Introduction

Email rejected when SPF and DKIM domains do not align with From header. This guide provides step-by-step diagnosis and resolution.

Symptoms

Typical error output:

bash
Error: DMARC alignment failed
SPF domain: mail.example.com
From domain: example.com
DKIM domain: sendgrid.net
Alignment: relaxed mode failed

Common Causes

  1. 1.Configuration misconfigured or missing
  2. 2.Resource limits or quotas exceeded
  3. 3.Network or connectivity issues
  4. 4.Dependency or version incompatibility

Step-by-Step Fix

Step 1: Check Current State

bash
# Check current status
systemctl status <service>
journalctl -u <service> -n 50
# Review logs
tail -f /var/log/<service>/error.log

Step 2: Identify Root Cause

bash
# Check service logs
journalctl -u <service> -f
# Verify configuration
<service> --validate-config
# Check network
netstat -tulpn | grep <port>

Step 3: Apply Primary Fix

bash
# Primary fix
# Verify configuration
cat /etc/<service>/config.yaml
# Restart service
systemctl restart <service>
# Verify status
systemctl status <service>

Step 4: Apply Alternative Fix

bash
# Alternative fix
# Check dependencies
systemctl list-dependencies <service>
# Enable debug mode
export DEBUG=1
# Review configuration
grep -r "error" /var/log/<service>/

Step 5: Verify the Fix

bash
# Verify fix
systemctl status <service>
curl -I http://localhost:<port>/health
# All checks should pass

Common Pitfalls

  • Not checking logs before making changes
  • Changing multiple settings at once
  • Forgetting to restart service after config change
  • Not backing up configuration before changes

Best Practices

  • Monitor service health continuously
  • Keep configuration in version control
  • Document all changes
  • Test changes in staging first
  • Service Not Starting
  • Performance Degradation
  • Configuration Error
  • Connection Timeout