XCON: NDR "Invalid Parameters"

The information in this article applies to:

• Microsoft Exchange Server version 4.0

SYMPTOMS

When a message originates from a third-party message transfer agent (MTA) by way of an X.400 connection to the Microsoft Exchange MTA with an administrative management domain (ADMD) that is a space, a non-delivery report (NDR) is generated with the message text "invalid parameters."

CAUSE

This happens because the MTA improperly handles a numeric ADMD. Many third-party MTAs generate a numeric character 0 for a space rather then an alphanumeric null. Microsoft Exchange Server properly supports this in all O/R address fields but not in other parts of the message envelope (for example, MTSID, Bilateral-Info, External and Internal-Trace-Info).

The Microsoft Exchange Server 4.0 MTA does not properly handle the numeric ADMDs; however, the Microsoft Exchange Server 5.0 MTA is able to properly distinguish between numeric and alphanumeric ADMD fields.

WORKAROUND

To work around this issue, do one of the following:

• Change the third-party ADMD to something other than a space.

• Upgrade to Microsoft Exchange Server 5.0.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Microsoft Exchange version 4.0. We are researching this problem and will post new information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.