Fortunately, SMTP MTA queue files may easily be recreated. If you suspect that corruption is a problem, the simplest method of recreating the queue files is to perform the following procedure:

First, stop the SMTP MTA by using the server console command:

Next, wait until the SMTP MTA process reports that it has stopped.

Finally, using the Notes client installed on the Domino server, delete the queue file database by selecting its icon, then select Database->Delete from the File menu.

This will delete the queue file. You may then restart the SMTP MTA by issuing the following console command:

The SMTP MTA load process will automatically recreate the necessary queue files.

Keep in mind that deleting the queue file also deletes any email messages that were stored in the database. If you are in a situation in which you MUST save all of the email within the queues, you can cut and paste documents between the new and old queue databases. Instead of deleting the queue file, you can select Database->Database Copy from the File menu and copy the queue file, giving it a different file name. Next, delete the existing queue file selecting Database->Delete from the File menu.

Restart the SMTP MTA to automatically recreate the queue file. Next, stop the SMTP MTA with the "tell smtpmta quit" console command.

You can then copy and paste the documents from the old queue file to the new. You'll want to start with the newest to the oldest, since it was most likely (but not always) the oldest document in the database that was the one that caused the corruption.

If you have only a few email messages sitting in the queues, you can probably get away with copying and pasting all of them at once (except for the oldest). If you have a lot of email messages in the queue file, you might want to try copying and pasting only a few of them at a time, then reload the SMTP MTA to allow some of the emails to be sent.

Conclusion
Hopefully I've given you some insight into the operation of the SMTP MTA as well as some clues about how to keep it in good operating order. If nothing else, you should get the idea that you're not alone in dealing with problems, some level of problems are to be expected due to the nature of Internet email communication.

The best advice I can give is for you to keep up with the current versions of the SMTP MTA. From my experience, the MTA has grown more stable and feature rich with each version and it is worth spending the time to upgrade regularly.

Much of the information presented here will change in Domino R5, and we'll deal with that subject as R5 becomes more prevalent.

Until then, I'd appreciate knowing if this article was helpful to you. You may contact me at jon@msphub.com.

DominoPower Contributing Editor Nancy Hand is primary Notes admin at a remote site for a large corporation. She earned both Novell and Microsoft certifications in network engineering before being introduced to Lotus Notes. The 3,000 users she supports constantly challenge Nancy to keep up with their creative missteps. With a background in art, she brings a different perspective to working with computers and their users. In the past, Nancy has worked in the fields of accounting, criminal justice, and museum display. To balance the challenges of the job, she continues to draw and sculpt between stabs at writing novels and designing knitware.