Thomas Stensitzki is a leading technology consultant focusing on the Microsoft messaging and collaboration technologies and the owner of Granikos GmbH & Co. KG.
He is an MVP for Office Apps & Services since 2018.
Thomas is an MCT Regional Lead for Germany and delivers Microsoft Learning training courses for Office 365, Microsoft Teams, and Exchange Server.
He holds Master certifications as Microsoft Certified Solutions Master Messaging and as Microsoft Certified Master for Exchange Server 2010. These certifications make him a subject matter expert for any messaging topic related to Microsoft Exchange, Exchange Online, Microsoft 365, and hybrid configurations.
Follow Thomas: LinkedIn, Twitter
His sessions: https://sessionize.com/thomas-stensitzki
MVP Blog: https://blogs.msmvps.com/thomastechtalk Personal blog: http://justcantgetenough.granikos.eu Personal website: http://www.stensitzki.de Thomas' Tech Talk: youtube.com/ThomasStensitzki
Contact Thomas at thomas@mcsmemail.de
This script imports multiple PST files located in a single directory into a user mailbox or a user mailbox archive.
Due to some filename limitations of the New-MailboxImportRequest cmdlet in reagards to the UNC path, the PST filenames are sanitized. Any unsupported (unwanted) character is removed. You can modify the replacement function as needed. This might be necessary as the PST filenames can be used as target folder names during import.
Original filenames:
Renamed filenames:
When using the FilenameAsTargetFolder switch each PST file is imported into a separate target folder.
After successfully importing a PST file, the PST can optionally be renamed to .imported. This simplifies a re-run of the script in the case that you a lot of PST files for a user or a large number of files as part of archive solution offboarding process.
NOTE: This script utilizes the GlobalFunctions PowerShell module for logging. Please prepare your system for the use of the GlobalFunctions module first.
Steps performed:
Example PowerShell Output
.\Start-MailboxImport.ps1 -Identity JohnDoe -Archive -FilePath "\\ROBERTKWEISS\e$\PSTImport\JohnDoe" -FilenameAsTargetFolder -BadItemLimit 10 -ContinueOnError -SecondsToWait 90 Note: Script will wait 90s between each status check! Create New-MailboxImportRequest for user: JohnDoe and file: \\ROBERTKWEISS\e$\PSTImport\JohnDoe\Myoldarchive.pst into the archive. Targetfolder:"Myoldarchive". Waiting for import JohnDoe-Myoldarchive.pst to be completed. Status: Queued Waiting for import JohnDoe-Myoldarchive.pst to be completed. Status: Queued Waiting for import JohnDoe-Myoldarchive.pst to be completed. Status: Queued Waiting for import JohnDoe-Myoldarchive.pst to be completed. Status: Queued Waiting for import JohnDoe-Myoldarchive.pst to be completed. Status: Queued Waiting for import JohnDoe-Myoldarchive.pst to be completed. Status: InProgress Waiting for import JohnDoe-Myoldarchive.pst to be completed. Status: InProgress Waiting for import JohnDoe-Myoldarchive.pst to be completed. Status: InProgress Import request JohnDoe-Myoldarchive.pst completed successfully. Import request JohnDoe-Myoldarchive.pst deleted. Create New-MailboxImportRequest for user: JohnDoe and file: \\ROBERTKWEISS\e$\PSTImport\JohnDoe\Myoldarchive1.pst into the archive. Targetfolder:"Myoldarchive1". Waiting for import JohnDoe-Myoldarchive1.pst to be completed. Status: Queued Waiting for import JohnDoe-Myoldarchive1.pst to be completed. Status: Queued Waiting for import JohnDoe-Myoldarchive1.pst to be completed. Status: Queued Waiting for import JohnDoe-Myoldarchive1.pst to be completed. Status: Queued Waiting for import JohnDoe-Myoldarchive1.pst to be completed. Status: Queued Waiting for import JohnDoe-Myoldarchive1.pst to be completed. Status: Queued Waiting for import JohnDoe-Myoldarchive1.pst to be completed. Status: Queued Waiting for import JohnDoe-Myoldarchive1.pst to be completed. Status: Queued Waiting for import JohnDoe-Myoldarchive1.pst to be completed. Status: InProgress Waiting for import JohnDoe-Myoldarchive1.pst to be completed. Status: InProgress Waiting for import JohnDoe-Myoldarchive1.pst to be completed. Status: InProgress Import request JohnDoe-Myoldarchive1.pst completed successfully. Import request JohnDoe-Myoldarchive1.pst deleted. Script finished.
This Powershell script has been optimized using the ISESteroids™ add-on. Learn more about ISESteroids™ here.
When a SharePoint list is being email enabled the Central Administration service accounts creates a new contact object in Active Directory. The object attributes configured by SharePoint are fully sufficient for the Exchange transport routing engine when addressed directly. Which means that a new email sent to the email address of the email enabled list is routed to SharePoint.
However, when the contact has been added to an Exchange distribution list, the Exchange routing engine will not resolve the contact object. You won't see any information on this situation in the Exchange message tracking log.
The solution is pretty simple but require the intervention of an Exchange administrator. Execute the following on the mail contact object:
Get-Contact CONTACTNAME | Set-Contact
The use of Set-Contact without any additonal parameters forces Exchange to validate the currently exisiting attributes and the follow four attributes:
Now the mail contact object is a fully routable member or the Exchange organization.
Blame it on SharePoint, not Exchange.
Enjoy Exchange.
This script fetches the disk volume (Win32_Volume) information via WMI and shows the results in the PowerShell command line window. Optionally, you can have the report sent as an Html email to a recipient of your choice.
The switch -AllExchangeServer simplifies gathering the disk volume information across all Exchange servers in your environment.
The following screenshot shows the command line output when using
.\Get-Diskpace.ps1 -ComputerName MYSERVER
The following screenshot shows an example of the html email output when using
.\Get-Diskpace.ps1 -ComputerName MYSERVER -SendMail -MailFrom postmaster@sedna-inc.com -MailTo exchangeadmin@sedna-inc.com -MailServer mail.sedna-inc.com
# EXAMPLE 1 # Get disk information from computer MYSERVER in MB Get-Diskpace.ps1 -ComputerName MYSERVER -Unit MB # EXAMPLE 2 # Get disk information from all Exchange servers and send html email Get-Diskpace.ps1 -AllExchangeServer -SendMail -MailFrom postmaster@sedna-inc.com -MailTo exchangeadmin@sedna-inc.com -MailServer mail.sedna-inc.com
Troubleshooting Outlook connectivity issues with Office 365 is tricky. Administrators can use two valuable tools provided by Microsoft to identify and even fix client related connectivity issues.
Start with the Outlook account problems test page in the Office 365 portal. You need to log on as the Office 365 user having issues.
The site tests for the following:
If no issues are identified after you've logged on to Office 365, move to the next step.
The Microsoft Support and Recovery Assistant (SARA) for Office 365 is click to run tool that is installed and executed locally.
These two tools fix most of the Outlook connectivity issues you are facing as an Office 365 administrator.
Enjoy Office 365
This is a wrap-up of an older post that had originally been published on my former website.
Even though that this post focusses on Exchange 2010 transport agents, you will get an understand on what is required to create an Exchange 2013/2016 aka Version 15 transport agent.
Writing your own transport agent for Exchange 2010 is not really complicated. With a Visual Studio C# Class project you are ready to go.
The follow picture shows the Visual Studio Solution as it has been used for the Message Modifier Solution.
Besides the C# class the solution contains the following Powershell script to simplify development and deployment:
The transport agent intercepts a message from a given sender address and performs the following actions:
// AttachmentModify // ---------------------------------------------------------- // Example for intercepting email messages in an Exchange 2010 transport queue // // The example intercepts messages sent from a configurable email address(es) // and checks the mail message for attachments have filename in to format // // WORKBOOK_{GUID} // // Changing the filename of the attachments makes it easier for the information worker // to identify the reports in the emails and in the file system as well. // Copyright (c) Thomas Stensitzki // ---------------------------------------------------------- using System; using System.Collections.Generic; using System.Diagnostics; using System.Globalization; using System.IO; using System.Reflection; using System.Text; using System.Text.RegularExpressions; using System.Threading; using System.Xml; // the lovely Exchange using Microsoft.Exchange.Data.Transport; using Microsoft.Exchange.Data.Transport.Smtp; using Microsoft.Exchange.Data.Transport.Email; using Microsoft.Exchange.Data.Transport.Routing; namespace SFTools.Messaging.AttachmentModify { #region Message Modifier Factory /// <summary> /// Message Modifier Factory /// </summary> public class MessageModifierFactory : RoutingAgentFactory { /// <summary> /// Instance of our transport agent configuration /// This is for a later implementation /// </summary> private MessageModifierConfig messageModifierConfig = new MessageModifierConfig(); /// <summary> /// Returns an instance of the agent /// </summary> /// <param name="server">The SMTP Server</param> /// <returns>The Transport Agent</returns> public override RoutingAgent CreateAgent(SmtpServer server) { return new MessageModifier(messageModifierConfig); } } #endregion #region Message Modifier Routing Agent /// <summary> /// The Message Modifier Routing Agent for modifying an email message /// </summary> public class MessageModifier : RoutingAgent { // The agent uses the fileLock object to synchronize access to the log file private object fileLock = new object(); /// <summary> /// The current MailItem the transport agent is handling /// </summary> private MailItem mailItem; /// <summary> /// This context to allow Exchange to continue processing a message /// </summary> private AgentAsyncContext agentAsyncContext; /// <summary> /// Transport agent configuration /// </summary> private MessageModifierConfig messageModifierConfig; /// <summary> /// Constructor for the MessageModifier class /// </summary> /// <param name="messageModifierConfig">Transport Agent configuration</param> public MessageModifier(MessageModifierConfig messageModifierConfig) { // Set configuration this.messageModifierConfig = messageModifierConfig; // Register an OnRoutedMessage event handler this.OnRoutedMessage += OnRoutedMessageHandler; } /// <summary> /// Event handler for OnRoutedMessage event /// </summary> /// <param name="source">Routed Message Event Source</param> /// <param name="args">Queued Message Event Arguments</param> void OnRoutedMessageHandler(RoutedMessageEventSource source, QueuedMessageEventArgs args) { lock (fileLock) { try { this.mailItem = args.MailItem; this.agentAsyncContext = this.GetAgentAsyncContext(); // Get the folder for accessing the config file string dllDir = Path.GetDirectoryName(Assembly.GetExecutingAssembly().Location); // Fetch the from address from the current mail item RoutingAddress fromAddress = this.mailItem.FromAddress; Boolean boWorkbookFound = false; // We just want to modifiy subjects when we modified an attachement first #region External Receive Connector Example // CHeck first, if the mail item does have a ReceiveConnectorName property first to prevent ugly things to happen if (mailItem.Properties.ContainsKey("Microsoft.Exchange.Transport.ReceiveConnectorName")) { // This is just an example, if you want to do something with a mail item which has been received via a named external receive connector if (mailItem.Properties["Microsoft.Exchange.Transport.ReceiveConnectorName"].ToString().ToLower() == "externalreceiveconnectorname") { // do something fancy with the email } } #endregion RoutingAddress catchAddress; // Check, if we have any email addresses configured to look for if (this.messageModifierConfig.AddressMap.Count > 0) { // Now lets check, if the sender address can be found in the dictionary if (this.messageModifierConfig.AddressMap.TryGetValue(fromAddress.ToString().ToLower(), out catchAddress)) { // Sender address found, now check if we have attachments to handle if (this.mailItem.Message.Attachments.Count != 0) { // Get all attachments AttachmentCollection attachments = this.mailItem.Message.Attachments; // Modify each attachment for (int count = 0; count < this.mailItem.Message.Attachments.Count; count++) { // Get attachment Attachment attachment = this.mailItem.Message.Attachments[count]; // We will only transform attachments which start with "WORKBOOK_" if (attachment.FileName.StartsWith("WORKBOOK_")) { // Create a new filename for the attachment // [MODIFIED SUBJECT]-[NUMBER].[FILEEXTENSION] String newFileName = MakeValidFileName(string.Format("{0}-{1}{2}", ModifiySubject(this.mailItem.Message.Subject.Trim()), count + 1, Path.GetExtension(attachment.FileName))); // Change the filename of the attachment this.mailItem.Message.Attachments[count].FileName = newFileName; // Yes we have changed the attachment. Therefore we want to change the subject as well. boWorkbookFound = true; } } // Have changed any attachments? if (boWorkbookFound) { // Then let's change the subject as well this.mailItem.Message.Subject = ModifiySubject(this.mailItem.Message.Subject); } } } } } catch (System.IO.IOException ex) { // oops Debug.WriteLine(ex.ToString()); this.agentAsyncContext.Complete(); } finally { // We are done this.agentAsyncContext.Complete(); } } // Return to pipeline return; } /// <summary> /// Build a new subject, if the first 10 chars of the original subject are a valid date. /// We muste transform the de-DE format dd.MM.yyyy to yyyyMMdd for better sortability in the email client. /// </summary> /// <param name="MessageSubject">The original subject string</param> /// <returns>The modified subject string, if modification was possible</returns> private static string ModifiySubject(string MessageSubject) { string newSubject = String.Empty; if (MessageSubject.Length >= 10) { string dateCheck = MessageSubject.Substring(0, 10); DateTime dt = new DateTime(); try { // Check if we can parse the datetime if (DateTime.TryParse(dateCheck, out dt)) { // lets fetch the subject starting at the 10th character string subjectRight = MessageSubject.Substring(10).Trim(); // build a new subject newSubject = string.Format("{0:yyyyMMdd} {1}", dt, subjectRight); } } finally { // do nothing } } return newSubject; } /// <summary> /// Replace invalid filename chars with an underscore /// </summary> /// <param name="name">The filename to be checked</param> /// <returns>The sanitized filename</returns> private static string MakeValidFileName(string name) { string invalidChars = Regex.Escape(new string(Path.GetInvalidFileNameChars())); string invalidRegExStr = string.Format(@"[{0}]+", invalidChars); return Regex.Replace(name, invalidRegExStr, "_"); } } #endregion #region Message Modifier Configuration /// <summary> /// Message Modifier Configuration class /// </summary> public class MessageModifierConfig { /// <summary> /// The name of the configuration file. /// </summary> private static readonly string configFileName = "SFTools.MessageModify.Config.xml"; /// <summary> /// Point out the directory with the configuration file (= assembly location) /// </summary> private string configDirectory; /// <summary> /// The filesystem watcher to monitor configuration file updates. /// </summary> private FileSystemWatcher configFileWatcher; /// <summary> /// The from address /// </summary> private Dictionary<string, RoutingAddress> addressMap; /// <summary> /// Whether reloading is ongoing /// </summary> private int reLoading = 0; /// <summary> /// The mapping between domain to catchall address. /// </summary> public Dictionary<string, RoutingAddress> AddressMap { get { return this.addressMap; } } /// <summary> /// Constructor /// </summary> public MessageModifierConfig() { // Setup a file system watcher to monitor the configuration file this.configDirectory = Path.GetDirectoryName(Assembly.GetExecutingAssembly().Location); this.configFileWatcher = new FileSystemWatcher(this.configDirectory); this.configFileWatcher.NotifyFilter = NotifyFilters.LastWrite; this.configFileWatcher.Filter = configFileName; this.configFileWatcher.Changed += new FileSystemEventHandler(this.OnChanged); // Create an initially empty map this.addressMap = new Dictionary<string, RoutingAddress>(); // Load the configuration this.Load(); // Now start monitoring this.configFileWatcher.EnableRaisingEvents = true; } /// <summary> /// Configuration changed handler. /// </summary> /// <param name="source">Event source.</param> /// <param name="e">Event arguments.</param> private void OnChanged(object source, FileSystemEventArgs e) { // Ignore if load ongoing if (Interlocked.CompareExchange(ref this.reLoading, 1, 0) != 0) { Trace.WriteLine("load ongoing: ignore"); return; } // (Re) Load the configuration this.Load(); // Reset the reload indicator this.reLoading = 0; } /// <summary> /// Load the configuration file. If any errors occur, does nothing. /// </summary> private void Load() { // Load the configuration XmlDocument doc = new XmlDocument(); bool docLoaded = false; string fileName = Path.Combine(this.configDirectory, MessageModifierConfig.configFileName); try { doc.Load(fileName); docLoaded = true; } catch (FileNotFoundException) { Trace.WriteLine("Configuration file not found: {0}", fileName); } catch (XmlException e) { Trace.WriteLine("XML error: {0}", e.Message); } catch (IOException e) { Trace.WriteLine("IO error: {0}", e.Message); } // If a failure occured, ignore and simply return if (!docLoaded || doc.FirstChild == null) { Trace.WriteLine("Configuration error: either no file or an XML error"); return; } // Create a dictionary to hold the mappings Dictionary<string, RoutingAddress> map = new Dictionary<string, RoutingAddress>(100); // Track whether there are invalid entries bool invalidEntries = false; // Validate all entries and load into a dictionary foreach (XmlNode node in doc.FirstChild.ChildNodes) { if (string.Compare(node.Name, "domain", true, CultureInfo.InvariantCulture) != 0) { continue; } XmlAttribute domain = node.Attributes["name"]; XmlAttribute address = node.Attributes["address"]; // Validate the data if (domain == null || address == null) { invalidEntries = true; Trace.WriteLine("Reject configuration due to an incomplete entry. (Either or both domain and address missing.)"); break; } if (!RoutingAddress.IsValidAddress(address.Value)) { invalidEntries = true; Trace.WriteLine(String.Format("Reject configuration due to an invalid address ({0}).", address)); break; } // Add the new entry string lowerDomain = domain.Value.ToLower(); map[lowerDomain] = new RoutingAddress(address.Value); Trace.WriteLine(String.Format("Added entry ({0} -> {1})", lowerDomain, address.Value)); } // If there are no invalid entries, swap in the map if (!invalidEntries) { Interlocked.Exchange<Dictionary<string, RoutingAddress>>(ref this.addressMap, map); Trace.WriteLine("Accepted configuration"); } } } #endregion }