Could be routing problem?

[Cowles, Steve]

Mark Neidorff wrote:
> What follows is the log for the delivery of 1 e-mail message.  I know it
> is long (40 lines--sorry about that) but if I don't send the entire
> thing, something might be missed.
> 
> 
> Mar 22 18:10:19 ja sendmail[10942]: i2MIAIw10942:
> from=<fedora-list-bounces at redhat.com>, size=3644, class=-100,
> nrcpts=1, msgid=<1079996878.4121.5.camel at phantom>,
> proto=ESMTP, daemon=MTA, relay=hormel.redhat.com [209.132.177.30]

An e-mail was received from the fedora list.
Its sendmail assigned ID is i2MIAIw10942
Msgid=1079996878.4121.5.camel at phantom

> Mar 22 18:10:19 ja sendmail[10945]: i2MIAJ810945: from=root,
> size=3880, class=-100, nrcpts=1,
> msgid=<1079996878.4121.5.camel at phantom>, relay=root at localhost

Now, for some reason, an e-mail from root has been received with
the same msgid, but a new sendmail ID of i2MIAJ810945

> Mar 22 18:10:19 ja sendmail[10943]: i2MIAIw10942:
> to=<mark at neidorff.com>, delay=00:00:01, xdelay=00:00:00,
> mailer=local, pri=211283, dsn=2.0.0, stat=Sent

Finally, the original message with ID of i2MIAIw10942 has
been sent to your mailbox. The local mailer was selected.

> Mar 22 18:10:19 ja sendmail[10950]: i2MIAJJ10950: from=root,
> size=3995, class=-100, nrcpts=1,
> msgid=<1079996878.4121.5.camel at phantom>, relay=root at localhost

...and now another e-mail has been received from root with the
same msgid, but a new sendmail ID. Huh!!!

> Mar 22 18:10:19 ja sendmail[10948]: i2MIAJ810945: to=mark,
> ctladdr=root (0/0), delay=00:00:00, xdelay=00:00:00,
> mailer=local, pri=213880, dsn=2.0.0, stat=Sent

..and this vicious loop continues until max hops. 

In a perfect world, each inbound e-mail should generate a pair of matching
sendmail ID's. One for the from: address and one for the to: address.
Example:

> Mar 22 18:10:19 ja sendmail[10942]: i2MIAIw10942:
> from=<fedora-list-bounces at redhat.com>, size=3644, class=-100,
> nrcpts=1, msgid=<1079996878.4121.5.camel at phantom>,
> proto=ESMTP, daemon=MTA, relay=hormel.redhat.com [209.132.177.30]

> Mar 22 18:10:19 ja sendmail[10943]: i2MIAIw10942:
> to=<mark at neidorff.com>, delay=00:00:01, xdelay=00:00:00,
> mailer=local, pri=211283, dsn=2.0.0, stat=Sent

To be honest, I have no idea whay the above is happening. This could very
well be a routing problem that sendmail does not know how to deal with, but
I'll be damned if I can see it.

I hate to admit, but I'm out of ideas. Sorry!
Steve Cowles