PowerProtect smtp_send.py generates error: 'NoneType' object has no attribute 'encode'

Summary: The PowerProtect Data Manager is used to protect the environment and "Support > Email Setup" is being configured to receive email notifications.

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Symptoms

The Email Setup test email fails indicating to validate the Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) details.

Error
104: Sending the test email failed. Socket error : mailserver.mydomain.com
Verify the SMTP details and try again.

PowerProtect Data Manager contains the /usr/local/brs/bin/smtp_send.py script to help troubleshoot SMTP-related issues. The script fails to run and generates the following information:

admin@my-ppdm:~> /usr/local/brs/bin/smtp_send.py -HOST mailserver.mydomain.com -FROM test_email_address@dell.com -PORT 25 -ARGS True -S "PowerProtect Data Manager test email" -C plain -R test_email_address@dell.com
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/usr/local/brs/bin/smtp_send.py", line 338, in <module>
    main()
  File "/usr/local/brs/bin/smtp_send.py", line 308, in main
    outer.attach(MIMEText(args.body, args.content_type))
  File "/usr/lib64/python3.4/email/mime/text.py", line 33, in {}init{}
    _text.encode('us-ascii')
AttributeError: 'NoneType' object has no attribute 'encode'

Cause

The smtp_send.py help shows that all commands are optional, but most of them are required:

admin@my-ppdm:~> /usr/local/brs/bin/smtp_send.py -h

usage: smtp_send.py [-h] [-HOST MAILSERVER] [-PORT PORT] [-USER USERNAME]
                    [-PASS PASSWORD] [-FROM MAILFROM] [-ARGS USEARGS]
                    [-R RECIPIENTS [RECIPIENTS ...]] [-S SUBJECT]
                    [-C CONTENT_TYPE]
                    [-T {MAIL_BODY_AS_ARGUMENT,MAIL_BODY_AS_ATTACHMENT,MAIL_BODY_FROM_FILE}]
                    [-p TIMEOUT] [--hide] [-F FILENAME | -B BODY]
optional arguments:
  -h, --help            show this help message and exit
  -HOST MAILSERVER      Mail server
  -PORT PORT            Mail port
  -USER USERNAME        Mail username
  -PASS PASSWORD        Mail password
  -FROM MAILFROM        Mail from
  -ARGS USEARGS         Use args
  -R RECIPIENTS [RECIPIENTS ...]
                        Mail recipients
  -S SUBJECT            Mail subject
  -C CONTENT_TYPE       Content Type
  -T {MAIL_BODY_AS_ARGUMENT,MAIL_BODY_AS_ATTACHMENT,MAIL_BODY_FROM_FILE}
                        Message type
  -p TIMEOUT            Timeout in minutes
  --hide                hide to field from recipients
  -F FILENAME, --Files FILENAME
                        File to be attached
  -B BODY, --Body BODY  Message body

Resolution

All the options referenced must be used while using the smtp_send.py script instead of relying on the "help" command output. Example syntax and output:

admin@my-ppdm:~> /usr/local/brs/bin/smtp_send.py -HOST mailserver.mydomain.com -FROM test_email_address@dell.com -PORT 25 -ARGS True -T MAIL_BODY_AS_ARGUMENT -S "PowerProtect Data Manager test email" -B "This is a test email from a PowerProtect Data Manager appliance" -C plain -R test_email_address@dell.com
2023-11-08 18:05:10.150515 INFO : Sending email with subject : PowerProtect Data Manager test email
2023-11-08 18:05:10.866943 INFO : sending mail
2023-11-08 18:05:11.071116 INFO : result: {}
admin@my-ppdm:~>

Additional Information

Required arguments: 
  -HOST MAILSERVER      Mail server
  -FROM MAILFROM        Mail from
  -ARGS USEARGS         Use args
  -R RECIPIENTS [RECIPIENTS ...]
                        Mail recipients
  -S SUBJECT            Mail subject
  -C CONTENT_TYPE       Content Type
  -T {MAIL_BODY_AS_ARGUMENT,MAIL_BODY_AS_ATTACHMENT,MAIL_BODY_FROM_FILE}
                        Message type
  -B BODY, --Body BODY  Message body
Optional arguments: 
  -h, --help            show this help message and exit
  -PORT PORT            Mail port
  -USER USERNAME        Mail username
  -PASS PASSWORD        Mail password
  -p TIMEOUT            Timeout in minutes
  --hide                hide to field from recipients
  -F FILENAME, --Files FILENAME
                        File to be attached
Article Properties
Article Number: 000219362
Article Type: Solution
Last Modified: 03 Dec 2025
Version:  3
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