XFOR: Manual Dir-Sync with Exchange as Dir-Sync Requestor

• Microsoft Exchange Server, version 4.0, 5.0, 5.5

SUMMARY

This article explains how to perform manual directory synchronization (dirsync) between Microsoft PC Mail postoffices and Microsoft Exchange Server as the dirsync requestor. This article assumes you have already configured directory synchronization.

I. Preparations Before Manual Directory Synchronization

You need to do the following:

A. For Microsoft Exchange Server version 4.0, enable the Pause button

   for the Microsoft Exchange Directory Synchronization (Dir-Sync) in 
   the Windows NT Server Registry. For Microsoft Exchange Server 
   versions 5.0 and 5.5, the Pause button is enabled by default and 
   does not require editing the registry.

   directory synchronization process.

WARNING: Using Registry Editor incorrectly can cause serious, system-wide problems that may require you to reinstall Windows NT to correct them. Microsoft cannot guarantee that any problems resulting from the use of Registry Editor can be solved. Use this tool at your own risk.

1. Run the Registry Editor (REGEDT32.EXE).

2. Under the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE subtree, go to the following subkey:

   SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\MSExchangeDX

3. Select Edit.

4. Choose Add Value.

5. In the Value name box, type:

   PauseKicksDX

6. From the Data type box, select REG_DWORD.

7. Choose OK.

8. In the DWORD editor box, type: 1

9. Choose OK.

10. Run Control Panel and choose Services to stop and restart the Microsoft Exchange Directory Synchronization service in order for the service to recognize this value.

in Troubleshooting the Manual Directory Synchronization Process

1. Run Microsoft Exchange Administrator.

2. From the Container window select the appropriate site Configuration, Connections container:

         a. Double-click the Microsoft Mail Connector.
   

         b. From the Diagnostics Logging property page, highlight the
            MSExchangePCMTA and set the Logging level to Maximum.
   
   

II. How to Do a Manual Directory Synchronization

NOTE: If the Microsoft Mail executables are run from a command prompt under Microsoft Windows NT, preface the commands with FORCEDOS. For example, the first command run for T1 would be:

   forcedos reqmain -d<drive> -t

NOTE: Commands must be run from the direcory where the execuatble is located or you will receive the error "FORCEDOS: Program file not found." Most commonly, the directory \MAILEXE will contain all the Microsoft Mail executable files.

1. (T1) On every Microsoft Mail Postoffice involved in Dirsync as a requestor, including the postoffice defined as the Dirsync server, type the following command from the Microsoft Mail executables directory:

         reqmain -d<drive> -t
   

   where <drive> refers to the drive letter connected to the mail database.

   This generates the outgoing Dirsync mail messages and places them in the P1 directory.

2. (T1) On every Exchange Server involved in Dirsync as a requestor, use Control Panel, Services to pause the Microsoft Exchange Directory Synchronization service. After the Pause button has been selected the administrator will receive the following error message which can be ignored:

         Could not pause the Microsoft Exchange Directory
         Synchronization service on \\<server>.
         Error 2140: An internal Windows NT error occurred.
         Click on OK.
   

   The Dirsync messages are delivered by the Microsoft Mail Connector to the Microsoft Mail Dirsync Server and queued in the SYSTEM.MBG to await T2 events.

3. Using the Event Viewer Application Log, verify the Dirsync message has been transferred to the Microsoft Mail Dirsync Server. You should see the following two entries:

         * Event ID: 4395
           Category: Sent
           Description:
              Mail sent from \\<Requestor Server>\MAILDAT$
              FROM:  <DXA Requestor Organization>/<DXA Requestor Site>/SYSTEM1
              TO:    <Dirsync Server Network>/<Dirsync Server PO>/$SYSTEM
   
         * Event ID: 4355
           Category: Moved In
           Description:
              Mail received on \\<Dirsync Server>\MAILDATA
              FROM:  <DXA Requestor Organization>/<DXA Requestor Site>/SYSTEM1
              TO:    <Dirsync Server Network>/<Dirsync Server PO>/$SYSTEM
   
      NOTE:  You can modify the Polling Frequency to check
      for mail every minute to ensure mail is transferred
      quickly. To change the Polling Frequency, use the
      Microsoft Exchange Administrator program to do the
      following:
   
         a. From the Container window, select the
            appropriate site's Configuration, Connections
            container.
   
         b. Open the Microsoft Mail Connector and select
            the Connector MTAs property page.
   
         c. Highlight the appropriate Microsoft Mail
            Connector (PC) MTA Service and select the
            Configure button.
   
         d. Change the value of "Check for mail every __
            minute" to 1.
   
         e. Be sure to stop and start the service for the
            change to take affect.
   
   

4. (T2) On the Microsoft Mail Dirsync Server, type the following commands from the Microsoft Mail executables directory:

         srvmain -r -d<drive>
   

         srvmain -t -d<drive>
   

   where <drive> refers to the drive letter connected to the mail database.

   The SRVMAIN -R command receives and places updates in the MSTTRANS.GLB file. The SRVMAIN -T command reads the SRVCONF.GLB file, determines which updates need to be sent to each requestor, reads the MSTTRANS.GLB file to create the updates, generates a mail message back to each requestor that sent a request to the server and finally places the outgoing mail in the P1 directory.

5. Using the Event Viewer Application Log, verify the Dirsync message has been transferred to the Exchange Requestor. You should see the following two entries:

         * Event ID: 4395
           Category: Moved Out
           Description:
              Mail sent from \\<Dirsync Server Server>\MAILDATA
              FROM: <Dirsync Server Network>/<Dirsync Server PO>/$SYSTEM
              TO:  <DXA Requestor Organization>/<DXA Requestor Site>/SYSTEM1
   
         * Event ID: 4355
           Category: Received
           Description:
              Mail received on \\<Requestor Server>\MAILDAT$
              FROM: <Dirsync Server Network>/<Dirsync Server PO>/$SYSTEM
              TO:  <DXA Requestor Organization>/<DXA Requestor Site>/SYSTEM1
   
   

6. (T3) On every Exchange Server involved in Dirsync as a requestor, the DXA Requestor dynamically applies the changes as soon as they arrive. The DXA Requestor does not need to be configured with a scheduled T3 time.

7. (T3) On every Microsoft Mail Postoffice involved in Dir- Sync as a requestor, type the following commands from the Microsoft Mail executables directory:

         reqmain -d<drive> -r
   

         import -d<drive> admin -p<password> -q -y
   

         rebuild -d<drive> -f
   

   where <drive> refers to the drive letter connected to the mail database.

   The REQMAIN -R command receives the updates and moves them into the SRVTRANS.GLB file.

   The import command takes the SRVTRANS.GLB records and moves them into the temporary transaction files depending on what types of addresses they contain. Then the Import command moves the names into the .USR and .NME files. The -Q option tells Import to use the SRVTRANS.GLB file for the update, and the -Y option tells Import to run without asking for permission to continue.

   The rebuild -F command takes the network names, the .NME files, and the .USR files to build the GAL and the GAL index file. The -F option is the same as the -Y option for import.

REFERENCES

For more information on Microsoft Mail for PC Networks Directory Synchronization, please refer to Product Support Services Application Note:

   WA0725.

For additional information on how to perform manual directory synchronization between Microsoft PC Mail Postoffices and Microsoft Exchange Server, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

   ARTICLE-ID: Q147464
   TITLE     : Manual Dirsync with Exchange as Dirsync Server