RE: [exim] SMTP Transport: Try different interfaces

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Author: Jan-Peter Koopmann
Date:  
To: Bill Hacker, Exim Users Mailing List
CC: 
Subject: RE: [exim] SMTP Transport: Try different interfaces
Hi,

> There are differences in naming and configuration between
> Linux and FreeBSD in this area, but their overall
> capabilities are essentially the same - or certainly can be
> made to be with with available ports.


Thanks. :-) I am well aware of this. I was really referring to iproute2 in particular.

> No time here to research and offer specifics, but the general
> gist of the advice you were offered was to let filter and
> routing rules handle the alt-routing/failover/route-selection outside
> of Exim.
>
> Good advice, IMHO.


Thanks. I know this as well and we spent about 3 days figuring this problem out on a network level. Fact is that the used equipment simply does not provide a mechanism to detect a failure on the secondary line. If it does not detect a failure the source route will be active and exim packets will try to go out the faulty line. From Exim/FreeBSDs point of view the default route is always the router/firewall regardless of what line is used for outbound traffic so unless this router is capable of switching lines in that direction as well I am screwed. Unless of course Exim is trying a second interface which is not source-routed and therefore will use the primary line...

> Sorry not to have time for specifics.. but we have used such
> techniques, and it can be a good way to go


Trust me: If this could be done on the network layer I surely would not considering patching exims code... I am not _that_ insane! :-)

Regards and thanks for the advice,
JP