Just can't get enough of IT

When you change AutoDiscover settings for users, it can take up to 2 hours until the cached data is invalidated and the new AutoD configuration is sent as a response to new AutoD request.

You have to force a service and a application pool restart to activate your configuration changes immediately:

• Service: MSExchangeServiceHost
• Application Pool: MSExchangeAutodiscoverAppPool

These restarts need to be performed on each Exchange 2013/2016 server in your infrastructure serving AutoDiscover requests.

Use the following two PowerShell cmdlets to simplify this task:

Get-ExchangeServer | ? { $_.AdminDisplayVersion -like '*15.*'} | % { Invoke-Command -ComputerName $_.Name -ScriptBlock {Restart-WebAppPool MSExchangeAutodiscoverAppPool } }

Get-ExchangeServer | ? { $_.AdminDisplayVersion -like '*15.*'} | % { Invoke-Command -ComputerName $_.Name -ScriptBlock {Restart-Service MSExchangeServiceHost } }

Enjoy

Description

This script will generate a report for Exchange 2007/2010 Public Folder Replication. It returns general information, such as the total number of public folders, total items in all public folders, the total size of all items, the top 20 largest folders, and more. Additionally, it lists each Public Folder and the replication status on each server.

By default, this script will scan the entire Exchange environment in the current domain and all public folders. This can be limited by using the -ComputerName and -FolderPath parameters.

Examples

Generate a public folder generation report for public folder \MYPUBLICFOLDER having replicas on servers MXSRV01, MXSRV02, MXSRV03

Get-PublicFolderReplicationReport.ps1 -ComputerName MXSRV01,MXSRV02,MXSRV03 -FolderPath "\MYPUBLICFOLDER" -Recurse -Subject "Public Folder Environment Report" -AsHTML -To postmaster@varunagroup.de -From postmaster@varunagroup.de -SmtpServer relay.mcsmemail.de -SendEmail

Example report

If you want to simplify the report generation, create an additional script: Run-PublicFolderReplicationReport.ps1

param(
    [string]$publicFolderPath = ''
)

# Variables

# Custom label for email subject
$label = 'Exchange 2007'
$recipients = 'pfreports@mcsmemail.de'
$sender = 'postmaster@mcsmemail.de'

# array of public folder servers to query
$publicFolderServers = @('EX2007-01','EX2010-01')

# SMTP server to relay mail
$smtpServer = 'relay.mcsmemail.de'

# Used to trigger a dedicated report for \GrFolder1\Folder1, \GrFolder1\Folder2
$granularRootFolder = @()  # @("\Folder01")
$subPath = ''

# Check for granular folders, Added 2016-01-19
if($granularRootFolder -contains $publicFolderPath) {
    $subPath = $publicFolderPath
    $publicFolderPath = ''
}

#
if($publicFolderPath -ne '') {
    Write-Host "Generating Public Folder reports for $($publicFolderPath)"
    # Generate report for a single public folder | Change COMPUTERNAME attribute for servers to analyse
    .\Get-PublicFolderReplicationReport.ps1 -ComputerName $publicFolderServers -FolderPath $publicFolderPath -Recurse -Subject "Public Folder Environment Report [$($publicFolderPath)] [$($label)]" -AsHTML -To $recipients -From $sender -SmtpServer $smtpServer -SendEmail
}
else {
    if($subPath -ne '') {
        $publicFolderPath = $subPath
    }
    else {
        $publicFolderPath = '\'
    }
    
    if($granularRootFolder.Count -ne 0) {
        Write-Host 'Following root folders will be excluded when using "\":'
        $($granularRootFolder)
    }
    
    Write-Host "Generating Public Folder reports for all folders in $($publicFolderPath)"
    
    $folders = Get-PublicFolder $publicFolderPath -GetChildren 

    # Generate a single report for each folder in root
    $folderCount = ($folders | Measure-Object).Count
    $pfCount = 1
    foreach($pf in $folders) {
        # Check, if folder is in list of granular folders
        if($granularRootFolder -notcontains $pf) {
            if($pf.ParentPath -eq '\') {
                $name = "$($pf.ParentPath)$($pf.Name)"
            }
            else {
                $name = "$($pf.ParentPath)\$($pf.Name)"
            }

            $activity = 'Generating Stats'
            $status = "Fetching $($name)"
            
            Write-Progress -Activity $activity -Status $status -PercentComplete (($pfCount/$folderCount)*100)
          
            .\Get-PublicFolderReplicationReport.ps1 -ComputerName $publicFolderServers -FolderPath $name -Recurse -Subject "Public Folder Environment Report [$($name)] [$($label)]" -AsHTML -To $recipients -From $sender -SmtpServer $smtpServer -SendEmail
            $pfCount++
        }
    }
}

Use the $granularRootFolder array to add root public folders which require a dedicated report for each sub-folder.

Version History

• 1.0, Initial community release
• 1.1, Replica status (green/red) depending on the item count, not the percentage
• 1.2, Fixed: If 1st server has a lower item count a folder is not being added to the list of folders with incomplete replication
• 1.3, Changes to number and size formatting, Exchange 2007 now returns MB or GB, as configured
• 1.4, Handling of KB values with Exchange 2007 added
• 1.5, Some PowerShell hygiene and fixes
• 1.6, Count of incomplete replicated public folders stated in the table header (issue #1)

Links

• Download and follow at Github: https://github.com/Apoc70/Get-PublicFolderReplicationReport
• Download and vote at TechNet Gallery: https://gallery.technet.microsoft.com/Exchange-2010-Public-315ea9aa

Additional Credits

Additional credits go to Mike Walker (blog.mikewalker.me)

Follow

• Twitter @stensitzki
• LinkedIn

Additional Note

This Powershell script has been optimized using the ISESteroids™ add-on. Learn more about ISESteroids™ here.

The community script to gather legacy public folder replication reports for Exchange Server 2010 and Exchange Server 2007 has been updated.

The replica status of a public folder is indicated by a green or red backgroud color for each folder and replica. The previous version of the script used the replica percentage to set the backgroud color. Escpecially folders holding a large number of items had an issue when Math::Round provided a 100% value.

The current version of the script compares the item count itself. This approach provides a more accurate result.

Enjoy.

Links

• Get-PublicFolderReplicationReport.ps1 at TechNet Gallery
• Get-PublicFolderReplicationReport.ps1 at Github

Problem

You are not able to list public folders in a co-existence scenario with Exchange Server 2007 and Exchange Server 2010/2013 using the Exchange 2007 EMS or EMC.

When you try to execute Get-PublicFolder you receive the following error:

Get-PublicFolder " There is no existing PublicFolder that matches the following Identity: '\'. Please make sure that you specified the correct PublicFolder Identity and that you have the necessary permissions to view PublicFolder.

This might happen after you have removed the first Exchange 2007 mailbox server, but not the last Exchange 2007 mailbox server.

Exchange Server 2007 uses the Exchange System Attendant to access the public folder store and fails if the System Attendant discovery in Active Directory does not provide a proper configuration.

KB 2621350 describes the discovery process:

1. Exchange Server 2007 selects a mailbox database.
2. Exchange Server 2007 obtains the LegacyExchangeDN attribute of the selected mailbox database. For example, Exchange Server 2007 obtains the following LegacyExchangeDN attribute value:
   /o=First Organization/ou=Exchange Administrative Group (group_name)/cn=Configuration/cn=Servers/cn=E14HUBCAS/cn=Microsoft Private MDB
3. Exchange Server 2007 removes the "CN=Mailbox Database" part of the address. The address then resembles the following:
   /o=First Organization/ou=Exchange Administrative Group (group_name)/cn=Configuration/cn=Servers/cn=E14HUBCAS
4. Exchange Server 2007 adds "CN=Microsoft System Attendant" to the LegacyExchangeDN value. After the value is appended, the LegacyExchangeDN attribute value resembles the following:
   /o=First Organization/ou=Exchange Administrative Group (group_name)/cn=Configuration/cn=Servers/cn=E14HUBCAS/CN=Microsoft System Attendant
5. Exchange Server 2007 tries to log on to the public store by using the value in step 4.
6. The store then tries to locate the System Attendant object.

There two annoying things about these steps

1. Step 1:  Exchange Server 2007 selects a mailbox database
   
   There is no description available on how the database is being selected. But the co-existence scenario results in a mailbox database being selected that might be located on Exchange Server 2010 or Exchange Server 2013. Even though there still are Exchange Server 2007 mailbox database available. You still require to have a mailbox database hosted on an Exchange 2007 public folder server, due to the legacy public folder requirements with Exchange Server 2013.
    
2. Steps 2-4: The LegacyExchangeDN example shows an E14HUBCAS name as a placeholder. In a situation where you have deployed dedicated mailbox servers, this should read E14MBX.
    

Solution

The magic System Attendant mailbox has been removed from Exchange 2010. But the System Attendent configuration node does still exist in the Active Directory Configuration Partition for compatibility reasons. The configured attributes of the System Attendant entry vary depending on the version of the installed Exchange Server.

In regards to the public folder issue, we need to focus on the following:

• Exchange Server 2010 System Attendant
  • homeMDB: <not set>
  • homeMTA: <not set>
• Exchange Server 2013 System Attendant
  • homeMDB: <not set>
  • homeMTA: CN=Microsoft MTA,CN=E15MBX,CN=Servers,CN=Exchange Administrative Group (FYDIBOHF23SPDLT),CN=Administrative Groups,CN=[ORG],CN=Microsoft Exchange,CN=Services,CN=Configuration,DC=[DOMAIN],DC=[TLD]

To fix the public folder access issue for Exchange Server 2007, set the homeMDB and homeMTA attributes. Set the Exchange System Attendant attributes to appropriate values for your Exchange servers.

Exchange Server 2013

1. Open ADSIEdit and connect to the Configuration context
2. Open Databases node
   CN=Databases,CN=Exchange Administrative Group (FYDIBOHF23SPDLT),CN=Administrative Groups,CN=[ORG],CN=Microsoft Exchange,CN=Services,CN=Configuration,DC=[DOMAIN],DC=[TLD]
3. Open the Properties of an Exchange 2013 database
4. View the distinguishedName property and copy the value to clipboard
   Example: CN=E15MBXDB01,CN=Databases,CN=Exchange Administrative Group (FYDIBOHF23SPDLT),CN=Administrative Groups,CN=[ORG],CN=Microsoft Exchange,CN=Services,CN=Configuration,DC=[DOMAIN],DC=[TLD]
5. Close the Properties window and open the Servers node
   CN=Servers,CN=Exchange Administrative Group (FYDIBOHF23SPDLT),CN=Administrative Groups,CN=[ORG],CN=Microsoft Exchange,CN=Services,CN=Configuration,DC=[DOMAIN],DC=[TLD]
6. Expand the first Exchange 2013 server and open the Properties of the Microsoft System Attendant node
   Ensure that the view is not filtered to Show only attributes that have values
7. Edit the homeMDB attribute and paste the distinguished name of the mailbox database copied in step 4
8. Apply the changes and close the properties window

Repeat steps 4 to 8 for each Exchange 2013 server in your environment.

Exchange Server 2010

1. Open ADSIEdit and connect to the Configuration context
2. Open Databases node
   CN=Databases,CN=Exchange Administrative Group (FYDIBOHF23SPDLT),CN=Administrative Groups,CN=[ORG],CN=Microsoft Exchange,CN=Services,CN=Configuration,DC=[DOMAIN],DC=[TLD]
3. Open the Properties of an Exchange 2010 database
4. View the distinguishedName property and copy the value to the clipboard
   Example: CN=E14MBXDB01,CN=Databases,CN=Exchange Administrative Group (FYDIBOHF23SPDLT),CN=Administrative Groups,CN=[ORG],CN=Microsoft Exchange,CN=Services,CN=Configuration,DC=[DOMAIN],DC=[TLD]
5. Close the Properties window and open the Servers node
   CN=Servers,CN=Exchange Administrative Group (FYDIBOHF23SPDLT),CN=Administrative Groups,CN=[ORG],CN=Microsoft Exchange,CN=Services,CN=Configuration,DC=[DOMAIN],DC=[TLD]
6. Expand the first Exchange 2010 server and open the Properties of the Microsoft System Attendant node
   Ensure that the view is not filtered to Show only attributes that have values
7. Edit the homeMDB attribute and paste the distinguished name of the mailbox database copied in step 4
8. Apply the changes and close the properties window
9. Open the Properties windows of the Microsoft MTA of the same Exchange
10. View the distinguishedName property and copy the value to the clipboard
    Example: CN=Microsoft MTA,CN=E14MBXSRV01,CN=Servers,CN=Exchange Administrative Group (FYDIBOHF23SPDLT),CN=Administrative Groups,CN=[ORG],CN=Microsoft Exchange,CN=Services,CN=Configuration,DC=[DOMAIN],DC=[TLD]
11. Open the properties of the Microsoft System Attendant node for a second modification
    Ensure that the view is not filtered to Show only attributes that have values
12. Edit the homeMTA attribute and paste the distinguished name of the mailbox database copied in step 10
13. Apply the changes and close the properties window

Repeat steps 4 to 13 for each Exchange 2010 server in your environment.

Wait for Active Directory replication and retry to access the public folders using Get-PublicFolder in an Exchange Server 2007 Management Shell.

It might be required to restart the Exchange 2007 Information Store and System Attendant service of the Exchange 2007 server in question

Use an administrative PowerShell

Restart-Service MSExchangeIS 
Restart-Service MSExchangeSA 

I haven’t noticed any issues in production environments so far. If you encounter any issues in your environment, feel free to leave a comment.

Links

• You cannot view a list of public folders in an Exchange organization that has Exchange Server 2007 and Exchange Server 2010 mailbox databases,
• On-Premises Legacy Public Folder Coexistence for Exchange 2013 Cumulative Update 7 and Beyond,
• Breaking Change : The System Attendant mailbox has been removed from Exchange 2010
• Exchange 2007 and 2013 environment – Public Folders on 2007 “Get-PublicFolder” cmdlet fails

Do you need assistance with your Exchange Server setup? You have questions about your Exchange Server infrastructure and going hybrid? You are interested in what Exchange Server 2016 has to offer for your environment?

Contact me at thomas@mcsmemail.de
Follow at https://twitter.com/stensitzki

You might encounter a situation when the MSExchangeSA service is stopped and you are not able to start the service.

When you try to start the service the follow event log error is logged:

Log Name:      Application
Source:        MSExchangeSA
Date:          08.01.2016 09:40:33
Event ID:      1005
Task Category: General
Level:         Error
Keywords:      Classic
User:          N/A
Computer:      SERVER01.MCSMEMAIL.DE
Description:
Unexpected error Access is denied. Facility: Win32 ID no: c0070005 Microsoft Exchange System Attendant  occurred.

This issue happens most likely due to an endpoint protection solution (aka AV Scanner) blocking access to the MSExchangeSA executable.

The simple apporach to get the service running is to restart the server.

If you need to run local endpoint protection on your Exchange servers, keep in mind to configure the appropriate scan exclusions:

• Anti-Virus Software in the Operating System on Exchange 2013 Servers
• File-Level Antivirus Scanning on Exchange 2010