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Distribution group missing in Active Directory

There is an e-mail distribution group (Mail Non-Universal Group) listed in the Distribution Groups on our Exchange Server 2007 that is not found in our Active Directory. I am puzzled as to how that happened and how to fix it (other than re-creating the group). According to what Exchange shows, it should be in the Users OU in AD. This is our only Exchange Server (I moved the mailboxes from Exchange 2003) and the AD schema was updated to Exchange 2007 when installing Exchange 2007, as instructed. I have noticed that if I create a user in AD, that the mailbox doesn't work if also created in AD. It only works if created in Exchange 2007. The same is true for distribution groups. So, I don't know if that means something is wrong with the Exchange setup, though I carefully followed all the instructions I could find from MS about upgrading to Exchange 2007 and about decommissioning the last Exchange 2003 server, and it seems to work fine otherwise. Our AD is Windows Server 2003; we do not have Server 2008 yet.

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Exchange_Geek

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mauldlouie

ASKER

Not found in AD search. But then I ran Get-DistributionGroup and the mystery was cleared up. Apparently the group has a different name in AD than the display name in EMC. It's "Vendor Services" in AD and "Vendor Onboarding" in EMC. I think maybe I already had the security group in AD and then was asked to create a distribution group under a different name and I used the existing group because it's the same dept.

Creating mailboxes in EMC works fine. What doesn't work is creating a user mailbox or distribution list in AD and then expecting the mailbox to work in EMC. The mailbox will appear in EMC but it doesn't work. I have to create only the user and uncheck the box for creating the mailbox in AD. Then go into EMC and create the user's mailbox there (or create the distribution list there).

Yes, I am always using an account that is both domain admin & enterprise admin when doing these things.

mauldlouie

ASKER

Mystery further cleared up--I found in the support db where I was told to change the name of the group to "Vendor Services" from "Vendor Onboarding". So I did that in AD but apparently it didn't update it in EMC. So, I just now went into EMC and made the change. I also found the following posting which explains that there is less integration between AD & Exchange 2007 than with Exchange 2000/2003: https://www.experts-exchange.com/questions/23345288/Distribution-Group-in-Exchange-2007-Outlook-2007-Does-not-show-up-in-Outlook-GAL.html.

Exchange_Geek

What doesn't work is creating a user mailbox or distribution list in AD and then expecting the mailbox to work in EMC

*******We're working with Exchange 2007 - why forcing RUS to work on such issues - let Exchange bear the brunt to provide its own details - creating users in AD along with mailboxes in E2k7 days are OVER.
Please do not expect E2k7 to work the same way how E2k3 used to work.
Creation of Mailboxes and DG has been taken over by EMC and please let that feature work as it is expected to be. Or as we always blame Microsoft by stating "Its by design"

mauldlouie

ASKER

>Creation of Mailboxes and DG has been taken over by EMC and please let that feature work as it is expected to be.

I did not know that. Not being a full-time Exchange administrator (I have many, many other duties), I have not had time to thoroughly learn all the differences with Exchange 2007. I did successfully migrate us from 2003 to 2007 but am still learning about how Exchange 2007 is different.

mauldlouie

ASKER

Thanks for filling in the gaps in my Exchange knowledge.

Exchange_Geek

Microsoft speaks:

"Exchange 2003 mailbox management is done through the Active Directory Users and Computers (ADUC) snap-in extension for Exchange. Exchange 2007 mailbox management is done through the Exchange 2007 Exchange management shell or the Exchange management console GUI. Separately there is no confusion."

"So which tools to use on which objects? Here's the easy list to remember:

- Exchange 2007 mailboxes must be managed with Exchange 2007 management console or shell.
- Exchange 2007 mailboxes MUST NOT be managed with Exchange 2003 tools. Note that this is not blocked, but mailboxes managed from Exchange 2003 ADUC will not be fully functional.
- Exchange 2003 mailboxes can be edited or removed with Exchange 2007 tools, but cannot be created by Exchange 2007 tools.
- Exchange 2003 mailboxes can be managed with Exchange 2003 tools."

Ref Link: http://msexchangeteam.com/archive/2006/10/09/429135.aspx

Managing mailboxes in Exchange Server 2007 (Part 1)
http://www.msexchange.org/tutorials/Managing-mailboxes-Exchange-Server-2007-Part1.html

How to Create a Mailbox for a New User
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa998197(EXCHG.80).aspx

Exchange Server 2007 - Create Mailbox
http://www.computerperformance.co.uk/exchange2007/exchange2007_create_mailbox.htm

mauldlouie

ASKER

Thanks, those links are very helpful. As the last one says, you have to forget what you know about Exchange 2003. That's where I stumbled. I was still functioning like it was 2003.