Troubleshooting mailbox problems
Greetings,
I'm running Dovecot 2.0.9 on my CentOS 6 server, for several thousand mailboxes.
Recently, I've had several reports of "my mailbox is suddenly empty, where'd my mail go?"
I've enabled debug logging, but I'd like to make sure I have the best level of debug to see things like "delete message" commands?
I've configured in logging:
auth_debug = yes auth_debug_passwords = no mail_debug = yes plugin { mail_log_events = delete undelete expunge copy mailbox_delete mailbox_rename mail_log_group_events = yes mail_log_fields = uid box msgid size }
Does this look like a good start? I really think it's a client side problem, but sometimes end users always want to blame the server; and proof must be shown e.g. "Look, here's the log, you're sending delete commands."
At which point, we can proceed with dealing with their software problem.
Thanks,
--
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On 03/10/2016 04:55 PM, Nick Bright wrote:
Greetings,
I'm running Dovecot 2.0.9 on my CentOS 6 server, for several thousand mailboxes.
Recently, I've had several reports of "my mailbox is suddenly empty, where'd my mail go?"
I've enabled debug logging, but I'd like to make sure I have the best level of debug to see things like "delete message" commands?
I've configured in logging:
auth_debug = yes auth_debug_passwords = no mail_debug = yes
mail_plugins= [...] mail_log [..]
plugin { mail_log_events = delete undelete expunge copy mailbox_delete mailbox_rename mail_log_group_events = yes mail_log_fields = uid box msgid size }
Does this look like a good start? I really think it's a client side problem, but sometimes end users always want to blame the server; and proof must be shown e.g. "Look, here's the log, you're sending delete commands."
These parameters should be sufficient to reach your goal.
Best regards, Gordon
Thanks for your reply Gordon, I've added the mail_log to my mail_plugins list in 10-mail.conf
I'm seeing quite a bit of activity in the debug log file, but I'm not exactly sure how to interpret it all - specifically what I should look for when a POP3 or IMAP client is sending delete commands.
Is there a guide on the wiki that I'm not seeing for how to interpret the logs to see this kind of activity?
--
- Nick Bright -
- Vice President of Technology -
- Valnet -=- We Connect You -=- -
- Tel 888-332-1616 x 315 / Fax 620-331-0789 -
- Web http://www.valnet.net/ -
- Are your files safe? -
- Valnet Vault - Secure Cloud Backup -
- More information & 30 day free trial at -
- http://www.valnet.net/services/valnet-vault -
This email message and any attachments are intended solely for the use of the addressees hereof. This message and any attachments may contain information that is confidential, privileged and exempt from disclosure under applicable law. If you are not the intended recipient of this message, you are prohibited from reading, disclosing, reproducing, distributing, disseminating or otherwise using this transmission. If you have received this message in error, please promptly notify the sender by reply E-mail and immediately delete this message from your system.
On 3/10/2016 12:54 PM, Nick Bright wrote:
Thanks for your reply Gordon, I've added the mail_log to my mail_plugins list in 10-mail.conf
I'm seeing quite a bit of activity in the debug log file, but I'm not exactly sure how to interpret it all - specifically what I should look for when a POP3 or IMAP client is sending delete commands.
Is there a guide on the wiki that I'm not seeing for how to interpret the logs to see this kind of activity?
I must have done something wrong, as adding the mail_log to the mail_plugins list made all authentication timeout.
--
- Nick Bright -
- Vice President of Technology -
- Valnet -=- We Connect You -=- -
- Tel 888-332-1616 x 315 / Fax 620-331-0789 -
- Web http://www.valnet.net/ -
- Are your files safe? -
- Valnet Vault - Secure Cloud Backup -
- More information & 30 day free trial at -
- http://www.valnet.net/services/valnet-vault -
This email message and any attachments are intended solely for the use of the addressees hereof. This message and any attachments may contain information that is confidential, privileged and exempt from disclosure under applicable law. If you are not the intended recipient of this message, you are prohibited from reading, disclosing, reproducing, distributing, disseminating or otherwise using this transmission. If you have received this message in error, please promptly notify the sender by reply E-mail and immediately delete this message from your system.
If they are using POP to download messages from any client, make sure the client does a leave on server for at least long enough for other client devices to download the messages.
Cheers A.
On 3/10/2016 3:50 PM, Andrew McGlashan wrote:
If they are using POP to download messages from any client, make sure the client does a leave on server for at least long enough for other client devices to download the messages.
Cheers A. Yes, that's the whole problem.
They SAY that it's set for leave on server, but it's not happening that way.
Essentially, observed behavior does not match the values of settings in the mail clients.
--
- Nick Bright -
- Vice President of Technology -
- Valnet -=- We Connect You -=- -
- Tel 888-332-1616 x 315 / Fax 620-331-0789 -
- Web http://www.valnet.net/ -
- Are your files safe? -
- Valnet Vault - Secure Cloud Backup -
- More information & 30 day free trial at -
- http://www.valnet.net/services/valnet-vault -
This email message and any attachments are intended solely for the use of the addressees hereof. This message and any attachments may contain information that is confidential, privileged and exempt from disclosure under applicable law. If you are not the intended recipient of this message, you are prohibited from reading, disclosing, reproducing, distributing, disseminating or otherwise using this transmission. If you have received this message in error, please promptly notify the sender by reply E-mail and immediately delete this message from your system.
On 11.03.2016 01:18, Nick Bright wrote:
On 3/10/2016 3:50 PM, Andrew McGlashan wrote:
If they are using POP to download messages from any client, make sure the client does a leave on server for at least long enough for other client devices to download the messages.
Cheers A. Yes, that's the whole problem.
They SAY that it's set for leave on server, but it's not happening that way.
Essentially, observed behavior does not match the values of settings in the mail clients.
But with your logging settings above you can prove the client commands.
Best regards, Gordon
participants (3)
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Andrew McGlashan
-
Gordon Grubert
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Nick Bright