Looking back to BPOS, the only way to add an alias to a distribution group, was by using DirSync, as described here:

http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/ar/onlineservicesexchange/thread/0dab060f-41a2-4ef2-926d-8b6e0b2464c8

With the arrival of Office365, and Exchange Online, time to see if it is possible now to have one distribution group with multiple email aliasses, even without using DirSync.

Goal = have a distribution group, with 3 email addresses: Sales@sir.onmicrosoft.com,Sales@vancriekinge.be, and info@sir.onmicrosoft.com

First I will create the new distribution group, using the Exchange Control Panel. I sign into OWA, and from there click on Options, and select to manage My Organization, and from there I create a new distribution group called Sales:

Now time to add the two other addresses…

Option 1. Use the Exchange Control Panel

When selecting the distribution group Sales, and clicking on Details, I can see there is currently one e-mail address, and no Add button:

But when going to the General options, I can see that I can change the e-mailaddress of the group, and that the existing addresses will be kept!

So I enter Info in the E-Mail address, and press Save:

When checking the E-Mail Options, I can see there are now two e-mail addresses for my distribution group:

But no option to remove any of these…

Option 2. Using the Exchange Management Shell

Easy After connecting to Exchange Online, I will use a variable to add the e-mail address of info@vancriekinge.be to the distribution group.

PS C:\Users\ilse> $sales = Get-DistributionGroup sales
PS C:\Users\ilse> $sales.EmailAddresses
SMTP:Info@Sir.onmicrosoft.com
smtp:Sales@Sir.onmicrosoft.com
PS C:\Users\ilse> $sales.EmailAddresses += "sales@vancriekinge.be"
PS C:\Users\ilse> $sales.EmailAddresses
SMTP:Info@Sir.onmicrosoft.com
smtp:Sales@Sir.onmicrosoft.com
sales@vancriekinge.be
PS C:\Users\ilse> Set-DistributionGroup -Identity Sales -EmailAddresses $sales.EmailAddresses
PS C:\Users\ilse> Get-DistributionGroup sales

Name                    DisplayName             GroupType               PrimarySmtpAddress
----                    -----------             ---------               ------------------
Sales                   Sales                   Universal               Info@Sir.onmicrosof...

PS C:\Users\ilse> Get-DistributionGroup sales | fl *emailad*

EmailAddresses            : {smtp:sales@vancriekinge.be, SMTP:Info@Sir.onmicrosoft.com, smtp:Sales@Sir.onmicrosoft.com}
EmailAddressPolicyEnabled : False
WindowsEmailAddress       : Info@Sir.onmicrosoft.com

Check via ECP, and it’s done

Using the Shell, it’s different to remove an e-mail address:

PS C:\Users\ilvancri> Get-DistributionGroup sales | fl *emailad*

EmailAddresses            : {smtp:sales@vancriekinge.be, SMTP:Info@Sir.onmicrosoft.com, smtp:Sales@Sir.onmicrosoft.com}
EmailAddressPolicyEnabled : False
WindowsEmailAddress       : Info@Sir.onmicrosoft.com

PS C:\Users\ilvancri> Set-DistributionGroup -Identity Sales -EmailAddresses 'smtp:sales@sir.onmicrosoft.com','SMTP:info@sir.onmicrosoft.com'
PS C:\Users\ilvancri> Get-DistributionGroup sales | fl *emailad*

EmailAddresses            : {SMTP:info@sir.onmicrosoft.com, smtp:sales@sir.onmicrosoft.com}
EmailAddressPolicyEnabled : False
WindowsEmailAddress       : Info@Sir.onmicrosoft.com

A check in ECP reveals the e-mail address sales@vancriekinge.be is gone…

Option 3. Using the Exchange Management Console

As blogged before (http://blogs.technet.com/b/ilvancri/archive/2011/10/14/exchange-online-change-primary-smtp-address-without-changing-sign-in-address.aspx) it is possible to install the Exchange Management Console, and use it to connect to your Exchange Online environment, even if you do not have a Hybrid setup with an Exchange On Premises.

Using the Exchange Management Console, you can go to the properties of your distribution group, and add/remove e-mail addresses as you need:

Exchange rocks!

Ilse