PC DirSync: Commonly Asked Questions

• Microsoft Mail for PC Networks, versions 3.2, 3.2a, 3.5

SUMMARY

This article answers some commonly asked questions regarding directory synchronization (Dir-Sync).

MORE INFORMATION

Questions and Answers

1. When I create a user and exclude the user from Dir-Sync , the user's name still appears on the Global Address List (GAL) on that postoffice. Why? This is expected behavior. When a user is excluded from Dir-Sync, the user's address will not be propagated to other postoffices. However, the user will be visible to users on the postoffice that the user belongs to and will show up in the GAL on that postoffice.



2. Can I have more than one Dir-Sync server? No. Requestors can be registered with only one Dir-Sync server. Also, the Dir-Sync server cannot be registered as a requestor with another Dir-Sync server.



3. When I change the template file ADMIN.TPL, the updated template is not distributed to other postoffices. Why? When you change the template file ADMIN.TPL that contains the template definition, you must select Config, Dir-Sync, Requestor, Export command to distribute the updated template file to all postoffices.



4. Is a Config, Dir-Sync, Requestor, Export required when the template information stored in ADMIN.INF is modified through the Admin program or the Import process? No. Changes to ADMIN.INF are automatically distributed. For more information, please refer to page 160 of the version 3.2 "Administrator's Guide."



5. Gateway addresses processed through Import are not being distributed to other postoffices. Why? For gateway addresses to propagate to all the postoffices participating in Dir-Sync, you should use Import with the -e option. Changes made through Admin or Import (without -e option) will not be distributed to other postoffices.



6. What if I have already imported the gateway addresses using Import without the -e option? You can use Import with the -x option to extract the addresses, and then use Import with -e option to get them into the Dir-Sync stream (REQTRANS.GLB).



7. Can extended information (templates) be imported for all gateway types? No. Extended information can be added only to gateways that conform to the 10/10/10 addressing.

1. Dir-Sync appears to run without a hitch. However the number of entries in the GAL of each postoffice is different. Why? Variation in the number of entries in the GAL on each postoffice by itself is no cause for concern. Some possibilities are:
   
   
   1. Users excluded from Dir-Sync will be included in the GAL of the home postoffice but will not show up on the GAL of other postoffices.
   
   
   
   2. Not all postoffices may be requesting all types of addresses (for example, gateway addresses). This choice is available under Config, Dir- Sync, Requestor, Options, Types.
   
   
   
   3. Groups containing external users will not be propagated to other postoffices.
   
   
   



2. In the Windows client, when the GAL is the default address list, the Check names function returns an error although the address exists in the Global Address List. Why? A GAL rebuild problem manifests itself in the form of a Check names problem in the Windows client. There were some problems with Rebuild version 3.0.x that were fixed with Rebuild version 3.2.x.



3. Is there an easy way to monitor the success of the Dir-Sync process other than checking the logs on each postoffice and checking the sync numbers? Yes, on each postoffice, the administrator can add a user with a full name that reflects the current date, the network, and postoffice name (for example, Jul21 Network Postoffice). The administrator needs to modify the full name each day to reflect the current date. When this procedure is used, each administrator can log into the Windows client and do a Check Names on the current date, Jul21. This will bring up an entry for each postoffice that participated in Dir-Sync. The logs can be checked for those postoffices that did not participate in Dir-Sync.
   
   NOTE: This method introduces administrative overhead, (although Import can facilitate the process) and relies on the Administrator making the modification at each postoffice.



4. Which is the best place to begin troubleshooting Dir-Sync problems? The DISPATCH.LOG gives an indication of the return code for the Dir- Sync processes namely "NSDA -RT," "NSDA -S," and "NSDA -RR". The DIRSYNC.LOG on each postoffice provides more detailed information.



5. When EXTERNAL is run as an idle process of Dispatch, is it necessary to specify break parameters for External? No. Dispatch appends a break relative time to the idle process command line automatically.



6. With version 3.2 of Dispatch, I am unable to run Dispatch, External, and Schdist from the same machine. Why? With version 3.3 and 6.x of MS-DOS, this will work provided that COMMAND.COM is copied to the same directory where the dispatch executables reside. For additional information, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

   Q101752 PC Ext: Dispatch Cannot Spawn Batch File Without COMMAND.COM




7. Can I run more than one Dispatch process per postoffice? No, only one Dispatch process should be run against a postoffice.



8. The Dir-Sync times change around Daylight Savings Time (DST). How can this be changed? When a Dir-Sync process runs, it is rescheduled to run a week later at the same time. If the rescheduled time falls after a DST change, the process time is changed. The administrator has to manually change the process times on each postoffice after the DST change has been effected.



9. What is the proper usage for the TZ variable? Please refer to the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

   Q101753 PC DirSync: When to Use the Time Zone Option with Dir-Sync




10. Is there any way to restrict gateway addresses from showing up in the Global Address List? No. Rebuild will process all the addresses available in the mail database (postoffice) into the Global Address List.



11. Does Dispatch or one of the Dir-Sync agents that Dispatch spawns transfer the Dir-Sync mail between postoffices? No. Dispatch creates Dir-Sync mail messages, but External is the agent that transfers the message between postoffices.



12. Can a foreign mail system participate in Dir-Sync? Yes, to participate in Dir-Sync, the foreign mail system should create a foreign requestor. The Dir-Sync process considers the foreign requestor as a requestor postoffice. For more information, please obtain the "Directory Synchronization with Foreign Mail Systems" guide (part number 34524) from the Microsoft Sales and Information Center at (800) 426-9400.



13. Are the Dir-Sync executables bound applications? NOTE: Bound applications are designed and built so that they can be run under either OS/2 or MS-DOS. All Dir-Sync files, except DISPATCH.EXE, are bound executables. The bound executables run on both OS/2 and MS-DOS.



14. Where can I find more information about Dir-Sync? You can refer to the Microsoft Mail "Administrator's Guide." There is also a document, "Directory Synchronization (Dir-Sync)" that covers the Dir-Sync process in depth. You can obtain this document from the following sources:
    
    
    • Microsoft's World Wide Web Site on the Internet
    
    
    
    • The Internet (Microsoft anonymous ftp server)
    
    
    
    • The Microsoft Network (MSN)
    
    
    
    • Microsoft Product Support Services
    
    
    
    The following self-extracting file is available for download from the Microsoft Software Library: Wa0725.exe This document has also been posted to the following Internet location:

    WA0725.exe

    For more information about how to obtain this document please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

    Q96060 PC DirSync: Directory Synchronization (Dir Sync)

Additional query words: 3.20 3.20a 3.50 dirsync

Keywords :
Version : WINDOWS:3.2,3.2a,3.5
Platform : WINDOWS
Issue type :