XFOR: DXA Appends Hash Code to Imported Dirsync Address DN

• Microsoft Exchange Server, version 4.0

SUMMARY

Examining the distinguished name (DN) for a custom recipient created after a directory synchronization (dirsync) cycle reveals that the DN includes a common name (CN) composed of the original alias name plus hash code. The following is an example:

   /O=Enterprise/OU=Site/CN=JohnD324B43

MORE INFORMATION

When an address is being imported into Microsoft Exchange via dirsync, the directory exchange agent (DXA) creates the new custom recipient in the directory. When doing so a relative distinguished name (RDN) is assigned to it. Later, when an address on MS Mail changes, the DXA needs to be able to find the original recipient that was created previously to be able to do the modification or delete.

Since RDNs need to be unique within the container, and it is limited to 64 bytes, there has to be some way of guaranteeing this link. Thus, the hash code which is a hashing of the address and the DN of the connection object should never change.

This RDN could represent problems in certain situations. For example, if an import file is used to modify the custom recipients created by dirsync, then the RDN composed of the alias name and the hash code has to be included in the import file for it to work. If not, a new set of addresses will be created.