Google Apps Dual Deployment

[ixie02]

I'm having a problem with Google Apps. Although it is working, the primary domain and one alias remains in the 'checking MX records' status. The alias is another domain that I added so that mail can be sent from it within Google Apps without the dreaded 'on behalf of' message.

My scenario is this: I must implement Google Apps as dual deployment/delivery as only one email account of my client, out of many, will be moving to Google Apps. This means that the dns records for the primary domain must remain untouched so all mail to that domain will be delivered just as it is and not be interupted. I will forward one email account from that domain to a sub domain where the mx records point to google and that alias has been invoked in Google Apps. All of that is working fine.

Now, the problem is that Google never stops checking the MX records of my primary domain and one other alias whose MX records I can't change either as they must still point to normal email server. These domains dns remain unchanged on VT, exactly the way they tell you to do in Google's documentation. Obviously Google is looking for something in the domains dns and not finding it because it never stops checking (7days now) for the proper MX record set up. I don't know what Google wants to see there and I've search high and low on the web and have found no meaningful information or dns examples. Has anyone done anything like this and can clue me in to what Google is looking for in my primary domain's dns. I can't change the MX records because that mail needs to be delivered to sphere just as always.

Also, I do not want to use Google Apps email routing capability.

[dpyers]

SPF records?

[ixie02]

I am using google's spf records for the alias's, but do not want to change any dns on the primary domain. Do you think if I deleted the spf record on the primary and added google's that it would then pass the 'mx record check? I can always put the correct spf record back in.

[dpyers]

There was a problem with the spf records google said to use. Don't know if it was ever fixed, but this was an article I had bookmarked about it:

http://www.hybrid6.com/webgeek/2009/...oogle-apps.php

[ixie02]

Thanks dpyers for the tip, but my problem hasn't gotten far enough to the point where Google Apps is inadvertently flagging valid emails as spam. The problem is that the 'checking mx records process' never ends. I'm thinking that Goggle is checking the first, highest priority, MX record it finds and it is not Google. It can't be because it is a domain where the MX records can't be changed as it will interrupt their email service. Google recommends that when doing a dual deployment that you do not change any MX records in your primary domain. I really think that the problem is with Google. But, it is working, just never seems to get out of the 'checking mx record status'. One common problem I've been hearing about lately is that Google doesn't support the stuff it implements.

[ixie02]

After about a week of checking the mx records, Google Apps finally gave me an error message. The problem is that the first mx record of the primary domain it reads is not Google's server, and it can't be for a dual deployment set up. If Google can provide you with the documentation (not very good) for dual deployment then it seems like they should fix this or at least tell you about it. The error says that you cannot send or receive email on that domain (primary), but it works just fine.