Tag: Exchange

Microsoft Exchange 2013 Public Folder Directory Sync Support Scripts

Microsoft has recently updated the Microsoft Exchange 2013 Public Folders Directory Sync Support Scripts to version 15.00.1017.003.

Brief Description
Scripts to enable creation of public folder related objects in the O365 Active Directory and synchronization of public folder related Active Directory objects between on-premise and O365 directories.

Overview
Use this scripts if you need to do one of the following – – Initial creation of mail enabled public folder objects in the destination Active Directory for public folder migration from Exchange 2007 or 2010 to Exchange 2013 – Synchronization of mail enabled public folder objects from cloud to on-premise Active Directory – Synchronization of mail enabled public folder objects from on-premise to cloud Active Directory – Synchronization of public folder mailbox objects from cloud to on-premise Active Directory

Issues with Exchange 2013 CU6

On August 26 Microsoft released Exchange 2013 CU6, the sixth Cumulative Update since the new servicing model of Exchange.

Unfortunately this Update in is facing issues. Some customers found two issues with Exchange 2013 CU6:

Both issues were quickly identified by Microsoft and a fix is already available.

Performance issues or delays when you connect to Exchange Server 2013 that is running in Windows Server

Microsoft released a new KB article about a performance issue with Exchange 2013

When you connect to a Microsoft Exchange Server 2013 server that is installed in Windows Server 2012 R2, Windows Server 2012, Windows Server 2008 R2, or Windows Server 2008 in which Microsoft .NET Framework 4.5 is included, you may experience delays to access email messages or disconnections to the Exchange server. When this issue occurs, the CPU or memory usage on the server is high for some services that include one or more of the W3wp.exe processes.

This issue occurs because too many objects are pinned on the .NET Framework 4.5 garbage collector heap. It causes heap fragmentation in addition to an increase in CPU and memory usage by the garbage collector.

Important Follow the steps in this section carefully. Serious problems might occur if you modify the registry incorrectly. Before you modify it, back up the registry for restoration in case problems occur.

For Exchange Server 2013 that is installed in Windows Server 2012

Apply hotfix 2803755 that needs a restart, and then use one of the following methods to enable the hotfix:

  • Create the COMPLUS_DisableRetStructPinning environment variable, and set the value of the variable to 1.
  • Create a DWORDvalue of the DisableRetStructPinning entry at the following registry subkey, and set the DWORD value to 1:

    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\.NETFramework

Then, restart the computer.

For Exchange Server 2013 that is installed in Windows Server 2012 R2

Create a DWORDvalue of the DisableRetStructPinning entry at the following registry subkey, and set the DWORD value to1:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\.NETFramework

Then, restart the computer.

For Exchange Server 2013 that is installed in Windows Server 2008 R2 or Windows Server 2008

Apply hotfix 2803754 that needs a restart, and then use one of the following methods to enable the hotfix:

  • Create the COMPLUS_DisableRetStructPinning environment variable, and set the value of the variable to 1.
  • Create a DWORDvalue of the DisableRetStructPinning entry at the following registry subkey, and set the DWORD value to 1:

    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\.NETFramework

Exchange 2013 Cumulative Update 6

The Exchange Team released Cumulative Update 6 for Exchange Server 2013 (KB2936880). This update raises Exchange 2013 build number to 15.0.995.29.

This Cumulative Update increases the Public Folder for Exchange On-Premises to 100,000. It also fixes the ‘Hybrid Configuration Wizard ‘Subtask Checkprereqs Execution Failed’ issue (2988229).

This Cumulative Update contains the following fixes:

2991934 Duplicate mailbox folders after migration to Exchange Server 2013
2983512 RPC Client Access service crashes on an on-premises Mailbox server in an Exchange Server 2013 hybrid environment
2983426 AutodiscoverSelfTestProbe fails when external URL is not set for EWS virtual directory in Exchange Server 2013
2983423 AutodiscoverSelfTestProbe fails when external URL is not set for ECP virtual directory in Exchange Server 2013
2983422 The ServerWideOffline component is set to Inactive after Exchange Server 2013 prerequisite check fails
2983207 “532 5.3.2″ NDR when you send an email message to a hidden mailbox in an Exchange Server 2013 environment
2983066 Removed Default or Anonymous permission for Outlook folders cannot be restored in an Exchange Server 2013 environment
2982769 “Topology service cannot find the OWA service” when you perform an eDiscovery search in Exchange Server 2013
2982763 Mail-enabled public folder accepts email messages from unauthorized users in an Exchange Server 2013 environment
2982762 OAB generation arbitration mailbox can be removed or disabled in an Exchange Server 2013 environment
2982760 The Enter key submits duplicate sign-in forms to Outlook Web App in an Exchange Server 2013 environment
2982759 You cannot access the archive mailbox of a delegated user after enabling MAPI over HTTP
2982017 Incorrect voice mail message duration in an Exchange Server 2013 environment
2981835 You cannot add attachments, delete or move many email messages in bulk in Outlook Web App
2981466 MAPI/CDO client cannot connect to Exchange Server 2013
2977279 You cannot disable journaling for protected voice mail in an Exchange Server 2013 environment
2975599 Exchange Server 2010 public folder replication fails in an Exchange Server 2013 environment
2975003 Calendar item body disappears in Outlook online mode in an Exchange Server 2013 environment
2974339 OAB generation fails if FIPS is used in an Exchange Server 2013 environment
2971270 Blank page after you sign in to Exchange Server 2013 EAC (formerly ECP)
2970040 Folder Assistant rule does not work correctly in an Exchange Server 2013 environment
2965689 EAS device cannot sync free/busy status if an item is created by EWS in an Exchange Server 2013 environment
2963590 Message routing latency if IPv6 is enabled in Exchange Server 2013
2961715 “Something went wrong” error in Outlook Web App may show an incorrect date
2958434 Users cannot access mailboxes in OWA or EAS when mailbox database is removed

Download Exchange 2013 Cumulative Update 6 here; UM Language Packs download here.

    Exchange 2010 SP3 Rollup 7

    The Exchange Team released Rollup 7 for Exchange Server 2010 Service Pack 3 (KB2961522). This update raises Exchange 2010 version number to 14.3.210.2.

    Fixes:

    • 2983261 “HTTP 400 – Bad Request” error when you open a shared mailbox in Outlook Web App in an Exchange Server 2010 environment
    • 2982873 Outlook Web App logon times out in an Exchange Server 2010 environment
    • 2980300 Event 4999 is logged when the World Wide Web publishing service crashes after you install Exchange Server 2010 SP3
    • 2979253 Email messages that contain invalid control characters cannot be retrieved by an EWS-based application
    • 2978645 S/MIME option disappears when you use Outlook Web App in Internet Explorer 11 in an Exchange Server 2010 environment
    • 2977410 Email attachments are not visible in Outlook or other MAPI clients in an Exchange Server 2010 environment
    • 2976887 eDiscovery search fails if an on-premises Exchange Server 2010 mailbox has an Exchange Online archive mailbox
    • 2976322 Assistant stops processing new requests when Events in Queue value exceeds 500 in Exchange Server 2010
    • 2975988 S/MIME certificates with EKU Any Purpose (2.5.29.37.0) are not included in OAB in Exchange Server 2010
    • 2966923 Domain controller is overloaded after you change Active Directory configurations in Exchange Server 2010

    Download Exchange 2010 SP3 Rollup 7 here.

    Important update available for Exchange Server 2013 hybrid deployments

    An important update is now available to resolve issues customers are currently experiencing when using the Hybrid Configuration Wizard (HCW) to create a new or manage an existing hybrid deployment with Microsoft Exchange Server 2013.

    If you currently have an Exchange 2013-based hybrid deployment configured, you will not notice any issues unless you rerun the HCW as part of updating or managing your existing hybrid features. Unless you need to reconfigure your hybrid deployment, you can simply wait for the next update of Exchange Server 2013 (Cumulative Update 6) to correct this issue with the HCW.

    For Exchange 2013 organizations creating new or managing an existing hybrid configuration with the HCW, the following HCW error message indicates you are experiencing the issue this update addresses:

    Subtask CheckPrereqs execution failed: Check Tenant Prerequisites Deserialization fails due to one SerializationException: Microsoft.Exchange.Compliance.Serialization.Formatters.BlockedTypeException: The type to be (de)serialized is not allowed: Microsoft.Exchange.Data.Directory.DirectoryBackendType

    If you experience this issue, contact Microsoft support to obtain the fix as documented in KB2988229. This fix requires Exchange Server 2013 Service Pack 1 (SP1) or Cumulative Update 5 (CU5).

    Once the Interim Update (IU) is applied, customers can successfully run the HCW and complete configuring a hybrid deployment with Office 365.

    Manage Exchange 2010 Database Log Growth by Using the Troubleshoot-DatabaseSpace.ps1 Script in the Shell

    The Troubleshoot-DatabaseSpace.ps1 script is used by Microsoft System Center Operations Manager 2007 to detect and correct any excess log growth or Microsoft Exchange database (.edb) file growth that, if unchecked, may cause database downtime. By default, System Center Operations Manager 2007 runs the script every 15 minutes. However, you can use Task Scheduler to configure and run this script to monitor database log and file growth.

    The Troubleshoot-DatabaseSpace.ps1 script performs the following actions:

    1. Keeps track of log generation rate for the highest log generators per database. This helps determine which users are logging too heavily and potentially causing space issues.
    2. Keeps track of the available disk space for both the database and the log files. If either of these is within a configurable threshold of being full, further action must be taken.
    3. Keeps track of the log generation rate. If it appears that the disk is going to run out of space within the value specified by the HourThreshold parameter (based on the log generation rate), further action must be taken.

      noteNote:

      To avoid critical issues, make sure the value for the HourThreshold parameter is large enough to give you time to react during normal business hours while enough free space is available. If drives are filling up faster than the value specified, immediate action must be taken to protect the disk.

    4. If all of the preceding conditions are fulfilled, the script determines the list of top 25 users who accessed the database during the last one-hour period. The script then quarantines the top high-usage mailboxes for which the sum of the log generation rate is greater than the difference between the current generation rate and the sustainable generation rate that would allow tiding over the configurable time threshold. These users are quarantined for six hours, during which they won’t have access to e-mail.
    5. If the troubleshooter is unsuccessful at dropping the log generation rate to below the threshold level, it will write out events that translate into health model alerts. At this point, the script removes the database from provisioning by running the Set-MailboxDatabase cmdlet with the ExcludeFromProvisioning parameter set to $true against the specified database. You may need to move mailboxes to a new server to rebalance space.
    6. If the troubleshooter quarantines more than 10 users, this indicates a systemic issue, which you need to follow up on. The health model will trigger an urgent alert from this condition.

    The default settings used in the Troubleshoot-DatabaseSpace.ps1 script are defined in the StoreTSConstants.ps1 script.

    Command: .\Troubleshoot-databasespace.ps1 -server MBX01 -PercentLogFreeSpace 10 -PercentEDBFreeSpace 10 -HourThreshold 5 -Quarantine

    Taskscheduler: powershell.exe -PSConsoleFile “C:\Program Files\Microsoft\Exchange Server\V14\bin\exshell.psc1” -command “. ‘C:\Program Files\Microsoft\Exchange Server\V14\Scripts\Troubleshoot-databasespace.ps1’ –server EX01 -PercentLogFreeSpace 10 -PercentEDBFreeSpace 10 -HourThreshold 1 -Quarantine”

    Exchange Tools

    Here I’ll share some free tools that can help simplify Microsoft Exchange deployment, troubleshooting, and administration. Some of the tools are simple—but still convenient—whereas others provide some powerful functionality.

    There are some tools you can use during deployment to ease the process and reduce issues in the future, tools you can use for troubleshooting to reduce down-times, and tools you can use during day-to-day administration to monitor server health and perform tasks.

    Microsoft Exchange Server Deployment Assistant

    Microsoft’s Exchange Server Deployment Assistant is an online tool that produces a custom step-by-step checklist you can utilize during a server installation or upgrade. It first asks you questions about your current and desired deployment environment, such as the deployment type (on-premise, cloud, or hybrid), migration questions, desired features/functionality, and other miscellaneous caveats that impact the installation or upgrade.

    Microsoft Remote Connectivity Analyzer

    Microsoft’s Remote Connectivity Analyzer is a website with many tools to help test and troubleshoot connectively of Exchange servers, Outlook, Lync, OCS, Office 365, and POP, IMAP, and STMP email. Plus it offers downloadable Connectivity Analyzer Tools for local testing and a message header analyzer.

    PFDAVAdmin and ExFolders
    These are tools that enable you to perform tasks on Exchange public folders and mailboxes, such as checking or changing permissions. It can also connect to mailboxes, check the contents, and generate reports. PFDAVAdmin is for Exchange 2000, 2003, and 2007 and ExFolders is the updated version for Exchange 2007 and 2010 SP1 and later.

    Jetstress

    The Jetstress tool simulates disk I/O load on your server, allowing you to specify the amount of simulated Exchange users and profiles. This can help you verify the performance and stability of your server before installing Exchange and putting it into production-use.

    Exchange Server Role Requirements Calculators

    These are calculator tools that give sizing recommendations for your particular Exchange server roles for both client access and mailbox. The 2010 version is focused on mailbox calculations while the 2013 version includes recommendations on sizing Client Access servers too.

    Exchange Environment Report

    This Exchange Environment Report tool is from Steve Goodman and is a PowerShell script that generates an automatic overview of your Exchange environment. It supports Exchange 2003, 2007, 2010 and 2013 servers and database availability groups. It reports the number of and details about the servers, mailboxes, roles, and versions. It also gives you useful status on the Database Availability Groups (DAG) and non-DAG databases.

    Exchange Reports

    Exchange Reports offers reports on overall information about your Exchange Environment, supporting Exchange 2010 & Exchange 2013. You can keep an eye on configuration changes and status with Group Reports, Single Group Information, Mailbox Report, Single Mailbox Information, Message Tracking, and Environment Report.

    The program doesn’t require any installation, but requires .Net 4.0, Powershell 2.0, and Remote Powershell access to the Exchange Server. Reports can be saved in history and also exported to Excel.

    Microsoft Exchange Server MAPI Editor (MFCMAPI)

    Microsoft’s Microsoft Exchange Server MAPI Editor (MFCMAPI) tool provides access to MAPI stores, useful when troubleshooting Exchange and Outlook issues, which can serve as a replacement to the old Microsoft Exchange Server Information Store Viewer. You can open and navigate through the message stores that are exposed through MAPI.

    Free Exchange Monitor

    The Free Exchange Monitor from SolarWinds supports Microsoft Exchange Server 2000 and 2003. It keeps tabs on the Exchange server stats, services, mail queue sizes, and host server health. In addition to notifying you of outages it can be useful in troubleshooting Exchange server problems and even help with pro-active monitoring, for instance detecting growing mail queues that can indicate bigger issues like transport failures, Internet connection failures, and virus activity.

    Free Exchange Monitoring

    This is another monitoring application, but from ManageEngine and supports Exchange Server 2003, 2007, 2010, and 2013. It gives stats on server health and Exchange services. It also provides details on the client access server, transport, Active Sync counters, and delivery aspects. You can generate real-time performance reports to be downloaded or emailed in PDF format.

    Exclaimer Outlook Photos

    Exclaimer Outlook Photos can help you import staff photos into the Active Directory so they’ll show up in the Outlook People Pane, SharePoint profile, and on Microsoft Lync. It can auto-match pictures from a batch to names or other data in Active Directory, and even automatically crop and center the photos as well.

    Certificate Manager for Exchange 2007

    Exchange 2007 enables SSL within IIS by default, but creating and managing SSL certificates via PowerShell commands can be confusing. However, the Certificate Manager for Exchange 2007 from U-BTech eases the process with a GUI.

    You can generate an Exchange 2007 Certificate Signing Request and process the Certificate Authority and enable certificates for Exchange 2007 Services (POP, IMAP, SMTP, IIS, UM). Plus you can include additional subject names in a single certificate. It supports import and exporting as well.

    Exchange PST Capture

    Exchange PST Capture from Microsoft will search your network for PST files and then import those files to mailboxes in your organization. It supports both on-premises Exchange Server 2010 and 2013 and Exchange Online. This tool can help, for instance, during the initial deployment of an Exchange Server, to move local Outlook data files into the Exchange Server.

    LINK

    Microsoft Exchange Server 2013 Help Files

    Microsoft has released “May 2014″ version of Exchange 2013 Help Files for On-premises and Hybrid Deployments. These help files include information up to date until Cumulative Update 5 . These are offline copy of Exchange 2013 TechNet content and very useful when you want to refer something in your lab environment and don’t have internet access.

    Link to Download      : http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=35395

    Microsoft Exchange Server 2013 Curahs

    Check out these Curah’s for Microsoft Exchange Server 2013:

    http://curah.microsoft.com

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