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

ID: Q147464


The information in this article applies to:


SUMMARY

This article demonstrates how to perform manual directory synchronization (dir-sync) between Microsoft PC Mail Postoffices and Microsoft Exchange Server, with Microsoft Exchange Server as the dir-sync server.


MORE INFORMATION

PREPARATIONS BEFORE MANUAL DIRECTORY SYNCHRONIZATION

This section shows you how to prepare for manual directory synchronization; it is divided into three parts:

A. Import and Export the Postoffices

B. 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 version 5.0, the Pause button is already enabled by default and does not require editing the registry.

C. Options to Assist You in Troubleshooting the Manual Directory Synchronization Process

A. Import and Export the Postoffices

To ensure that the Microsoft PC Mail addresses are propagated to the Microsoft Exchange Directory Synchronization Server and that the Microsoft Exchange addresses are propagated into Microsoft Mail, import and export the directory synchronization addresses from each of the Microsoft PC Mail postoffices participating in this manual directory synchronization before beginning this procedure.

To do this:

  1. Run the Microsoft Mail for PC Networks Administrator program, Admin.exe, and click Config, Dir-Sync, Requestor, and Export.


  2. When prompted to Export Local Users and Groups, click Yes. On the same menu (Config-DirSync-Requestor-Import), click Import. Click Yes to confirm.



B. Enable Pause for the Exchange Directory Synchronization (Dir-Sync) in the Windows NT Server Registry

NOTE: It is not necessary to add the PauseKicksDX registry entry to Exchange Server version 5.0 or later because this functionality is already included.

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. Start Registry Editor (Regedt32.exe) and locate the following Registry subkey in the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE subtree:
    
         SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\MSExchangeDX 


  2. On the Edit menu, click Add Value.


  3. Enter the following:
    
          Value Name: PauseKicksDX
          Data Type:  REG_DWORD
          Value:      1 


  4. Click OK and quit Registry Editor.


  5. In Control Panel Services, stop and restart the Microsoft Exchange Directory Synchronization service.


C. Options to Assist You in Troubleshooting the Manual Directory Synchronization Process

To configure options in troubleshooting the manual directory synchronization process using the Microsoft Exchange Administrator program:
  1. From the Container window, click the appropriate site's Configuration and then click the Connections container.


  2. Click the Exchange Dir-Sync (DX) Server and press ALT+Enter to view the properties.


  3. In the General property page, select the "Copy administrator on outgoing message" check box.


  4. In the General property page, select the "Forward incoming dir-sync messages to administrator" check box. Click OK.


  5. Double-click on each Remote Dir-Sync Requestor (found as child folders to the Exchange Dir-Sync Server object) and on the General page, click "Export on Next Cycle."


  6. Double-click Microsoft Mail Connector.


  7. In the Diagnostics Logging property page, click MSExchangePCMTA and set the Logging level to Maximum.


MANUAL DIRECTORY SYNCHRONIZATION

NOTE: If you run Microsoft Mail executable files from an MS-DOS command prompt in Windows NT, use the FORCEDOS command. For example (for T1)
forcedos reqmain -d<drive> -t
where <drive> is the drive letter that is connected to the Mail database.

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.

To configure manual directory synchronization:
  1. (T1) On all Microsoft Mail Postoffices involved in the dir-sync as a requestor, type the following command in the Microsoft Mail directory:


  2. reqmain -d<drive> -t
    where <drive> is the drive letter that is connected to the Mail database. This generates the outgoing dir-sync mail messages and places them in the P1 directory.

  3. Verify that the dir-sync messages have been transferred to the Microsoft Exchange DX server. To do this:


    1. View the following events (for each requestor) in the Application log of Event Viewer:
      
               Event ID: 4395
               Category: Moved Out
               Description: Mail sent from \\<Requestor Server>\MAILDATA
               FROM: <Requestor Network>/<Requestor PO>/$SYSTEM
               TO: <DXA Server Organization>/<DXA Server Site>/$SYSTEM
      
               Event ID: 4355
               Category: Received
               Description: Mail received on \\<DXA Server>\MAILDAT$
               FROM: <Requestor Network>/<Requestor PO>/$SYSTEM
               TO: <DXA Server Organization>/<DXA Server Site>/$SYSTEM 


    2. Log on to the Microsoft Exchange client with the DXA Administrator account (specified on the Microsoft Exchange DX Server container's General property page) to verify that at least two messages have been received from each requestor's $SYSTEM.


    NOTE: You can modify the Polling Frequency to check for mail once per minute to ensure the mail is transferred quickly. To change the Polling Frequency, use the Microsoft Exchange Administrator program and do the following:

    1. From the Container window, click the appropriate site's Configuration and then click the Connections container.


    2. Open the Microsoft Mail Connector and click the Connector MTA property page.


    3. Select the appropriate Microsoft Mail Connector (PC) MTA Service and click Configure.


    4. Change the value of "Check for mail every __ minute" to 1.


    5. Stop and restart the service.


  4. (T2) In Control Panel Services on the Exchange DX Server, pause the Microsoft Exchange Directory Synchronization service. The following message appears:
    Could not pause the Microsoft Exchange Directory Synchronization service on \\<server>.

    Error 2140: An internal Windows NT error occurred. Click OK.
    This is a harmless message. Ignore the message and click OK.


  5. Verify that the dir-sync message has been transferred to the Microsoft Mail requestor postoffices.


    1. View the following events (for each requestor) in the Application log of Event viewer:
      
               Event ID: 4395
               Category: Sent
               Description: Mail sent from \\<DXA Server>\MAILDAT$
               FROM: <DXA Server Organization>/<DXA Server Site>/$SYSTEM
               TO: <Requestor Network>/<Requestor PO>/$SYSTEM
      
               Event ID: 4355
               Category: Moved In
               Description: Mail received on \\<Requestor Server>\MAILDATA
               FROM: <DXA Server Organization>/<DXA Server Site>/$SYSTEM
               TO: <Requestor Network>/<Requestor PO>/$SYSTEM 


    2. Log on to the Microsoft Exchange client with the DXA Administrator account (specified on the Exchange DX Server container's General property page) to verify that the message has been distributed. This message appears in the Inbox and possesses the following attributes:
      
               From:    Microsoft Exchange DX
               To:      <X.400 address of requestor's $SYSTEM>
               Subject: SrvTx R=R# S=S# (was s#), I=I# ## sent 

      The table below shows you how to interpret this message.
      
            Message         Description
            -----------------------------------------------------------------
            SrvTx           Indicates this is the server's update to the
                            requestor.
            R=R#            The requestor sync number that is sent from the
                            requestor. This is an acknowledgment of the
                            updates received by the server.
            S=S#            The new server sync number for the requestor.
            (was s#)        The old server sync number for the requestor.
            I=I#            The number of imports requested to date by the
                            requestor.
            ## sent         The number of updates sent back to the requestor. 


  6. (T3) On each Microsoft Mail postoffice involved in the dir-sync as a requestor, type the following commands in the Microsoft Mail directory:
    reqmain -d<drive> -r

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

    rebuild -d<drive> -f

    where <drive> is the drive letter that is connected to the Mail database.

    Description of commands above:



This concludes the manual dir-sync process.


REFERENCES

For more information on Microsoft Mail for PC Networks Directory Synchronization, please refer to the "Directory Synchronization (Dir-Sync)" document. For more information about how to obtain the Dir-Sync document, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Q96060 PC DirSync: Directory Synchronization (Dir-Sync)
For additional instructions on Microsoft Exchange Directory Synchronization, please see Chapter 14 of the "Microsoft Exchange Server Administrator's Guide."

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:
Q148309 Manual Dir-Sync with Exchange as Dir-Sync Requestor

Additional query words: faq


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

Last Reviewed: March 18, 1999