XADM: Function and Effects of Running the DS/IS Consistency Adjuster

• Microsoft Exchange Server, versions 4.0, 5.0, 5.5

SUMMARY

This article explains the function and effects of running DS/IS consistency adjuster. Because of the potential problems that the DS/IS consistency adjuster may cause, Microsoft recommendeds that you contact Microsoft Product Support Services (PSS) before you run it.

MORE INFORMATION

The DS/IS consistency adjuster is used in disaster recovery scenarios where it is not possible to restore the directory to the recovery computer, or where the information store (the Priv.edb or Pub.edb file) is copied to a recovery computer with a name that is different from that of the original server.

The DS/IS consistency adjuster is run to re-create the directory objects for the mailboxes and for public folders that are in the store and not in the directory. This process also resets the Home-MDB attribute on all public folders in the hierarchy that are homed on unknown sites or servers. In addition, the process strips the public folder access control lists (ACLs) of any invalid entries (that is, users who do not exist in the current directory). Servers and sites are "unknown" and invalid entries exist when replication has not completed to the server that the DS/IS consistency adjuster was run on or when a replication connector to another site has been removed.

After the rehoming process is complete, if you re-create a replication connector to the organization, there is a conflict for each rehomed public folder. The new server wins the conflict because it has the latest changes to the public folders in question. Accordingly, the public folder is homed on the new server, and the new ACL is kept. This results in lost permissions for any users not on the site where the DS/IS consistency adjuster was run.

The DS/IS consistency adjuster is modified in Exchange Server 5.5 and each of these functions (making new directory entries for mailboxes, modifying ACLs in mailboxes, rehoming public folders, and modifying ACLs in public folders) must be selected manually to take effect. Additionally, a new attribute of public folders in Exchange Server 5.5 is to "Limit Administrative Access" to a public folder to a home site, which prevents other sites from being able to rehome those particular folders. Note that this property is only fail-safe in an environment that is completely Exchange Server 5.5. In a mixed version 4.0, 5.0, and 5.5 Exchange Server environment, version 4.0 and 5.0 Administrator Consistency Adjustment programs ignore the Administrative Access flag and rehome the folders anyway.

NOTE: You do not need to run the DS/IS consistency adjuster if you only want to restore an information store to a production server that has a good working directory.

Additional query words: exfaq 7037

Keywords : kbusage XADM
Version : winnt:4.0,5.0,5.5
Platform : winnt
Issue type : kbinfo