Topic Last Modified: 2005-11-18

The Microsoft® Exchange Server Analyzer Tool queries the Active Directory® directory service to compare the SMTP virtual server incoming message size limits with the incoming global message size limits.

The Active Directory attribute that represents the SMTP virtual server message size limit for incoming and outgoing messages is msExchSmtpMaxMessageSize. This value is an attribute of the SMTP virtual server object in Active Directory, which is found at:

CN= <Virtual Server Number>, CN=SMTP, CN=Protocols, CN= <ServerName> , CN=Servers, CN= <AdministrativeGroupName> , CN=Administrative Groups, CN= <OrganizationName>, CN=Microsoft Exchange, CN=Services, CN=Configuration, DC= <DomainName>, DC=com

The Active Directory attribute that represents the global incoming message size limit is delivContLength. This value is an attribute of the organization's global settings message delivery object in Active Directory, which is found at:

CN=Message Delivery, CN=Global Settings, CN= <OrganizationName> , CN=Microsoft Exchange, CN=Services, CN=Configuration, DC= <DomainName>, DC=com

If the Exchange Server Analyzer finds that the value for msExchSmtpMaxMessageSize is greater than the value for delivContLength, a warning is displayed.

If any SMTP virtual server has a higher message size limit than the global message size limit, it could cause oversize messages to be accepted inbound and then subsequently non-delivered. To resolve this issue, configure the SMTP virtual server with a maximum message size that is equal to or less than the global incoming message size limit.

Note:
If you set the message size limit too low, it could prevent offline address book replication between Exchange Server computers. For more information about this issue, see the Microsoft Knowledge Base article 326154, "XADM: The OAB Does Not Replicate If You Set a Message Size Restriction at the Transport Level" (http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=3052&kbid=326154).

To correct this warning

  1. In Exchange System Manager, expand Servers, then expand an Exchange server, then expand Protocols, then expand SMTP.

  2. Right-click an SMTP virtual server (for example, Default SMTP Virtual Server) and select Properties.

  3. Select the Messages tab.

  4. Edit the value for the Limit message size to (KB) field so that it is equal to or less than the global message size limit.

  5. Click OK to save the changes and to close the Properties dialog box of the SMTP virtual server.

For more information about SMTP virtual server settings, see the following Knowledge Base articles:

For more information about viewing and editing organization-wide settings, see Knowledge Base article 821881, "How to Modify Global Settings in Exchange System Manager" (http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=3052&kbid=821881).

For more information about global message size limits, see the following Knowledge Base articles: