Category: Exchange 2007

Determine the IP Address and check to see if a PTR record exists for each Exchange Server

Scenario:  You want to determine the IP Address and PTR record for each Exchange Server in your environment.   Below is the script I used.  This will query for DNS and put the results into a table called $final.

Script:

$servers = get-exchangeserver ex2013* | Where AdminDisplayVersion -like *15*

$final = @()

$Servers | %{ 
write-host $_.Name
$Name = ([System.Net.Dns]::GetHostEntry("$_")).HostName;
$Address = ([System.Net.Dns]::GetHostEntry("$_")).AddressList;
$PTR = ([System.Net.Dns]::GetHostByAddress($Address)).HostName

$returnobj = new-object psobject
$returnobj |Add-Member -MemberType NoteProperty -Name "ServerName" -Value $Name
$returnobj |Add-Member -MemberType NoteProperty -Name "IPAddress" -Value $Address
$returnobj |Add-Member -MemberType NoteProperty -Name "PTR" -Value $PTR
$final += $returnObj

$Name = $null
$address = $null
$ptr = $null


}

$final

 

 

 

How to quickly gather IP Addresses for a list of Servers

Scenario: You want to quickly gather the IP addresses from a list of HostNames.  Gather your hostnames into a variable and run the following script:

#Gather into your Variable ( I am gathering a list of all Exchange 2010 servers) – You could also Import-CSV or other import types.

$Servers = Get-ExchangeServer ExSvr* | Where AdminDisplayversion -like *14* | Sort Name

#Loop It!  You can also write it out to a file as well by inserting Out-File with -append OR other export types.

$servers | %{
$IP = [System.Net.DNS]::GetHostAddresses($_.Name).IPAddressToString
$Name = $_.Name +":"+$IP
Write-Host $name
}

troubleshooting Outlook logon prompt for users

Synopsis: group of outlook users homed on Exch2007 reported logon prompt issues. Users(who already logged in the domain) get prompted to login upon launching Outlook. In some cases, users login successfully, but receive logon prompts intermittently
Systems/Software Affected: Outlook 2007, Outlook 2010, Exchange 2007
Things to check on Exchange 2007 CAS servers when such issues happen:
1. Please note that Issue could be related to a reboot of Domain Controller. Confirm with AD team prior to troubleshooting
2. Issue is also likely related to Offline Address Book (OAB)
login to the Exch2007 cas servers and confirm the following:
1. launch IIS manager and under default website
2. right click OAB, properties, directory security
3. make sure integrated windows authentication and basic auth are checked
4. Go to Exchange installation folder, for eg E:program filesexchange serverclient access
5. Right click on OAB, properties, ensure that authenticated users is in the ACE and check to make sure the group at least read and execute right
6. If all the settings are correct, you are done with your checks. If not, make the changes and do iisreset /noforce from the command prompt
 
as part of the test, you can type this url to verify you can reach the OAB xml file;

Hiding mailbox from the GAL. Blackberry and Outlook Scenarios

Background: Customer wants his mail account hidden from the Exchange GAL
Test Objective: To determine and confirm any difference in  Blackberry and Outlook operations after hiding the mail account from the GAL
Tests performed by: Obi and Brandon
Devices and software used: Blackberry Torch(same device customer uses) and Outlook 2010
Findings:
Outlook Scenarios:
1.       Customers can do a checkname ONLY with full email address
2.       Free-busy lookup works ONLY with full email address
3.       President can still send and receive email
4.       Appointments can be made on president’s calendar
5.       Meeting requests can be sent(again with full email address)
6.       New profiles can’t be created. However this can be mitigated by unhiding the mailbox and creating the profile. It can be hidden afterwards.
Blackberry scenarios:
1.       After hiding from the GAL, free busy is blacked out for the president on the blackberry
2.       President can see other people’s availability
3.       Can send and receive email from blackberry
4.       Can lookup contacts
5.       Can view his calendar and any updates to his calendar
6.       Can’t  send or receive meeting requests from his device
7.       Can’t  post, delete appointments or meeting requests
Webmail Scenarios:  
1 President can see his free busy and others
2 Works just as well as Outlook
3. webmail customers can do free-busy with president’s account using full email address
  
Conclusion:
Given the following:
a.      customer has staff that actively manages his calendar activities,
b.      That his/er blackberry calendar is just for viewing updates and not to add or delete calendar items,
c.       That his/her staff and associates know to use his full email address to do meeting requests, free-busy and checkname,
Then it will be correct to say that customer’s mailbox can be hidden from the GAL.

How to find objects in Active Directory with duplicate SMTP address.

How to find objects in Active Directory with duplicate SMTP address.
The Active Directory Users and Computers snap-in can be used to search for the address. To do this, follow these steps:
  1. Run Active Directory Users and Computers.
  2. Right-click the domain object and choose Find from the context menu. This will bring up the Find Users, Contacts, and Groupswindow.
  3. In the Find drop-down list, choose Custom Search.
  4. Click the Advanced tab and in the Enter LDAP query: field, enter smtp alias, for eg:proxyaddresses=smtp:user@domain.com
  5. Click the Find Now button.