The following are some quick answers to a few random questions that have come my way regarding Exchange:

1. How often should Online Maintenance (OLM) run? How can I confirm that it completed?

Configure the Online Maintenance schedule so that each database completes at least once a week. The Application log should have an event 1221 for every database. You may need to alternate the schedule so that other processes, such as backups and antivirus scans, do not impact the OLM process.

 

2. Can I move the location of the Content Indexing Files in Exchange 2003 or 2007?

Exchange 2003 – see http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb124634(EXCHG.65).aspx
Exchange 2007 – the catalog files are stored on the same disk as the database and cannot be moved without impacting the database file location

 

3. What should I know about Exchange 2007 Content Indexing as an Exchange Admin?

  • Content Indexing (CI) is enabled on mailbox databases by default
  • Public Folder databases do not have content indexing
  • Pictures and movies are not indexed
  • CI usually adds a 5% or less overhead when enabled
  • Outlook 2007 – cached local mode using Windows Search 4.0 or later offers the best search performance for users
  • Who uses CI
    • Exchange ActiveSync's "Server search" feature
    • OWA 2007
    • Online Outlook 2007 client
  • To test search for a mailbox, use Test-ExchangeSearch cmdlet
  • To troubleshoot search, reveiw http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb123701.aspx

 

4. How do I ensure that clients always have an end-date for recurring meetings?

You should stress setting end dates for recurring meetings. You can enforce this by following:

KB 952144 - You cannot disable the "No end date" option for appointments, meeting requests, tasks, or task requests in Outlook 2003
KB 955449 - You cannot disable the "No end date" option for appointments, meeting requests, tasks, or task requests in Outlook 2007

 

 

5. How can I find if the server is Enterprise or Standard Edition in Exchange 2007?

Open the Exchange Management Shell and run Get-ExchangeServer | FT Name, Edition

The Output will look like:

     Name        Edition
     --------   -----------
     Server1    Enterprise
     Server2    Standard

 

6. I just repaired (eseutil /p) my database. Now what?

If you had to /p your DB, then you’ve already done a number on the DB. To get the DB back to a fully functional state, do the following:

  1. Run ESEUTIL /MH and ensure that the State is Clean (consistent)
  2. Try to mount that database to ensure that the server can mount it
  3. If it is working, take an offline copy of this database as a backup
  4. Run ESEUTIL /D to offline defragment the database
  5. Run ISINTEG –S servername –Fix –Test Alltests against the database
  6. Mount the database and then take a FULL backup of the database

 

7. What impact to Exchange 2007 does enabling the System Cryptography: Use FIPS compliant Algorithms for encryption, hashing, and signing GPO setting have?

FIPS may impact services such as Autodiscover & Availability. To work around this impact, locate all web.config files in use by the Exchange Server 2007 services and follow KB 911722 to edit the files to support the changes that the FIPS GPO setting makes.

 

8. Does the delegate user really need to have the same client version?

If both the manager and delegate are using Outlook, YES the client should be the same build to include version and service pack. By doing this, you reduce the chance of having incorrect settings or changes made to a calendar object.

If Entourage is involved, the delegate can use Outlook against the manager’s mailbox however I recommend turning off any search software that might work against the manager’s mailbox. If there is search software running against the same mailbox with different versions, there is a risk of an increase in database search folders and thus increase in DB size.

 

Enjoy!

Doug