Exchange 2010 OWA loses Public Folders

[dhicks]

Hello All,

 

We've recently migrated our Exchange server from Exchange 2003 to Esxchange 2010. Our old Exchange 2003 server is still running on our physical Server 2003 domain controller. The new Exchange 2010 server is running on a dedicated Server 2008 R2 VM. Last weekend, I migrated all the user's mailboxes from the 2003 to the 2010 server - everything seemed to work fine, with no real problems.

 

Loading up Outlook, I discovered that I also needed to replicate accross our Public Folders structure, which we use for a school calendar and a few other bits. I did this via the Exchange Managemnt Shell - seemingly Public Folders are being phased out in Exchange 2010, and Microsoft don't really want to to use them, so there's no snazzy GUI-based way to replicate folders. After waiting a while for replication to occue, that all seemed to work fine - all users can now see the Public Folders via their Outlook 2003 / 2010 clients.

 

However, for some odd reason I can't see the content of Public Folders from Outlook Web Access, the Outlook-like web-based interface to Exchange 2010. I can see the structure of the Public Folders store okay (folders named School Diary, School Distributions Lists, etc), just not any content from each folder.

 

This seems to be a known issue - searching Google, I find explanations such as these:

 

Exchange 2010 OWA and Public Folders

Can’t mount Public Folders » Exchange Blog

 

These would seem to point to the MsExchOwningPFTree attribute in Active Directory being set wrongly. Therefore, I load up ADSIEdit on our Domain Controller and navigate to Services, Microsoft Exchange, Knightsbridge School, Administrative Groups. This contains two folders, Exchange Administrative Group and First Administrative Group. Exchange Administrative Group contains a pointer to the new Exchange 2010 server, while First Administrative Group contains a pointer to the old Exchange 2003 server. Exchange Administrative Group contains a folder called Databases, which contains Public Folder Store, the properties of which hold the MsExchOwningPFTree attribute with a value of:

 

CN=Public Folders,CN=Folder Hierarchies,CN=First Administrative Group,CN=Administrative Groups,CN=Knightsbridge School,CN=Microsoft Exchange,CN=Services,CN=Configuration,DC=camelot,DC=local

 

This value seems to match the explanation given in the psosts above - there doesn't seem to be anything wrong with it.

 

First Administrative Group doesn't contain a Databases sub-folder, do I need to create it?

 

The value of MsExchOwningPFTree given above points at a folder in the (2003) First Administrative Group folder (Folder Hierarchies, Public Folders). Do I need to create a matching Folder Hierarchies folder in the Exchange Administrative Group folder and point MsExchOwningPFTree at that?

 

Any help much appreciated as this has me flumoxed.

[sukh]

Hi

 

1. What command did you run to replicate the folder?

2. PF Hierachy and system folder are stored in AD, therefore this is why you can see them.

3. From your post, it seems like the PF haven't been replicated over.

4. Go to Exch 2003 ESM and navigate to First Administrative Group > and drill down to your Exch 2003 server until you get to the PF database store.

5. Exapnd >select Public Folder> Select a foldeeer that you cant see>propertices>Replicatin Tab> see if this is bring replicated to the Exch 2010 PF DB.

 

Sukh

[dhicks]

1. What command did you run to replicate the folder?

 

Drat, I can't find the same bit of documentation again - I'll keep looking.

 

From your post, it seems like the PF haven't been replicated over.

 

But I have a bunch of Outlook 2003 / 2010 clients connecting to the Exchange 2010 server and seeing Public Folders just fine, it's just in OWA they appear empty.

 

Exapnd >select Public Folder> Select a foldeeer that you cant see>propertices>Replicatin Tab> see if this is bring replicated to the Exch 2010 PF DB.

 

The GUI doesn't list any other replication targets, just the Public Folder Store on our Exchange 2003 server - I'll keep looking for that replication command I used.

[sukh]

1. Seems like you havn't replicated the folders as you dont have any targets.

2.Outlook can see PF as they may be using PF referrals, i.e if the mailbox is on Exch 2010, they will go to referred to Exch 2003.

3. Select one folder in ESM and add the Exch 2010 as a targer, Wait for replication to occur, this could take time. Post a new item in the PF.

4. Then test with a User on Exch 2010 with OWA.

 

Sukh

[dhicks]

Select one folder in ESM and add the Exch 2010 as a targer

 

I was about to reply and point out that I'd tried that, but then I looked at the dialog box again - I have two Public Folder Stores, one on the 2003 server and one on the 2010, both called Public Folder Store. The dialog box wasn't giving me a list of already-added locations, it's just that the other location was also called Public Folder Store...

 

I've told it to start replication, hopefully that'll sort it - I'll see if the folder turns up in OWA. I suppose I have to set replication for all the folders? Many thanks for your help!

[sukh]

1. Yes. I would wait until one folder is replicated so we are happy. Then I would replicate all them. I assume you havn't got multi-sites? If so replication will be quicker.

2. Depending on the size of your PF databases, if we succeed then we can let it replicate over the weekend.

[dhicks]

1. Yes. I would wait until one folder is replicated so we are happy.

 

Just checked - one folder has replicated (at last!), so it looks like we're sorted :-)

[sukh]

1. Did you check OWA and confirm.

2. If there are large number of PF and you want to control replication, then select each one. However, take advantacge of the weekend

 

Thanks

Sukh

[dhicks]

Did you check OWA and confirm.

 

Yes.

 

If there are large number of PF and you want to control replication, then select each one. However, take advantacge of the weekend

 

Good point, but there's no great rush - there's not that much in our Public Folders structure, and no-one has noticed them missing from OWA so far all this week.

 

Now I've just got to get iPhone connectivity working and we'll pretty much be there...

[sukh]

1. Iphone connectivity should be straight forward. Have you published your external namespace for OWA?

Sukh

[dhicks]

1. Iphone connectivity should be straight forward.

 

Oh, indeed, I know what the issue is (I checked with Microsoft's connectivity testing tool) - I simply need an SSL certificate with our external domain name (mail.knightsbridgeschool.com) included as well as / instead of the machine's internal DNS name (KS-MAIL), which is of course what it self-signs its default SSL certificate as. I just need to read up on creating self-signed SSL certificates with Subject Alternative Names set on Monday.

[sukh]

For Exchange 2010, you can use the EMC or EMS.

 

Create a New Exchange Certificate: Exchange 2010 SP1 Help

 

Import an Exchange Certificate: Exchange 2010 SP1 Help

 

If you have a wildcard certificate then your deployment is going to be a lot easier. You don't have to plan your namespace, as everything before *.mycompany will be included. Therefore not specifying your exchange servers or OWA namespace will not be an issue.

 

2. If you're going to use it for OWA, RPC over HTTP. Your wild card certificate will will be ok and supported.

 

3. If you're going to use ActiveSynch, then this depends on what OS they are using. If they are using Windows Mobile 5.0, then these devices wont support wild card certificates. You will have to buy a SAN certificate or a single certificate for each namespace. In this scenario, I would recommend SAN. If your devices are going to be using Windows Mobile 6.0 or higher, then they will support the wild card certificate.

 

See below.

 

Import an Exchange Certificate: Exchange 2010 SP1 Help

 

Certificate Use in Exchange Server 2007: Exchange 2007 Help

 

 

 

Sukh

[dhicks]

If you're going to use ActiveSynch, then this depends on what OS they are using.

 

iOS or whatever it is that the Blackberry uses - I don't think anyone at the school here has a Windows Mobile phone, we're far too trendy :-)

[sukh]

lol...nothing wrong with Windows Mobile it's kinda OK. Although I have a BB myself.

 

You'lle be fine then.

Sukh