Exchange Online PSSession time-out

[StevieM]

Not sure whether I should post this here or in the Scripts forum.

 

I'm using PowerShell to manage Office 365 mailboxes. When I first connect, I store the credentials in a $cred variable and I am able to run commands. However, if I try to run a command after the connection has been established for longer than 2 minutes, I am prompted to re-enter my password. The same thing happens after the next two minutes. Even when running a long script that imports values from a CSV file, I am prompted for a password mid-flow.

 

I'm sure I never used to have this problem. What am I doing wrong?

[Steve21]

Nothing wrong, it's a built in kill switch thingy. Depending on what command you're running and whether o365 returns any values or just does it.

 

There's options to extend it though https://technet.microsoft.com/en-gb/library/hh849703.aspx

 

Steve

[StevieM]

Thanks @Steve21. I've looked at that page already and tried setting the -OperationTimeout to 0 when I first connect, but it still asks for a password when I first run a Set-Mailbox script with an imported CSV and again after two minutes.

 

Edit: In the Powershell command line it says "Creating a new session for implicit remoting of Set-Mailbox command..." whenever it prompts for a password.

Edited January 21, 2016 by StevieM

[psydii]

These links address a slightly different problem, but may be of use:

 

http://blogs.technet.com/b/exchange/archive/2015/11/02/running-powershell-cmdlets-for-large-numbers-of-users-in-office-365.aspx

 

http://blogs.msdn.com/b/ashour/archive/2014/04/30/large-tenant-and-powershell-i-o-timeout.aspx

[StevieM]

The problem appears to be that the Set-Mailbox command runs remotely on the Exchange Online server. Although I have created a PSSession and set OperationTimeout options, PowerShell creates another implicit remote session to run the Set-Mailbox command. It is this implicit session that terminates after two minutes, and I appear to have no control over this implicit session.

 

I MUST be doing something wrong, as it seems crazy to give users the ability to automate tasks... provided they sit and wait to enter their credentials every two minutes.