Internet mail - status confirmation

[Bruce Pullen]

Is there a unix command to confirm that internet mail is running and reaching recipients.

[David Rodman]

A single command - no.
You can verify the mail progam is running by
ps -ef | grep sendmail

You can see the pending mail queue by
mailq

Assuming a default install, you can see logged messages
leaving your system by
more /var/adm/syslog/mail.log

[Charles McCary]

Bruce,

I'm assuming from your question that you're going to try and implement some sort of script to check and make sure that sendmail is working correctly, if that is the case:

# example script
IS_IT_EMPTY=`mailq`
IS_IT_RUNNING=`ps -eaf | grep sendmail | grep -v grep`

if [ "${IS_IT_EMPTY}" = "Mail queue is empty" ]
then
if [ "${IS_IT_RUNNING}" != '' ]
then
echo "its running"
else
echo "there's a problem w/ sendmail"
else
echo "mailq not empty"
fi

[someone_4]

Here is a menu script that have that does everything. The good part is that this makes it easy for anyone to check things.


# by Richard Leon
export TERM=vt100
clear
trap "echo User Aborted Command" 2
while [ "${X}" != "Q" ]
do
clear
echo ""
echo ""
echo " Welcome to Mail Surveillance & Troubleshooting Main Menu"
echo ""
echo " ********************************************************************"
echo "The rules of engagement are as follow:"
echo "PRESS 'Q' to quit this program and then type 'exit' to logout"
echo "PRESS 'Ctrl-C' to break out of a runnnig option "
echo ""
echo " ***Please look closely - These options have changed***"
echo "-------------------------------------------------------------------------"
echo ""
echo "PRESS '1': To check the mail queue"
echo ""
echo "PRESS '2': To view mail logs"
echo ""
echo "PRESS '3': To clear mail logs"
echo ""
echo "PRESS '4': To stop sendmail"
echo ""
echo "PRESS '5': To start sendmail"
echo ""
echo "PRESS '6': To grep for sendmail"
echo ""
echo "-------------------------------------------------------------------------"
echo ""
echo " make you choice: \c";read X
echo ""
##########################################
# MAIL QUEUE
if [ "${X}" -eq "1" ]; then
clear
echo "PRESS 'Ctrl-C' to break out of a runnnig option "
echo ""
mailq
echo ""
echo " Press Enter to Continue... \c"; read C
fi
#############################################
# VIew Logs
if [ "${X}" -eq "2" ]; then
cd /var/adm/syslog
clear
echo "PRESS 'Ctrl-C' to break out of a runnnig option "
echo ""
more mail.log
echo ""
echo " Press Enter to Continue... \c"; read C
fi
#############################################
# clear Logs
if [ "${X}" -eq "3" ]; then
cd /var/adm/syslog
clear
echo "PRESS 'Ctrl-C' to break out of a runnnig option "
echo ""
> mail.log
echo " Mail.log is cleared "
echo ""
echo " Press Enter to Continue... \c"; read C
fi
#############################################
# Stop Sendmail
if [ "${X}" -eq "4" ]; then
clear
echo ""
echo " Are you sure you want to stop sendmail?"
echo " Press 1 for YES or 2 for NO: \c";read Y
if [ "${Y}" -eq "1" ]; then
clear
/sbin/init.d/sendmail stop
echo ""
echo "Sendmail Has Stopped"
echo ""
fi
if [ "${Y}" -eq "2" ]; then
clear
echo ""
echo "You Decided not to Stop Sendmail"
echo ""
fi
echo " Press Enter to Continue... \c"; read C
fi
#############################################
# Start Sendmail
if [ "${X}" -eq "5" ]; then
clear
echo ""
echo " Are you sure you want to start sendmail?"
echo " Press 1 for YES or 2 for NO: \c";read Y
if [ "${Y}" -eq "1" ]; then
clear
/sbin/init.d/sendmail start
echo ""
echo "Sendmail Has Stopped"
echo ""
fi
if [ "${Y}" -eq "2" ]; then
clear
echo ""
echo "You Decided not to Start Sendmail"
echo ""
fi
echo " Press Enter to Continue... \c"; read C
fi
##############################################
# Grep Sendmail
if [ "${X}" -eq "6" ]; then
clear
echo "PRESS 'Ctrl-C' to break out of a runnnig option "
echo ""
ps -ef | grep sendmail | grep -v grep
echo ""
echo " Press Enter to Continue... \c"; read C
fi
#############################################



done
clear

[someone_4]

Also on sendmail you can do
______________________________
sendmail -v user@domain.com
Text you want to send
.
____________________________
The . at the end sends the email.
This will show you allot of info that is helpfull in trouble shooting where the mail is going and where it is dying.

Richard

[Bruce Pullen]

Thanks to everyone for your assistance. We'll be using this info forthwith!

[Robin Wakefield]

Another quick tip - if your queue is v. large, mailq can take a while, especially if all you want is the total number of messages currently in the queue.

Use:

mailq -Omaxqueuerunsize=1

to speed things up.

Robin.