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Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Event id 7200 in Exchange

Event Type:    Error
Event Source:    MSExchangeIS Mailbox Store
Event Category:    General
Event ID:    7200
Date:        6/16/2012
Time:        7:16:00 AM
User:        N/A
Computer:    Test
Description:
Background thread FDoUpdateCatalog halted on database "First Storage Group\Mailbox Store (test)" due to error code 0x80004005.
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I had experienced the above error in Exchange 2003 with latest service packs installed. Although this error message for full-text indexing is actually harmless but this error message can fill up event logs quickly.
Below are the steps that helped me to fix the issue:



  • ·         Enable full-text indexing for the information store that is being affected. Open Exchange System Manager for Exchange 2003. Click to expand the Organization object, click to expand the <Site> object, and then click to expand the Servers object. Click the <Server_name> object, click the <Storage_group_name> object, and then click the mailbox store object. Right-click the Mailbox Store object, and then click Create Full-Text Indexing on the shortcut menu. Click OK to the catalog path.
  • ·         Wait until full-text indexing is enabled; this may take some time for large information stores. Right-click the mailbox store object, and then click Properties on the shortcut menu.
NOTE: If the information store database (on which you are setting up the index) is very large, you may need to schedule this process for a time when production will not be interrupted because indexing occurs on all of the mailboxes.

  • ·         Click the Full-Text Indexing tab, and then change the interval back to Never.
  • ·         Disable full-text indexing for the information store: Click to expand the Organization object, click to expand the <Site> object, and then click to expand the Servers object. Click the <Server_name> object, click the <Storage_group_name> object, and then click the Mailbox Store object. Right-click the mailbox store object, and then click Delete the Full-Text Indexing on the shortcut menu. Click OK to the catalog path. After 15 minutes, refresh the application event logs; the error messages should be gone.

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Autodiscover service


Auto Discover Service in Exchange 2007


Prior to Exchange 2007, users need to configure their outlook profiles manually by providing the correct exchange server name to access the Exchange server. By the autodiscover service in Exchange 2007, it seasier to configure Outlook 2007 or Outlook 2010 and some mobile phones(depends on the version and support). Autodiscover cannot be used with earlier versions of outlook like 2003.

The Autodiscover service uses a user's e-mail address and password to automatically configure a user's profile. Using the e-mail address, the Autodiscover service provides the following information to the client:
  • The user’s display name
  • Separate connection settings for internal and external connectivity
  • The location of the user’s Mailbox server
  • The URLs for various Outlook features that govern functionality such as free/busy information, Unified Messaging, and the offline address book
  • Outlook Anywhere server settings
When a user's Exchange information is changed, Outlook automatically reconfigures the user's profile using the Autodiscover service. For example, if a user's mailbox is moved or the client can't connect to the user's mailbox or to available Exchange features, Outlook will contact the Autodiscover service and automatically update the user's profile to include the information that's required to connect to the mailbox and Exchange features.


When CAS role is installed on Exchange 2007 server,a new virtual directory named Autodiscover is created under the Default Web Site in Internet Information Services (IIS) and new service connection point (SCP) Active Directory object is created for each server where the Client Access server role is installed. The SCP object is used by domain-connected clients to locate the Autodiscover service. Autodiscover virtual directory in IIS handles Autodiscover service requests from Outlook 2007 clients in the following circumstances:
  • When a new Outlook profile is configured or updated
  • When a client periodically checks for changes to the Exchange Web Services URLs
  • When underlying network connection changes occur in your Exchange messaging environment

Outlook connecting to exchange server using autodiscover in domain connected (internal access):

 Outlook first tries to connect to each Autodiscover URL that it had previously generated from either an in-site list (which the Autodiscover service is authoritative for that site)or an out-of-site list. If that doesn't work, Outlook will try to connect to the predefined URLs (for example, https://autodiscover.domain.com/autodiscover/autodiscover.xml) by using DNS. If that fails also, Outlook will try the HTTP redirect method and, failing that, Outlook will try to use the SRV record lookup method. If all lookup methods fail, Outlook will be unable to obtain Outlook Anywhere configuration and URL settings.
·  The Autodiscover service queries Active Directory to obtain the connection settings and URLs for the Exchange services that have been configured.
·  The Autodiscover service returns an HTTPS response with an XML file that includes the connection settings and URLs for the available Exchange services.
·  Outlook uses the appropriate configuration information and connection settings to connect to your Exchange messaging environment.


 Outlook connecting to exchange server using autodiscover in non domain environment(external or internet ):

When Outlook 2007 is started on a client that is not domain-connected, it first tries to locate the Autodiscover service by looking up the SCP object in Active Directory. Because the client is unable to contact Active Directory, it tries to locate the Autodiscover service by using Domain Name System (DNS). In this scenario, the client will determine right side of the user’s e-mail address, that is, contoso.com, and check DNS by using two predefined URLs. For example, if your SMTP domain is contoso.com, Outlook will try the following two URLs to try to connect to the Autodiscover service:







Note:
  1. For Outlook to be able to locate the Autodiscover service by using DNS, there must be a host record in DNS for the Autodiscover service that maps the entry point, or public IP address, to the Client Access server where the Autodiscover service is hosted.
  2. Outlook and autodiscover service communication  happen on a secure channel i.e using SSL. So there should be a valid SSL cert installed on the server to work properly.

CAS


Client Access Server 2007 (CAS)

 Client Access server is one of the Role in Exchange 2007. Client access server is having some similarities with the old Front-End terminology (FE) servers Exchange 2003. CAS accepts connections from a variety of clients to allow them access to the Exchange Server infrastructure.
CAS is responsible for OWA, POP3, Active sync, web services and auto discovery.
CAS accepts connections to exchange 2007 from various clients and it is required in every Exchange 2007 Organization. CAS should be installed on a member server that has access to Global catalog server. When CAS is installed 4 directories will be installed by default. They are
  • OWA:  This virtual directory is used by OWA (Outlook Web Access) to access mailboxes on exchange 2007 server.
  •  Public: This virtual directory is used by OWA to access public folders running on Exchange 2000, 2003 and 2007.
  •  Exchweb: This virtual directory is used by OWA for accessing legacy mailboxes i.e. mailboxes on exchange 2000 & 2003.
  •  Exchange: This virtual directory is also for legacy mailboxes addition to exchange 2007 servers. CAS will automatically redirect 2007 users to OWA directory.
 
The ratio of CAS servers that needs to be installed in any organization should be 1 cas server for every 4 mailbox servers. This ratio is as per Microsoft.
CAS server is needed for each site where exchange mailbox servers are located and cas is the gateway for OWA clients. Though outlook (RPC/HTTP) communicates directly to the mailbox servers, it uses CAS to connect exchange mailbox and for services such as autodiscover server and availability service.

Autodiscover which is one of the service of CAS has been explained in Autodiscover section of this blog.

Storage limits and additional features of Exchange 2007


Storage difference between Exchange 2003 and Exchange 2007 and other additional features in Exchange 2007:

I have listed the  Storage Limits on different Exchange versions below :

Exchange Server 2003 Standard Edition:
  • One storage group can be created on a server
  • Up to four more public folder store databases that are accessible only programmatically
  • Maximum 16-gigabyte (GB) database limit per database (75 GB with Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 Service Pack 2)
Exchange Server 2003 Enterprise Edition:
Exchange 2003 Enterprise Edition is designed for large enterprise corporations. With Exchange 2003 Enterprise Edition, you can create multiple storage groups and multiple databases.
  • Four storage groups
  • Five databases per storage group
  • 16 terabyte database limit, limited only by hardware.
Exchange Server 2007 Standard Edition:
  • Five storage groups.
  • Five databases on the server.
Exchange Server 2007 Enterprise Edition:
  • Fifty storage groups.
  • Fifty databases on the server.

Additional Features in Exchange 2007:

  • Roles : The concept of Front end and backend servers has been eliminated in Exchange 2007 with the introduction of 5 distinct roles. Each role performs distinct operations.
  •  Permissions : Exchange 2007 server came up with both global and server level permissions to delegate users at server level and at the organization level.
o   Note: Please refer my Permissions Model in Exchange 2003 and Exchange 2007 page.

  • Autodiscover: A web service integrated with Exchange 2007 that facilitates clients accessing their mailboxes. It is used to automatically setup accounts in outlook profiles. It is also used to determine which CAS that a remote client should use. 
  •  Availability: Automatic load balancing of inbound and outbound connections between Hub Transport Servers within an Active directory Site.
  •  Exchange management Console: This is a replacement tool for System manger in Exchange 2003. This is a graphical user tool for managing Exchange objects such as mailbox, connectors, distribution lists, address book etc.
  • Exchange management Shell: This is a command line interface built on PowerShell technology. All the administrative tasks on exchange can be done through this tool. The task that cannot be performed by EMC can be performed using the shell.
  •  High Availability: Full High availability features are enabled in Exchange 2007.  Transaction log shipping is now available for mailbox server in Local Continuous Replication (LCR) and Cluster Continuous Replication (CCR). 
  •  Unified Messaging: This feature enables exchange to integrated voice messaging, faxing and email.
  •  Built on Active Directory : The routing topology for Exchange 2007 servers is based on the Active Directory Site topology and hence no longer requires the creation of routing groups to control mail flow (routing groups used in Exchange 2003 for routing mails).
 
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