numerous SENDMAIL processes running

[Alexander Fedyashov]

One of the servers has numerous SENDMAIL processes running. The root mail log contains:

Sep 25 15:18:57 ladrvu1 sendmail[6427]: NEN06427: SYSERR(root): mime8to7: multip
art nesting boundary too deep
Sep 25 15:18:57 ladrvu1 sendmail[6427]: NEN06427: to=root, delay=00:00:00, maile
r=local, stat=queued
Sep 25 15:18:58 ladrvu1 sendmail[6427]: OEC14131: NEO06427: return to sender: Ca
nnot send message within 5 days
Sep 25 15:18:58 ladrvu1 sendmail[6427]: NEO06427: SYSERR(root): mime8to7: multip
art nesting boundary too deep
Sep 25 15:18:58 ladrvu1 sendmail[6427]: NEO06427: to=root, delay=00:00:00, maile
r=local, stat=queued
Sep 25 15:18:58 ladrvu1 sendmail[6427]: OED14131: NEP06427: return to sender: Ca
nnot send message within 5 days
Sep 25 15:18:58 ladrvu1 sendmail[6427]: NEP06427: SYSERR(root): mime8to7: multip
art nesting boundary too deep
Sep 25 15:18:58 ladrvu1 sendmail[6427]: NEP06427: to=root, delay=00:00:00, maile
r=local, stat=queued
Sep 25 15:18:59 ladrvu1 sendmail[6427]: OAA15763: NEQ06427: return to sender: Ca
nnot send message within 5 days
Sep 25 15:18:59 ladrvu1 sendmail[6427]: NEQ06427: to=root, delay=00:00:00, maile
r=local, stat=queued
Sep 25 15:20:01 ladrvu1 sendmail[11554]: NOQUEUE: SYSERR(root): NIS map mail.ali
ases specified, but NIS not running: Socket operation on non-socket

Any help will be apprecaited.
Thanks,
Alex

[Steven E. Protter]

Shalom Alex,

You have undeliverable mail.

Check that DNS works and that port 25 outbound will work.

Make sure /etc/nsswitch.conf is configured to permit DNS resolution.

SEP

[A. Clay Stephenson]

Normally there is one instance of sendmail running as a daemon to receive mail and then there can be n instances of sendmail running as mail is sent. These senders should be rather short-lived and terminate as their work is done. You obviously have a problem. I would kill all of these processes and clear the mail queue and then try to send a very simple message to a server within your own domain. If that works then try one outside your domain. Examine the log file. It's much easier to debug when you start from a known starting point. Note that you seem to be trying to use NIS but NIS is having problems. That could mean thaat NIS is not working or it could simply mean that sendmail has been incorrectly configured to use NIS when it shouldn't.

[Steven E. Protter]

Shalom again,

When sendmail is receiving or sending mail, it can and does spawn processes. The daemon itself normally limits the number of simultaneous processes.

If I run sendmail -v -q twice, there will be two queue runner process trying to deliver the mail.

Go ahead and kill the processes but don't be surprised if they come back.

SEP

[whiteknight]

Alex,

If recalled this issue correctly, it was due to sendmail patch was not installed.

please check the patch has installed?
11.11 (sendmail 8.9.3) PHNE_35950
11.23 (sendmail 8.11.1) PHNE_35951


WK

[Dennis Handly]

Use the mailq(1) command to get an idea how many messages with problems.