Outlook Anywhere 2007 external DNS and IIS settings ?

[albertwt]

Hi Everyone,

 

I just would like some clarification about which External hostname / DNS entries

that I need to publish in my external facing DNS server to enable Outlook Anywhere on my Exchange Server 2007 for external user:

 

1. ExCAS01.domain.com - Exchange CAS A Record to the Threat Management Gateway 2010 (ISA Firewall) IP address ?

2. Autodiscover.domain.com - Autodiscover CNAME to the CAS Server above

3. _autodiscover._tcp.domain.com - SRV type record

 

and do I have to expect anything by typing this address in bowser "https://autodiscover.domain.com/AutoDiscover/AutoDiscover.xml" ?

because i get request time out at the moment.

 

here are the error log from https://testexchangeconnectivity.com:

 

	Host Excas01.domain.com couldn't be resolved in DNS Exception details:
Message: The requested name is valid, but no data of the requested type was found
Type: System.Net.Sockets.SocketException
Stack trace:
at System.Net.Dns.GetAddrInfo(String name)
at System.Net.Dns.InternalGetHostByName(String hostName, Boolean includeIPv6)
at System.Net.Dns.GetHostAddresses(String hostNameOrAddress)
at Microsoft.Exchange.Tools.ExRca.Tests.ResolveHostTest.PerformTestReally()

Host autodiscover.domain.com couldn't be resolved in DNS Exception details:
Message: The requested name is valid, but no data of the requested type was found
Type: System.Net.Sockets.SocketException
Stack trace:
at System.Net.Dns.GetAddrInfo(String name)
at System.Net.Dns.InternalGetHostByName(String hostName, Boolean includeIPv6)
at System.Net.Dns.GetHostAddresses(String hostNameOrAddress)
at Microsoft.Exchange.Tools.ExRca.Tests.ResolveHostTest.PerformTestReally()

Attempting to locate SRV record _autodiscover._tcp.domain.com in DNS.
	The Autodiscover SRV record wasn't found in DNS.

 

Any kind of help and suggestion would be greatly appreciated.

 

Thanks

[sukh]

Hi

 

I assume you have deployed the CAS server and set-up all the pre-req's (certificates, components, configured the Exch services etc..).

 

What version of Outlook client will you be using?

 

Generally you would publish an SRV or A records for Autodiscover on your external DNS server. This will translate/route to your internal CAS server via a proxy such as TMG/ISA. The as long as your OWS URL's are set correctly this will return the URL's for to the Outlook Client to access OWA, OAB, EAS etc...

 

What type of DNS records have you got published in your External DNS for Exchange?

 

I can see from your error log there is an error "Attempting to locate SRV record _autodiscover._tcp.domain.com in DNS."

 

Regards

Sukh

[albertwt]

Yes I have properly deployed and functioning with my OWA and ActiveSync for iPhone and Winmo as well.

 

Outlook 2007 SP2 is used.

 

I only publish the DNS names that are in the SAN certificate.

[sukh]

Hi

 

Have you created the records for Autodiscover in DNS?

I assume OWS are all working and it's only Autodiscover which isn't working?

 

Regards

Sukh

[albertwt]

@sukh: many thanks for your clarification so based on your suggestion I should create the following records to match whatever I've got in my SAN certificate:

 

1. ExCAS01.domain.com - Exchange CAS A Record to the external IP address of my Threat management Gateway 2010 (ISA firewall).

2. Autodiscover.domain.com - Autodiscover CNAME to the CAS Server above

3. _autodiscover._tcp.domain.com - SRV type record

 

only number two (Autodiscover.domain.com) that is listed in my SAN certificate, do I need to create SAN entry for my ExCAS01.domain.com as well ?

[sukh]

Hi,

 

If you are using SAN and these include all your DNS names that are needed. You should create a record on your external DNS for number 2. I would not use a CNAME but a SRV record. This should resolve to your CAS server NAT addresse (public IP).

 

In your SAN you can include the ExCAS01.domain.com too.

 

Regards

Sukh

Edited February 25, 2011 by sukh

[albertwt]

ah yes, when I ping it from my home now for those two addresses (ActiveSync and the ExHub01) i can only get the external IP address but not the ping reply. (not even request timed out).

 

the following records I'll create it in my external DNS:

 

1. ExCAS01.domain.com - Exchange CAS A Record to the external IP address of my Threat management Gateway 2010 (ISA firewall).

2. Autodiscover.domain.com - Autodiscover A record to the CAS Server External/public IP

3. _autodiscover._tcp.domain.com - SRV type record --> does this really important as well ?

[sukh]

Hi,

 

You can either use an A record or SRV record. I believe when an external Outlook clients trys to connect, it will first use the A record and access the default Autodiscover URL's. If this fails it will the use the SRV records. If this fails, then Autodiscover for external clients will fail.

 

Regards

Sukh

[albertwt]

ok that does sounds great, i'll create the records based on your suggestion:

 

ActiveSync.domain.com - A Record - Public IP - Yes already done

ExcCAS01.domain.com - A Record - Public IP (same as above) - not yet

Autodiscover.domain.com - A Record - Public IP (same as above) - not yet

_autodiscover._tcp.domain.com - SRV type record to port 443 as above IP.

 

many thanks !

[sukh]

Hi

 

If you can access OWA externally then there should be no need to register a seperate record for ActiveSync. ActiveSync should work using the same URL, i.e if you access OWA by mail.mycompany.com then should work fine for ActiveSync.

 

Regards

Sukh

[albertwt]

oh i forgot to tell you that OWA is not activated for outside access only activesync.

[sukh]

Hi

 

Let me know how you get along.

 

Regards

Sukh

[albertwt]

sure I'll have to make some changes next week to see it happens.