Hector Santos <hsantos(_at_)santronics(_dot_)com> wrote:
In no way I am advocating the following for John to add to 2821bis,
but based on happen here, this is what needs to be added to 4.2.5:
4.2.5. Reply Codes After DATA and the Subsequent <CRLF>.<CRLF>
...
When an SMTP server returns a permanent error status (5yz) code
after the DATA command is completed with <CRLF>.<CRLF>, it MUST NOT
make any subsequent attempt to deliver the message. As with
temporary error status codes, the SMTP client retains responsibility
for the message, but SHOULD not again attempt delivery to the same
server without user review of the message and response and
appropriate intervention.
+ However, there is one exception to this recommendation: If
+ any of the RCPT TO reply codes in a multiple recipients
+ session are 4yz, the client SHOULD again attempt to deliver
+ the message to the same server without requiring user review.
+ See Section 4.5.4.1 for retry strategies.
Finally! I understand Hector's point.
Read carefully:
"
" the SMTP client retains responsibility for the message, but SHOULD
" not again attempt delivery to the same server without user review
" of the message and response and appropriate intervention.
This text _is_ unnecessarily confusing.
It doesn't say _what_ the client shouldn't retry.
And it only deprecates retry to the "same server".
Clearly, most of us have "assumed" what the client shouldn't retry
is the same triplet from-to-data; and assumed we shouldn't retry that
to any other MX server either.
But that is not what the text says. :^(
We _could_ treat this as a typo -- that we always meant to the
same "triplet", not the same "server"; but I'd have to agree with
John Klensin if he says that would exceed the AUTH48 bounds.
(If anyone asks, I cannot support Hector's proposed text...)
--
John Leslie <john(_at_)jlc(_dot_)net>