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dellUser3344

updated

4 years ago

0

2217

March 23rd, 2022 15:00

SMTP mail alerts with TLS

Hi all,

I'm using SMTP virtual server installed on windows server 2016 to relay mail alerts from iDRAC 8. Current setup of SMTP virtual server allows anonymous access with TLS disabled and this is working. I'm getting mails from iDRAC.

But I want to use TLS with user authentication and when I enable TLS on SMTP virtual server with user authentication I'm getting that annoying "Sending the test mail failed" message from iDRAC.

I've tested this from computers that are within and outside of AD and everything is working, SMTP server successfully relays mail to public SMTP server. I've check and TLS 1.2 is working on SMTP virtual server. 

So currently I'm stuck and don't know how to troubleshoot this issue.

It would be really helpful if iDRAC 8 has any debug logs for SMTP server, but I didn't find any. If anyone knows how to get more info (debug logs) on iDRAC SMTP server or any idea on what could cause a problem in this setup, tnx in advance.

Server:     R230
Bios:         2.12.0
Firmware: 2.82.82.82

If any extra info is needed, just ask.

 
  • DELL-Young E

    Moderator

    5421 Posts

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    Posted March 23rd, 2022 22:00

    Hi, thanks for choosing Dell.

     

    https://dell.to/3uofoKL

     

     

    https://dell.to/3qt0Bgz

     

    Have you configured SMTP authentication?

     

    Social Media and Communities Professional

    Dell Technologies | Enterprise Support Services

    #IWork4Dell

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  • 1036

    0

    Posted March 24th, 2022 02:00

    Hi,

    yes, I've configured authentication on iDRAC SMTP.

    But since there isn't any logs for this part I'm blind and don't know is there something regarding SMTP virtual server certificate or this user/pwd part. Kinda leaning toward that there is something regarding certificate that iDRAC doesn't like, don't know.

    But on the other side, I've used PowerShell Send-MailMessage to test SMTP virtual server from other computers and didn't get any warnings/issues regarding certificate.


  • DiegoLopez

    6 Operator

    2668 Posts

    1025

    0

    Posted March 24th, 2022 09:00

    Hello @dellUser3344,


    So did you followed the steps of the suggested articles? As you can see there is not much configuration we can do on iDRAC level. Are you sure the server is configured to accept unauthenticated connections?


    Regards.

  • 1005

    0

    Posted March 25th, 2022 06:00

    Hi Diego,

    the only option on SMTP virtual server is unauthenticated access, which isn't working when TLS is enabled.

    I've tested yesterday a SMTP starttls connection with openssl from linux machine which isn't joined to AD, and the only "issue" I got in log was "unable to get local issuer certificate". But this didn't affect the login process.

    Here is the image:
    SMTP_test_public.JPG

    Username and password are encoded with following cmd:

     

    echo -n "username or pwd" | openssl enc -base64

     

    My setup contains offline root CA and a subordinate CA (joined to AD) which issues certificates. So the only way (that I know of) to solve the "unable to get local issuer certificate" issue is to add root CA to some kind of trusted root CA store. Don't know if iDRAC has something like that. Also HTTPS with valid certificate is successfully setup on iDRAC.

    But the question remains if this is causing problems on iDRAC SMTP mail alert?

  • DiegoLopez

    6 Operator

    2668 Posts

    999

    0

    Posted March 25th, 2022 09:00

    Hello @dellUser3344,


    I cannot be sure.  Do you have any way to test it outside of this configuration? 


    Regards.

  • 989

    0

    Posted March 25th, 2022 16:00

    Hi Diego,

    just tried with gmail SMTP, and it's not working. 

    "DNS iDRAC Name" and "Static DNS Domain Name" under iDRAC Settings -> Network->Common settings are set to "idrac01" and my AD domain. 

    SMTP server and port under "SMTP (Email) Server Address Settings" are set to "smtp.gmail.com" and 587. Using my gmail account, but without @gmail.com.

    Also tried a different "tips" under following thread:
    https://www.dell.com/community/Systems-Management-General/E-Mail-Alerting-iDRAC7-Gmail/td-p/4235677/page/2

    But nothing helped, always end up with RAC0225 error message.

    Also, I've updated iDRAC bios to 2.13.0, if it makes any difference.

  • DELL-Young E

    Moderator

    5421 Posts

    37 Points

    949

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    Posted March 27th, 2022 21:00

    Hi, could we try this

     

     

    https://dell.to/3NrGBot

    to verify the SMTP settings?

    Social Media and Communities Professional

    Dell Technologies | Enterprise Support Services

    #IWork4Dell

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  • 928

    0

    Posted March 28th, 2022 15:00

    Hi Young,

    thank you for this suggestion, it is really a handy tool. 

    Now we are getting somewhere. This is the message I get from Troubleshooting tool.



    dellUser3344_0-1648507378510.png


    And in my SMTP virtual server logs I can see that STARTTLS message isn't sent from it.

    dellUser3344_1-1648508146854.png


    So Troubleshooting tool doesn't send STARTTLS and it gets rejected while Powershell cmd starts with STARTTLS cmd and successfully sends it.

  • DELL-Young E

    Moderator

    5421 Posts

    37 Points

    917

    0

    Posted March 29th, 2022 00:00

    Hi, I'm not an expert on this tool but 

     

    https://dell.to/3Dysolr

    How to configure Integrated Dell Remote Access Controller (iDRAC) Email Alerts | Dell US

     

    Could you upgrade iDRAC 9 and follow the steps from here?

     

    Social Media and Communities Professional

    Dell Technologies | Enterprise Support Services

    #IWork4Dell

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  • 375

    0

    Posted March 29th, 2022 01:00

    Hi,

    I have iDRAC 8, and it's up-to-date based on downloads.dell.com

    My DNS settings:



    dellUser3344_0-1648541106727.png


    My Alerts are enabled:

    dellUser3344_1-1648541167829.png

    Destination and mail settings:

    dellUser3344_2-1648541460651.png


    So basically all is set as mentioned in:
    https://dell.to/3Dysolr

    My SMTP virtual server is working, and I'm able to send mail from:
        - windows pc joind to AD domain with powershell cmd
        - windows pc not joined to AD with powershell cmd
        - linux pc not joined to AD with postfix