Bug#780578: Default retry configuration unsuitable and dangerous on i.e. laptops

[Joachim Breitner]

Package: exim4-config
Version: 4.84-8
Severity: normal

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
Hash: SHA1

Hi,

I have been a hit a few times by a deficiency in the default retry
configuration, that prevents any mail from being sent in this not
uncommon situation:

The machine is a laptop, and delivers mail to a smarthost. Now consider
that for a few days, the internet connection comes up with a delay, e.g.
captive portal in a hotel where you first have to enter login data, or
or a VPN that has to be manually brought up, or a bug like #780256. If
there is a mail in the queue when the machine is booted, exim tries to
deliver it right when it is started, but that fails, as the network
connection is not yet full up. So it delays it for a ever longer time.
Everytime the retry time expires while the machine is not online, the
same thing happens, and the retry time is prolonged even more. 

I have had several days of outgoing mail piled up on my laptop without
me noticing -- obvoiusly that is a serious misfeature.

Here is one suggestion: If the machine is set up to deliver to a
smarthost, use a different retry schedule that is much more aggressive,
i.e. try it every 15 min without ever giving up.

Or, considering that the retry machinery in the current form is most
useful for always-up “real” mail servers: Reset all retry times when
exim is started, or when the machine is booted.


Thanks for looking into this,
Joachim


- -- Package-specific info:
Exim version 4.84 #3 built 17-Feb-2015 17:45:49
Copyright (c) University of Cambridge, 1995 - 2014
(c) The Exim Maintainers and contributors in ACKNOWLEDGMENTS file, 2007 - 2014
Berkeley DB: Berkeley DB 5.3.28: (September  9, 2013)
Support for: crypteq iconv() IPv6 GnuTLS move_frozen_messages DKIM PRDR OCSP
Lookups (built-in): lsearch wildlsearch nwildlsearch iplsearch cdb dbm dbmjz dbmnz dnsdb dsearch nis nis0 passwd
Authenticators: cram_md5 plaintext
Routers: accept dnslookup ipliteral manualroute queryprogram redirect
Transports: appendfile/maildir/mailstore autoreply lmtp pipe smtp
Fixed never_users: 0
Size of off_t: 8
Configuration file is /var/lib/exim4/config.autogenerated

- -- System Information:
Debian Release: 8.0
  APT prefers unstable
  APT policy: (500, 'unstable'), (101, 'experimental')
Architecture: amd64 (x86_64)
Foreign Architectures: i386, armhf

Kernel: Linux 3.16.0-4-amd64 (SMP w/4 CPU cores)
Locale: LANG=de_DE.utf8, LC_CTYPE=de_DE.utf8 (charmap=UTF-8)
Shell: /bin/sh linked to /bin/dash
Init: systemd (via /run/systemd/system)

Versions of packages exim4-config depends on:
ii  adduser                3.113+nmu3
ii  debconf [debconf-2.0]  1.5.55

exim4-config recommends no packages.

exim4-config suggests no packages.

- -- Configuration Files:
/etc/exim4/passwd.client [Errno 13] Keine Berechtigung: u'/etc/exim4/passwd.client'

- -- debconf information:
* exim4/mailname: ehbuehl.net
  exim4/exim4-config-title:
  exim4/no_config: true
* exim4/dc_local_interfaces: 127.0.0.1 ; ::1
  exim4/dc_postmaster: jojo
  exim4/dc_relay_nets:
* exim4/dc_minimaldns: false
  exim4/dc_localdelivery: mbox format in /var/mail/
  exim4/hide_mailname: true
* exim4/dc_readhost: ehbuehl.net
* exim4/dc_smarthost: 10.254.1.104
  exim4/dc_relay_domains:
* exim4/dc_other_hostnames: ehbuehl.net
* exim4/dc_eximconfig_configtype: mail sent by smarthost; no local mail
* exim4/use_split_config: false

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE-----
Version: GnuPG v1

iEYEARECAAYFAlUGnzgACgkQ9ijrk0dDIGx70ACfVU/fmPoaQ5hqA6BvLUr4GRaA
tkwAmwZrMu9xhiwRRTHXrVMsy6SyyzZe
=U7Os
-----END PGP SIGNATURE-----