subject: exchange

Scalable Networking Pack (SNP) hotfix for Windows 2003

Rui Silva — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 08:21:59 GMT

Scalable Networking Pack (SNP) is a feature that was introduced with Windows Server 2003 and that also exists in Windows Server 2008 (but it's turned off by default).

Although SNP was a good idea, as it could improve network performance, it may have some adverse effects on Exchange (for more details, read Windows 2003 Scalable Networking pack and its possible effects on Exchange).

After the report of these problems, Microsoft released a hotfix that would disable SNP features. A new hotfix has now been released, if you installed the first one, I strongly advise you to go and get this new one.

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Exchange Server ActiveSync Web Administration Tool v08.01.0240.006

Rui Silva — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 07:57:43 GMT

The Microsoft Exchange Server ActiveSync Web Administration Tool v08.01.0240.006 is now available for download.

Overview
The Microsoft Exchange Server ActiveSync Web Administration tool enables administrators to manage the process of remotely erasing lost, stolen, or otherwise compromised mobile devices.

By using the Exchange Server ActiveSync Web Administration tool, administrators can perform the following actions:
• View a list of all devices that are being used by any enterprise user
• Select/De-select devices to be remotely erased
• View the status of pending remote erase requests for each device
• View a transaction log that indicates which administrators have issued remote erase commands, in addition to the devices those commands pertained to

The Microsoft Exchange Server ActiveSync Web Administration Tool is designed for use with Exchange Server 2003 Service Pack 2 and Exchange Server 2007 RTM and SP1 and compatible mobile devices.

Download Guidance
There are three versions of the Exchange Server ActiveSync Web Adminstration Tool that you may download depending on the version of Exchange deployed in your organization.

First, for Exchange Server 2003 SP2 only deployments, please select the downloadable file named "MobileAdmin (Ex2003).exe".

Second, for Exchange Server 2007 only or mixed Exchange environments (Exchange Server 2007 and 2003 SP2) where this tool will be installed on a 32-bit Windows Operating System, please select the downloadable file named "MobileAdmin (32-bit).msi".

Third, for Exchange deployments similiar to the second deployment scenario above, but this tool will be installed on a 64bit Windows Operating System, please select the downloadable file named "MobileAdmin.msi".

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Email Prioritizer - how to deal with email overload

Rui Silva — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 18:55:15 GMT

Microsoft Office Labs released recently a cool prototype tool: Email Prioritizer.

"Email Prioritizer is a plug-in for Microsoft Office Outlook 2007 (running on Exchange Server) that helps you manage email overload. This concept test provides a “do not disturb” button that temporarily pauses new email arrival, and prioritizes email with a 0-3 star rating system. We hope this prototype helps you focus on the emails that are most important to you."

Requirements: This prototype requires Outlook 2007 running on Exchange Server.

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Weekend reading

Rui Silva — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 11:46:25 GMT

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Weekend reading

Rui Silva — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 18:55:04 GMT

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Exchange 2007 Mailbox Server Role Storage Requirements Calculator v15.6

Rui Silva — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 21:08:44 GMT

Ross Smith IV announced at the Microsoft Exchange Team Blog that the Exchange 2007 Mailbox Server Role Storage Requirements Calculator v15.6 has been released to the general public.

According to the updates tracking page at the You Had Me At EHLO blog, the changes include some bug fixes as well as some enhancements.

To get the detailed instructions on how to use it, read Exchange 2007 Mailbox Server Role Storage Requirements Calculator.

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Exchange Server 2007 now supported in Hyper-V... and others!

Rui Silva — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 20:44:22 GMT

Microsoft finally announced its support for Exchange Server 2007 in a virtualized environment. Exchange will not only be supported under Hyper-V, but also under any hypervisor validated under the Microsoft Server Virtualization Validation Program (SVVP).

Here's an excerpt from the post announcing this at the You had me at EHLO blog.

Microsoft now supports Exchange Server 2007 SP1 running Hyper-V or hypervisors validated under the Microsoft Server Virtualization Validation Program (SVVP).
Microsoft is waiving its 90-day license reassignment policy to enable customers who virtualize Exchange to move their licenses between servers within a data farm as often as necessary.

For all the details, please read Microsoft Support Policies and Recommendations for Exchange Servers in Hardware Virtualization Environments.

Bharat did a wonderful job gathering the required conditions for full support:

What's supported: Exchange Server 2007 SP1 running on Windows Server 2008
Supported Exchange 2007 Server Roles: All except Unified Messaging
What Hypervisor: Microsoft Hyper-V, or any hypervisor validated by MSVVP
Not supported: Differencing disks and expandable virtual disks
Not supported: Taking VM snapshots (these aren't application-aware)
Not supported: Combining Exchange's clustering features (SCC and CCR) with availability features from the virtualization layer, such as Hyper-V's quick migration.

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Weekend reading

Rui Silva — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 15:54:09 GMT

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Exchange Server Documentation Updates - August 2008

Rui Silva — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 07:27:45 GMT

As usual, the Microsoft Exchange Team posts about the most important updates to the Exchange Server content.

On their latest post, Exchange Server Documentation Updates - August 2008, they highlight the following topics:

Server Installation and Automation Guides: This section of content provides guidance on how to formally document your organization's Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 build process, take steps to automate the build process to improve consistency, and reduce the possibility of operator error during server build and deployment. Installation guide templates cover both Windows Server 2008 and Windows Server 2003.
Managing Public Folders with the Exchange Management Shell: This article gives tips and tricks for the day-to-day management of public folders by using the Exchange Management Shell.
White Paper: Continuous Replication Deep Dive: Continuous replication is a key feature of Exchange Server 2007. Read about the technical details and inner workings of continuous replication technology in this white paper.

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Forefront for Exchange SP1 Rollup 3

Rui Silva — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 09:20:08 GMT

The Forefront Server Security Team has just announced that Forefront for Exchange SP1 Rollup 3 is now available.

Please note that, at this time, you must contact Microsoft Support in order to obtain Rollup 3 for Forefront, since there isn't a download link available yet.

Rollup 3 resolves the following issues:

954564: The scan engines are not updated in Forefront Security for Exchange Server SP1, and a Dr. Watson event is logged.
954578: Sender notifications are not sent in Forefront Security for Exchange Server Service Pack 1 if the "From" field in the original e-mail message header has multiple lines.
951761: Rollup version not displayed in the Forefront Help menu - About Forefront.
951936: The General Options screen goes blank in Forefront for Exchange when you use the Tab key to scroll through the options.
951920: The Forefront Administrator crashes when attempting to close it while the "License Information" pop-up is open.
951921: The FSCController service cannot start-up successfully if a corrupt .fdb configuration file is loaded.
954092: Engine Updates taking more than 5 minutes to download do not complete.
951922: FSCDiag.exe now collects process and PID information from your Forefront server.
951923: Forefront for Exchange may see the following issue: ADGetStorage - Could not bind to Active Directory configuration context. Error code: 80005000.
952040: Forefront for Exchange will now scan for WMV files that have had their extensions renamed.
952039: Forefront for Exchange does not manually scan Public Folders if non-MAPI Public Folders are in the organization.
954577: The Start menu shortcut that points to Forefront for Exchange does not work in the German version of Windows Server 2008.
954565: Nested .msg attachments are not detected as nested attachments in e-mail messages in Forefront Security for Exchange Server Service Pack 1.
954093: The Filter List order is not updated on scan jobs when you delete and recreate a filter list of the same name.
953965: Forefront for Exchange may corrupt messages when attaching messages whose subject lines match a file filter set to Delete/Remove.
954561: You are unable to update scan engines through a proxy on a computer that is running Forefront Security for Exchange Server SP1.
954094: FSCDiag does not collect engine version info in the verForeFront.csv file when installed on a cluster.
954907: E-mail messages are not sent when you are running Forefront Security for Exchange Server Service Pack 1.
954934: Added a log message upon failure of setting up an active/passive Forefront cluster.
954911: A scan job fails on a computer that is running Forefront Security for Exchange Server Service Pack 1.
954941: E-mail messages start to build into a queue and the Fsctransportscanner.exe process uses lots of memory when Forefront Security for Exchange Server SP1 is running.
953956: Forefront for Exchange false detecting winmail.dat files as corruptedcompressedfile virus
954942: You cannot collect data when you try to use the Forefront Server Security Management Console on an SCC cluster that has Forefront for Exchange with Service Pack 1 installed.
955010: The FSCDiag.exe utility does not collect the correct data in Forefront Security for Exchange Server Service Pack 1.

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