Why are messages sometimes delayed when I send out to Yahoo?

Question

I have discovered that messages sent out to Yahoo sometimes do not arrive in a timely manner. Why is this?

Although this affects any system sending mail to yahoo the following log extract shows the problem from a GMS perspective. Is this Yahoo or GMS prematurely closing the connection?

POST 07:56:10.521 P 08383 4220 Start queue yahoo.com (1)
POST 07:56:10.521 P 02137 4220 try MX lookup for yahoo.com
POST 07:56:10.521 P 02138 4220 use MX records for yahoo.com
POST 07:56:10.521 M 02103 4220 found 7 records for yahoo.com using *
POST 07:56:10.521 M 02104 4220   1: c.mx.mail.yahoo.com [206.190.54.127] 1
POST 07:56:10.521 M 02104 4220   2: f.mx.mail.yahoo.com [98.137.54.237] 1
POST 07:56:10.521 M 02104 4220   3: h.mx.mail.yahoo.com [66.94.236.34] 1
POST 07:56:10.521 M 02104 4220   4: a.mx.mail.yahoo.com [67.195.168.31] 1
POST 07:56:10.521 M 02104 4220   5: d.mx.mail.yahoo.com [209.191.88.254] 1
POST 07:56:10.521 M 02104 4220   6: b.mx.mail.yahoo.com [74.6.136.65] 1
POST 07:56:10.521 M 02104 4220   7: g.mx.mail.yahoo.com [98.137.54.238] 1
POST 07:56:10.521 M 00006 4220 Resolved: c.mx.mail.yahoo.com [206.190.54.127]
POST 07:56:13.443 P 02105 4220 sending C:GordanoOutyahoo.comjrnvgoca
   to c.mx.mail.yahoo.com
POST 07:56:13.521 A 02122 4220 220 mta1033.mail.re4.yahoo.com
   ESMTP YSmtp service ready
POST 07:56:13.521 A 00000 4220 EHLO me.you.localtestdomain
POST 07:56:13.583 A 02122 4220 250-mta1033.mail.re4.yahoo.com
POST 07:56:13.583 A 02122 4220 250-8BITMIME
POST 07:56:13.583 A 02122 4220 250-SIZE 41943040
POST 07:56:13.583 A 02122 4220 250 PIPELINING
POST 07:56:13.583 A 00000 4220 MAIL From:<fred@localtestdomain.com> SIZE=774210
POST 07:56:13.630 P 08387 4220 206.190.54.127 c.mx.mail.yahoo.com
   C:GordanoOutyahoo.comjrnvgoca
POST 07:56:13.630 A 02122 4220 250 sender <fred@localtestdomain.com> ok
POST 07:56:13.630 A 00000 4220 RCPT To:<userblah@yahoo.com>
POST 07:56:13.771 A 02122 4220 250 recipient <userblah@yahoo.com> ok
POST 07:56:13.771 A 00000 4220 DATA
POST 07:56:13.818 A 02122 4220 354 go ahead
POST 07:58:39.768 A 00000 4220 .
POST 07:58:39.768 P 08385 4220 206.190.54.127 c.mx.mail.yahoo.com
   C:GordanoOutyahoo.comjrnvgoca Disconnected
POST 07:58:39.768 P 08381 4220 yahoo.com New queue

Answer

This is the remote server (Yahoo in this case) dropping the connection. GMS will re-queue the message in order to try to successfully deliver the message next time it connects.

On the penultimate line from the log extract above, there is an internal alert code ID identifiable only to GMS. This is 08385. Enter this alert ID into the "Log ID" box on the right hand side for a dynamically built page outlining the problem with this specific connection.

Yahoo enforce a stringent Anti Spam policy. Despite the objective being a positive one (to reduce the masses amounts of Unsolicited Commercial E-mail from entering their network), unfortunately these rigorous checks can also delay legitimate sending servers.

More detailed information on Yahoo’s Anti Spam policy can be found HERE.

See Also:

• Why doesnt GMS return the message on a 553 error?

Keywords:yahoo queue delayed delay rejected disconnect