM in response to Lynda Leung

An update for all of you who might be wondering if Server 3.0.2 release had fixed this issue.

The answer is no. Distribution list still breaks shortly after the mail service runs for a while.
So in order to keep your mail services running, it is prudent is run the above script to restart your mail services every few hours.
Lets all hope when Server 3.0.3 comes out, it would actually fix this problem.

Mavericks mail server stops distributing group email after a few hours of usage

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