Follow these steps to troubleshoot Email Notification Issue
- Get familiar with technology in the About part.
- Check for known issues in the Known issues part.
- Follow to Troubleshooting part to troubleshoot and resolve the issue.
About Email notifications
Email notifications are used to send emails about operations results, interactions, alerts:
- Operations results: Backup success/failure etc.
- Interactions: in case an operation requires User interaction.
- Alerts
See more in following articles:
Acronis Backup & Recovery: Setting Up E-Mail Notifications
Web Help: Configuring E-mail Notifications
Known Issues
| Title | SER CODE | Status |
|---|---|---|
| E-mail notification will fail if SMTP server does not support DATA command | 0x014F0020+0x014F0015 0x014F0015 | Please configure the server to accept DATA command |
| E-mail notification fails if SMTP server uses TLS encryption. | 0x014F0020+0x014F000E | Fixed since build 37975 |
| E-mail notification is not sent when task is manually cancelled by user | Product design | |
| Acronis Backup 12.5 and 12: how to set up Gmail as Email server | Enable access for less secure apps |
Troubleshooting
Follow step-by-step instructions below to troubleshoot the issue. Complete prerequisites step before proceeding to error troubleshooting step.
1. Prerequisites
Check your mail server configuration. Acronis supports only SMTP protocol for sending messages. If you are trying to connect to Exchange server make sure it is configured properly: Configuring Exchange Server for E-mail notifications (Use solution from Exchange 2007 for Exchange 2010 and 2013).
If this requirement is met and issue still persists, go to error troubleshooting step.
2. Error troubleshooting
Complete all steps before proceeding to collect information step.
2.1 Test e-mail notification works but regular e-mail notifications about backups fail
Most probably you are testing email notification from Acronis Management Server, however the backup e-mail notifications are sent from Acronis agents installed on the managed machines. On the Management Server, navigate to Machines with Agents and connect directly to agent that failed to send a notification. Click Options -> Machine Options. Send test e-mail from E-mail Notification options menu. It will fail too. Proceed to the next troubleshooting steps.
2.2 Antivirus Software
If any firewall, antivirus or other security software is installed on the machine, make sure that the following Acronis processess are added to the list of trusted applications in the security software:
Acronis Software: Making Acronis Products Compatible with Antivirus Software
Acronis Software: Making Acronis Products Compatible with Third-Party Firewall Software
For the full list of Acronis processess please refer here: Acronis Backup & Recovery 11.7/11.5: Windows Services and Processes.
2.3 Use correct Ports for the servers and encryption settings
Use correct Ports for the SMTP server.
- Typical port for unsecured connection: 25
- SSL: 465
- TLS: 587
Use correct Ports for the POP3 server if "Login to POP3 server before SMTP" is required.
- Typical port for unsecured connection: 110
- TLS/SSL: 995
If you are not sure what port is your server is configured to be working on or about encryption you can use telnet to check: on a machine where your emails work fine in your email client use telnet to check above ports. If the telnet works on specific port - then your server listens on it and you can use the encryption settings from above for the particular port. E.G. if your SMTP server listens on port 465 then you most likely have to set encryption to SSL to send notifications.
You can also check if specific settings are correct by manually sending email through telnet.
2.4 Check Firewall and Network
This is the most common cause in case test e-mail notifications from the Management Server are sent correctly, but fail to be sent from the Agent machine. Sometimes there are specific firewall rules that forbid specific machines from accessing the SMTP server. In this case use telnet to check if the ports are accessible from the agents. To find what ports you need refer to 2.3 of this article.
2.5 Incorrect Settings specified for the SMTP server.
Make sure that you are really using correct settings for the SMTP server. If you are using some kind of SMTP service provider such as Gmail then please refer to their support pages such as this one Gmail settings for Mail Clients. If you have your own SMTP server please refer to its configuration to be sure.
Do not enable encryption in ABR if it is not required by the server.
Do not enable "Login to POP server before SMTP" if it is not required by the server.
If these steps have been executed and the issue still persists, collect the information listed below and contact Acronis Support for further help.
3. Collect information
Collect following information and contact Acronis Support.
3.1 Error message
Issue description and full error message or log of the backup plan (right-click on the plan -> Log -> Events -> Save to file).
Also provide result of working with a gmail account.
3.2 Screenshots of notifications settings
Create screenshots of notifications settings in Acronis Backup including the advanced parameters.
3.3 Screenshot of telnet working
Picture of working Telnet from the machine in question to the SMTP server on the port that you use.
3.4 System Report
Collect System Report from the machine in question: see instruction for Acronis Backup & Recovery 11.7/11.5 Generating System Report, if this fails for any reason, you can use this AcronisInfo Utility.
If Centralized Backup plan is used System Report from the Management Server is also required.