Tracking Download Logging Information

The Microsoft Exchange Server download logging feature writes events to the Windows NT Event Log when users download attachments, messages, and folders from public or private folders. You can use this information for billing or tracking download costs.

A download event is logged when the user moves or copies an item from the private or public information store to a different store, such as a personal folder file (.pst). The item can be a message, attachment, or folder, depending on the configuration you have selected.

The following information is logged:

For example, if Log Downloads is set to 1 in the ParametersPublic registry subkey, an event is logged every time a user moves or copies a message with an attachment to the user's personal folder file.

The following example is an event generated by the download feature:


Ann Devon (ADEVON) downloaded 1456 bytes from attachment 6A

You establish download logging by editing the registry of Microsoft Exchange Server with RegEdit, a Windows NT administrative tool. The values you add apply to all public and private folders on the server.

Caution   You should not change any of the Microsoft Exchange Server registry key values unless you are aware of the full effect of the change.

    To start download logging

  1. Start Regedt32.
  2. Select the following registry key:

    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\MSExchangeIS

  3. Select ParametersPublic to log downloads from public folders. Select ParametersPrivate to log downloads from private mailboxes.
  4. From the Edit menu, choose Add Value.
  5. In the Value box, type Log Downloads.
  6. In the Data Type box, select REG_DWORD.
  7. In the D_WORD Editor dialog box, type a decimal or binary value from the following table.
    To log downloads from Enter this registry value
    (Decimal) (Binary)
    Attachments only 1 001
    Messages only 2 010
    Attachments and messages 3 011
    Folders only 4 100
    Attachments and folders 5 101
    Messages and folders 6 110
    All 7 111

Use Windows NT Event Viewer to review events recorded by the download logging feature.

    To view logged downloads

  1. In the Windows NT Administrative Tools program group, choose Event Viewer.
  2. From the View menu, choose Filter Events.
  3. In the Source box, select MSExchangeISPub or MSExchangeISPriv.
  4. In the Category box, select Download.
  5. Double-click an event to see its details.