Backup Exec 12.5 Notifications - SMTP Authentication not working

[rziebacz]

Hi

I've configured SMTP authentications in Backup Exec 12.5. My SMTP server is outside and requires SMTP authentication. I don't use exchange server or local SMTP. The problem is: even if you check smtp authentication in backup exec and enter data properly the authentication does not work. I checked it using sniffer and I realized that BE 12,5 notifications behawior is the same if you set SMTP authentication or not. I configured Outlook Express on this server and it works fine. I have WSUS on the same server and WSUS notifications (the same e-mail address like in BE) works ok.

What can I do to solve it?

[Dev_T]

Hello,

Please check the link:
http://support.veritas.com/docs/282931
Notifications configured to be sent with SMTP mail in Backup Exec 12.x are not being sent.

[rziebacz]

Thanks, but I've already read it. In my case even test e-mail is not being sent. I'm sure the issue is that SMTP authentication does not work in BE. I would like to know if there is any path or work around. BE is trying to sent e-mail notifications but without SMTP authentication (even if checked), witch my SMTP server is not accepting.

[rziebacz]

Any ideas? :)

[Dev_T]

Hello,

This is a known issue with Backup Exec.

Please find the KB:
http://support.veritas.com/docs/290886
SMTP notification configured to be sent from Backup Exec for Windows Servers, requiring authentication to the SMTP server, fails to be sent

[Eddie_Stevens]

Symantec indicates that BackupExec SMTP Notification does not work on SMTP servers that require authentication, even though they provide options for entering SMTP authentication credentials. According to Symantec Document number 290886 (http://support.veritas.com/docs/290886) this is a known issue that will be addressed in the next major release of BackupExec, presumably after version 12.5. I have found this information to be only partially true.

I am a computer consultant and I work with a number of companies that use BackupExec. I recently ran into this SMTP issue with a new client, but I was sure that I had been able to get SMTP authentication to work for one of my other clients. I double checked and found that, sure enough, it was working for one of my other clients. I did a little more testing and research and this is what I found.

There are apparently several different methods of SMTP authentication. BackupExec apparently uses a command set that is not supported by a number of mail servers, but that is supported by some. So if you are lucky enough to be using an SMTP server that supports the command set used by BackupExec then you are all set. If you are not, then a workaround is to setup an account on a SMTP server that does support the command set used by BackupExec.

The client that I have that has BackupExec SMTP authentication working properly has their E-mail hosted by a company called CrystalTech (http://www.crystaltech.com). I contacted CrystalTech and found that they were using a mail server solution called Smartermail. I don’t know if this is just a setting within Smartermail or if BackupExec will work with all implementations of Smartermail. Furthermore, I do not know which other mail server packages will work and which ones will not. I have not had the time to research the specifics of this further, but for now, my workaround is to setup E-mail accounts with CrystalTech for all of my clients that want BackupExec to send E-mail notifications.

I hope that Symantec will fix this issue soon, but for now, there is at least a workaround. I hope this helps anyone needing a more immediate solution to the BackupExec SMTP problem.

[Eddie_Stevens]

Symantec indicates that BackupExec SMTP Notification does not work on SMTP servers that require authentication, even though they provide options for entering SMTP authentication credentials. According to Symantec Document number 290886 (http://support.veritas.com/docs/290886) this is a known issue that will be addressed in the next major release of BackupExec, presumably after version 12.5. I have found this information to be only partially true.

I am a computer consultant and I work with a number of companies that use BackupExec. I recently ran into this SMTP issue with a new client, but I was sure that I had been able to get SMTP authentication to work for one of my other clients. I double checked and found that, sure enough, it was working for one of my other clients. I did a little more testing and research and this is what I found.

There are apparently several different methods of SMTP authentication. BackupExec apparently uses a command set that is not supported by a number of mail servers, but that is supported by some. So if you are lucky enough to be using an SMTP server that supports the command set used by BackupExec then you are all set. If you are not, then a workaround is to setup an account on a SMTP server that does support the command set used by BackupExec.

The client that I have that has BackupExec SMTP authentication working properly has their E-mail hosted by a company called CrystalTech (http://www.crystaltech.com). I contacted CrystalTech and found that they were using a mail server solution called Smartermail. I don’t know if this is just a setting within Smartermail or if BackupExec will work with all implementations of Smartermail. Furthermore, I do not know which other mail server packages will work and which ones will not. I have not had the time to research the specifics of this further, but for now, my workaround is to setup E-mail accounts with CrystalTech for all of my clients that want BackupExec to send E-mail notifications.

I hope that Symantec will fix this issue soon, but for now, there is at least a workaround. I hope this helps anyone needing a more immediate solution to the BackupExec SMTP problem.

[George_M_]

We too have the problem with setting up email notification through BUExec 12.5. We have an outside SMTP server and no authority to access to an Exchange server. Is the SMTP authentication issue resolved in the 2010 product? I would think the 2010 product is a new release and the referenced article below indicates the issue would be taclkeled in the next release.

According to Symantec Document number 290886 (http://support.veritas.com/docs/290886) this is a known issue that will be addressed in the next major release of BackupExec, presumably after version 12.5.

Thank you.

GM