Workflow Notification Mailer Not Starting After Running AutoConfig With Errors: Unable to make a network connection OR java.lang.RuntimeException: Connection refused

Workflow Notification Mailer Not Starting After Running AutoConfig With Errors: Unable to make a network connection OR java.lang.RuntimeException: Connection refused

java.lang.RuntimeException: Connection refused

Error:

The Workflow Notification Mailer fails to start after having run AutoConfig, Patching, etc.
Sample errors that can be encountered:
oracle.apps.fnd.cp.gsc.SvcComponentContainerException: Could not start component; performing rollback -> oracle.apps.fnd.cp.gsc.SvcComponentException: Validation failed for the following parameters -> {OUTBOUND_SERVER=Unable to make a network connection.}
OR
[April 14, 2014 1:05:28 PM EST]:1327428328284:-1:-1:oracle.us.com:XXX.XXX.XX.XX:-1:-1:1:20420:SYSADMIN(0):-1:Thread[BES Dispatch Thread,5,main]:XXX.XXX.XX.XX:75957:1327428318189:104:ERROR:[SVC-GSM-WFMLRSVC-60934 : oracle.apps.fnd.cp.gsc.SvcComponentContainer.onBusinessEvent(BusinessEvent)]:java.lang.RuntimeException: Connection refused
at oracle.apps.fnd.wf.mailer.MailerUtils.isSocketConnectableNew(MailerUtils.java:300)
at oracle.apps.fnd.wf.mailer.SMTPUtils.isValidOutbound(SMTPUtils.java:522)
at oracle.apps.fnd.wf.mailer.Mailer.validateParameterValues(Mailer.java:1238)
at oracle.apps.fnd.cp.gsc.SvcComponent.performValidateParameterValues(SvcComponent.java:233)
at oracle.apps.fnd.cp.gsc.SvcComponent.start(SvcComponent.java:314)
at oracle.apps.fnd.cp.gsc.SvcComponentContainer.handleComponentEvent(SvcComponentContainer.java:2212)
at oracle.apps.fnd.cp.gsc.SvcComponentContainer.onBusinessEvent(SvcComponentContainer.java:301)
at oracle.apps.fnd.wf.bes.DispatchThread.run(DispatchThread.java:57)

Cause:

Recent AutoConfig execution, without reviewing the application context variables of the Workflow Mailer.
When there is a maintenance activity like autoconfig,patching,upgrade etc which run's the autoconfig, workflow parameter SMTP (Outbound Server) is overwritten by context file parameter s_smtphost,s_smtpdomain.  If the context file parameter s_smtphost,s_smtpdomain is not pointing to correct SMTP server name(by default s_smtphost contains the application node name as value),it will be overwrite with node name which is not the correct SMTP server name.

Solution:

1. AutoConfig can modify Workflow Mailer related settings through the following context variables:
s_javamailer_imaphost: Oracle Workflow Java Mailer IMAP Host.
s_javamailer_imapdomainname: Oracle Workflow Java Mailer domain.
s_wf_admin_role: Role name of the Oracle Workflow Administrator.
s_javamailer_reply_to: Oracle Workflow Java Mailer IMAP ReplyTo Address.
s_javamailer_imap_user: Oracle Workflow Java Mailer IMAP User Name.
s_javamailer_outbound_user: Oracle Workflow Java Mailer User Name to Authenticate Oracle Workflow Mailer against SMTP Server
s_smtphost: SMTP Server Host.
s_smtpdomainname: Fully Qualified Domain Name for the Email Server.
Please review the current settings of the above variables in the application context file, and set them properly, then re-run AutoConfig, and retest the issue.  To Avoid this issue happening again in future ie whenever maintenance activity like autoconfig,patching,upgrade etc,please update below context parameter with correct SMTP server name on all the application node context file.In 11i the context file will be $APPL_TOP/admin/_hostname.xml and in R12 $INST_TOP/appl/admin/_hostname.xml.

2. If the SMTP (Outbound) Server name in the mailer configuration page is incorrect, please correct SMTP servername with the teps below and retest the issue:

1. Go into Oracle Application Manager as the SYSADMIN user.
2. In the upper right corner of the screen next to "Navigate to", please select "Workflow Manager" from the drop down and select "Go".
3. Then in the lower left corner of the screen under Related Links, select "Service Components".
4. Select "Workflow Notification Mailer" and click on "Edit".
5. Enter the correct Outbound(SMTP) Server name and Apply the changes.
6. Bounce the mailer and retest.