XFOR: How To Reset Microsoft Exchange DirSync Numbers

 Last reviewed: February 13, 1998
Article ID: Q152231
The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Exchange Server, versions 4.0, 5.0, 5.5

SUMMARY

Sometimes it is necessary to reset the Directory Synchronization (DirSync) sequence numbers when troubleshooting Microsoft Mail Directory Synchronization problems with a Microsoft Exchange Server participating as a requestor or as the DirSync server.

For comprehensive information on how the MSMail DirSync process works and a description of all DirSync sequence numbers, please refer to application note WA0725 Directory Synchronization [Dir-Sync].

Resetting DirSync numbers should be only performed as part of a systematic approach to troubleshooting DirSync problems as documented in the above mentioned application note.

MORE INFORMATION

DirSync numbers are stored in different places depending on what role the Microsoft Exchange Server plays in the process:

  • Microsoft Exchange as a DirSync Server: All Remote DirSync Requesters appear on the right hand side of the Microsoft Exchange Administrator program when viewing the DirSync server object on the left. DirSync numbers for each requestor appear in raw-mode for each Remote DirSync Requestor object.
  • Microsoft Exchange as a DirSync requestor: There is only one DirSync requestor object defined in this case. Microsoft Exchange keeps all DirSync numbers in this one object. Also viewable only while in raw- mode.

Microsoft Exchange uses the following sync numbers:
  • DXA-Conf-Seq (Confirmation sequence number) - On the Remote DirSync Requestor object, this number keeps track of what has been acknowledged by each requestor. When all transactions have been confirmed, this number should match the DXA-Svr-Seq. The DXA-Conf-Seq number can be less than the DXA-Svr-Seq if the server has sent updates to the requestor and no acknowledgment has been received from the requestor (this usually happens after the next T1 time).
  • DXA-Imp-Seq (Import sequence number) - Amount of full imports requests sent by the requestor.
  • DXA-Req-Seq (Requestor sequence number) - Cumulative total of number of transactions sent by the requestor to the server.
  • DXA-Svr-Seq (Server sequence number) - Cumulative total of number of transactions sent by the server to the one requestor.

Resetting DirSync numbers requires that the Microsoft Exchange Administrator program be run in raw mode: ADMIN /R

If Microsoft Exchange is acting as the DirSync server you can reset numbers for individual remote DirSync requesters as follows:

  1. Start the Microsoft Exchange Administrator program in raw mode: ADMIN /R
2. Select the DirSync Server object you created under the site Connections 
   object.
3. On the right hand side, select the remote DirSync requestor you want to 
   reset the sync numbers for.
4. Select the Raw Properties option from the File menu. 5. On the bottom of the Remote DirSync Requester Dialog, change List 
   Attributes of Type to ALL.
6. Set the following attributes to 0: DXA-Conf-Seq, DXA-Imp-Seq, DXA-Req-Seq, 
   and DXA-Svr-Seq.
7. Stop and start the Microsoft Directory Synchronization Service. 8. You must now run Listds.exe on the requestor to reset the DirSync numbers 
   (refer to wa0725).
If Microsoft Exchange is acting as a requestor:

  1. Start the Microsoft Exchange Administrator program in raw mode: ADMIN /R
2. Select the DirSync Requestor object you created under the site 
   Connections object.
3. Select the Raw Properties option from the File menu. 4. Set the following attributes to 0: DXA-Conf-Seq, DXA-Imp-Seq, DXA-Req- 
   Seq, and DXA-Svr-Seq.
5. Stop and start the Microsoft Directory Synchronization Service. 6. You must remove and reconfigure the Microsoft Exchange postoffice 
   through the Microsoft Mail Administrator program on the MSMail DirSync
   server as well (refer to AppNote WA0725).

Additional query words:
Keywords : XFOR kbusage
Version : 4.0 5.0
Platform : WINDOWS
Issue type : kbhowto

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Last reviewed: February 13, 1998
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