Questions on Configuring Retries for Faxing

Resolving The Problem

What is the difference between the number of retries on the ADDFAXCRD command and the CFGFAXSRV command?

The Dial Retry parameter on the ADDFAXCRD command is the number of times a fax will attempt to be sent through the port before it is considered unsuccessful. The Redial Delay is the amount of time the process will wait between each retry. The default settings are 2 dial retries with a 60 second delay. With this setting, a fax will attempt to be sent the initial time plus two additional times thereafter, waiting 60 seconds between each retry. Thus, the port could be waiting for up to 3 or more minutes trying to send a fax. When using the SNDFAX command to send faxes, this is the only dial retry attempts that are performed.

The Retry Failed Fax Send parameter on the CFGFAXSRV command is used for Enhanced Services. Enhanced Services is utilized when the SBMFAX command is used. The Retry Failed Fax Send function will resend faxes that fail with a specific message ID, such as FAXC702: Call failure. Busy condition detected at telephone number xxx-xxx-xxxx. The Retry Delay parameter is the amount of time to wait before sending a fax again. The Maximum Retries parameter is the maximum number of times a fax can be resent before it is considered unsuccessful and the Retry Message Identifiers parameter identifies the failure messages in which a fax will be resent. The Enhanced Services retry function is above and beyond the number of retries that may be attempted at the port (ADDFAXCRD) level.

In a heavy faxing environment, it is suggested to use the SBMFAX command, set the Dial Retry to 0 on the fax card and configure Enhanced Services to retry failed faxes. With this configuration, faxes that encounter a failure condition immediately fail and are later resent by the Retry Failed Fax Send function of Enhanced Services. This configuration avoids the potentially long delay at the port (ADDFAXCRD) level and increases throughput.

Before making any changes to the fax card configuration, make sure to get the current fax card settings such as for Error Correction Mode and any prefix numbers using the PRTFAXCFG command or displaying the QAFFCFG file. Reference Rochester Support Center knowledgebase document N1016096, Configuration File (QAFFCFG) Information: for the breakdown of the QAFFCFG file information.

To change the Dial Retry parameter for the fax card, end Facsimile Support using the ENDFAXSPT command and allow the QFAXSBS and QFQSBS subsystems to end. Remove the fax card using the RMVFAXCRD command, re-add the fax card using the ADDFAXCRD command specifying the original settings and any changes to the Dial Retry and Redial Delay parameters, and then restart Facsimile Support using the STRFAXSPT command.

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Facsimile Support Support/400 Fax FAX/400 FAX400 FS400 FS/400 System i iSeries 5798FAX