Technical Blog Post
Abstract
E-mail Related Problems? Let the Logging Do the Talking
Body
Providing logging up front is MustGather for troubleshooting in general and this entry provides the MustGather for troubleshooting email communications in particular. This includes whether the problem is server communication, outgoing, incoming, formatted, non-formatted, or template related.
Websphere is assumed otherwise consult your application server's documentation.
Websphere is assumed otherwise consult your application server's documentation.
1) Be generous with application server log rotation:
In the Websphere administrative console this can be adjusted under Logging and Tracing > Server Name > JVM Logs
2) Add and enable JavaMail mail.debug in System Properties:
mail.debug = true
JavaMail debug has characteristic appearance. It shows in detail the application server's JavaMail communication sessions with the email server including raw email in transfer. It includes strings such as DEBUG <protocol? (e.g. DEBUG SMTP).
This is not an optional step; including this is non-negotiable. This output is not only relevant to email server connectivity problems.
This is not an optional step; including this is non-negotiable. This output is not only relevant to email server connectivity problems.
4) Reproduce the problematic scenario:
Perform a test case that causes the problematic behavior to occur.
5) Check:
Before sending the logs, check them to make sure they contain the information requested.
The logs you will send will include:
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In conclusion, including all possible information upfront will reduce the number of back and forth "trips" necessary to find the root cause and solution of email problems.
- ALL MXServer activity since the restart in step # 3 as contained in SystemOut and SystemErr. No screen shots, cut & paste jobs or fragments of log files.
- JavaMail debug output (DEBUG SMTP or POP3 or IMAP output, raw incoming/outgoing communications visible, etc.).
- Error indications from the scenario
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In conclusion, including all possible information upfront will reduce the number of back and forth "trips" necessary to find the root cause and solution of email problems.
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UID
ibm11133805