Question

How to change MS Exchange server address stored in Outlook Email settings in runtime?

Asked by: yogithite

Hello experts,

Usually, while using MS Office Outlook, under email account settings, we store exchange server settings under Tools-> Email accounts -> View existing email accounts -> change -> Exchange server settings.

Under this, we provide name of user's MS Exchange server computer. If it has to be changed, then user has to go to specific tab and perform the changes.

Is it possible to change this address by any command line or any other mechanism automatically? I mean, is there any way in which I can write a program which changes this information on runtime and forces MS Office Outlook to use the newly mentioned server address?

Looking forward for positive answers. Its been really hard for me to get to the root of this requirements.

Regards,

Yogi

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Asked On
2009-10-20 at 04:52:51ID24826486
Tags

Microsoft Office outlook

,

email settings

Topics

OE-WindowsLive

,

Exchange Email Server

,

Automation

Participating Experts
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500
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Answers

 

by: endital1097Posted on 2009-10-20 at 05:04:03ID: 25613127

whenever you move a mailbox the server field is automatically updated.

 

by: yogithitePosted on 2009-10-20 at 05:19:33ID: 25613233

Yeah, I agree, but I want to have an application which will change the server field on runtime. Is it possible by any programming methods or command line options etc?

 

by: MesthaPosted on 2009-10-20 at 05:59:21ID: 25613545

Why?
It is unnecessary to change the field via any other means.
If the mailbox is moved for any reason, then Outlook deals with the move of the mailbox to the new server. As long as the old and the new server are active then it is completely transparent.

You can point Outlook at any Exchange server in your Org, and Outlook will correct the server address to the correct location. Anything you do will occur after that has taken place. The server name is stored in a location that is not accessible to you. While there are tools to update the profile with the new server location, they all work in the same way, changing things after Outlook has started.

Why try and do something that Outlook is already doing?

Simon.

 

by: yogithitePosted on 2009-10-21 at 04:38:39ID: 25622859

Hi Simon,

Thank you for information. I understand that if mailbox is moved, then outlook deals with the move of the mailbox to the new server. I assume that this is performed by Autodiscover service. [ http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb232838.aspx]

Then consider below mentioned use case:

1. I have MS Outlook running on my laptop for few days - [ Laptop is ON forever].
2. My exchange server address is hostname.xyz.com. MS Outlook has performed DNS query at startup and got the IP resolution as: 1.2.3.4 for hostname.xyz.com
3. As Outlook is executing on client, and hostname.xyz.com is moved from 1.2.3.4 to some other IP =[ say 99.88.77.66.
IP 1.2.3.4 [old IP] no longer exists and it does not have Auto discover installed on it.

In this scenario - how Outlook will get the correct IP resolution?
Does it need to perform DNS query again?
If, To perform DNS Query, we need to Restart the application?

Please let me know if I am not clear about my question. I would provide other details.

Regards,

Yogi

 

by: MesthaPosted on 2009-10-21 at 13:23:33ID: 25627931

The move of the mailbox through Outlook has nothing to do with autodiscover.
If the IP address of the server has changed, then Outlook will find it through name resolution, because Outlook does not use IP addresses. It uses the NETBIOS name.

Outlook starts up, does a lookup on the name it knows and finds the correct server. No interaction required from the client.

I have physically moved servers across the country, with a complete change of IP address and subnet, and it did not affect a single client.

Simon.

 

by: yogithitePosted on 2009-10-22 at 03:03:48ID: 25632394

If the hostname is not changed, but we want it to resolve to a different server IP address without restarting Outlook - is there a way to do this by forcing a DNS query?

Regards,
Yogi

 

by: MesthaPosted on 2009-10-22 at 04:17:42ID: 25632777

No.
You have to restart Outlook to force it to do another lookup.
If you are changing the IP address with Outlook clients running then they are going to be disconnected anyway.

Simon.

 

by: yogithitePosted on 2009-10-22 at 04:37:47ID: 25632920

Okay, thank you for the clarification!!

It seems that my question has been resolved. Just last query - is there any mail application for windows available which does not need restart (as outlook needs) for above mentioned scenario?

Regards,

Yogi

 

by: MesthaPosted on 2009-10-22 at 16:41:22ID: 25640123

Any other mail application is going to be POP3/IMAP as those poll the server on a schedule and store everything locally.
If you are going to deploy POP3/IMAP then you may as well throw your Exchange licences in the bin.

Otherwise it isn't really a scenario that is designed for. Changing the IP address of a server is not something that occurs that frequently.

Simon.

20120131-EE-VQP-002

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