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Unable to browse the Global Address List in Outlook in Online Mode
I am having a hard time here determining why I am unable to see my Global Address List when I have my Outlook Client (200) running in online mode.
A bit about my current setup, I have recently begun migrating things from Exchange 2003 and Windows Server 2003 to Exchange 2007 and Windows Server 2008. I currently have 4 AD servers and they are all running as Global Catalog servers. The idea is when this is running correctly to decommission the old 2003 servers and Exchange. However, when running the Outlook client in Online mode (ie. non-cached) I cannot see anything in the GAL. The interesting thing though, this only occurs when the client tries to connect to either two of my new 2008 AD servers. When connecting to the old 2003 servers, I can see everything like I am supposed to. (I say this is random as the Outlook client seems to use some type of round robin to determine which global catalog to connect to when the application starts.) I've migrated the FSMO roles, and also updated the policies to Exchange 2007. Through my mobile device it seems that I can access the GAL and also through OWA via the CAS machine there seems to be no problem viewing the list. I have also tried turning off the firewall on the AD machine itself to see if that could have been the problem, but it still has not fixed the problem.
Might anyone have any idea about where I should be looking to see what is causing this issue of my Outlook client not being able to view the global address list in online mode?
A bit about my current setup, I have recently begun migrating things from Exchange 2003 and Windows Server 2003 to Exchange 2007 and Windows Server 2008. I currently have 4 AD servers and they are all running as Global Catalog servers. The idea is when this is running correctly to decommission the old 2003 servers and Exchange. However, when running the Outlook client in Online mode (ie. non-cached) I cannot see anything in the GAL. The interesting thing though, this only occurs when the client tries to connect to either two of my new 2008 AD servers. When connecting to the old 2003 servers, I can see everything like I am supposed to. (I say this is random as the Outlook client seems to use some type of round robin to determine which global catalog to connect to when the application starts.) I've migrated the FSMO roles, and also updated the policies to Exchange 2007. Through my mobile device it seems that I can access the GAL and also through OWA via the CAS machine there seems to be no problem viewing the list. I have also tried turning off the firewall on the AD machine itself to see if that could have been the problem, but it still has not fixed the problem.
Might anyone have any idea about where I should be looking to see what is causing this issue of my Outlook client not being able to view the global address list in online mode?
Last Comment
amnonnes
Are your public folders replicating to the 2007 server?
ASKER
I have not touched anything with the public folder configurations, other than what the default install has done. I can't quite find anything specific enough to tell me exactly what I should be replicating though. I can see the folders in the ESM - Public Folder Management Console, but it only gives me an option to "Replicate to". Should I go ahead and enter the both the new store and the old store in that location for the "System Public Folders".
I can see how this might affect Outlook 2003 clients, but should it have any affect on a Outlook 2007 client with an online GAL?
I can see how this might affect Outlook 2003 clients, but should it have any affect on a Outlook 2007 client with an online GAL?
First, check that you indeed have public folders on the Exchange 2007. Check that they contain the GAL. Did you follow the 2003->2007 migration guide? There is an entire section there on public folders...
Public Folders would have nothing to do with the GAL. Public Folders contain the Offline Address Book files, thats all. The GAL is made up of live information from the domain.
Highly unusual not to be able to see the live information through Outlook.
I am wondering if the Outlook clients or Exchange are having problems seeing the directory. If you run the best practises tool from the toolbox, does that flag anything?
However you should replicate the system folders to the other server/s. It is best practise to have the system folders on all servers holding the Mailbox role.
-M
Highly unusual not to be able to see the live information through Outlook.
I am wondering if the Outlook clients or Exchange are having problems seeing the directory. If you run the best practises tool from the toolbox, does that flag anything?
However you should replicate the system folders to the other server/s. It is best practise to have the system folders on all servers holding the Mailbox role.
-M
ASKER
For the Public System folders is it best that I go through and enable replication for all of the folders? There are quite a few listed there and it would require going though turning quite a few on. Some do not even show any data in them. Public folders are not used here either so, other than the system data I don't see the major issue in that.
Running a MsBPA scan for a health check it doesn't show anything that is pertinent to why I cannot see my GAL. (Just the database needs to be backed up). A 2007 Readiness check reveals nothing as well.
Earlier I tried the "ldp" program as well to see if I could connect to the AD server in question, and I was able to view the tree and my id information and such with my current login information. Both on ports 389 and 3268. So connecting to the global catalog/ad server does not seem to be the problem. That is why I am a bit baffled as to why Outlook is not returning any information back from the 2008AD machines, but from the 2003AD machines it is fine. Nothing in the event logs either pertaining to this issue as well.
I'm at a bit of a loss as what to do next. I did remove the offline address book from the old 2003 exchange machine, and my test client machine is not able to download a new address book from my new exchange 2007 system. (In hindsight, I shouldn't have done that yet, but it might be not pulling anything as it might be trying to pull from the 2008AD server(s) that are not giving any information at this time.)
Anyways, I am a bit of a loss on what to do next. So if you might have any other ideas I'd really appreciate it.
Thanks
Running a MsBPA scan for a health check it doesn't show anything that is pertinent to why I cannot see my GAL. (Just the database needs to be backed up). A 2007 Readiness check reveals nothing as well.
Earlier I tried the "ldp" program as well to see if I could connect to the AD server in question, and I was able to view the tree and my id information and such with my current login information. Both on ports 389 and 3268. So connecting to the global catalog/ad server does not seem to be the problem. That is why I am a bit baffled as to why Outlook is not returning any information back from the 2008AD machines, but from the 2003AD machines it is fine. Nothing in the event logs either pertaining to this issue as well.
I'm at a bit of a loss as what to do next. I did remove the offline address book from the old 2003 exchange machine, and my test client machine is not able to download a new address book from my new exchange 2007 system. (In hindsight, I shouldn't have done that yet, but it might be not pulling anything as it might be trying to pull from the 2008AD server(s) that are not giving any information at this time.)
Anyways, I am a bit of a loss on what to do next. So if you might have any other ideas I'd really appreciate it.
Thanks
The only system folders that you really need to worry about are the OAB tree, free/busy tree and the org forms. The others can wait. Simply add the new server to the list through ESM (so both the old and the new are listed) and then wait. By moving the OAB to the new server but not replicating the system folders, you don't actually have anywhere for the newly generated OAB information to go. Therefore the OAB downloaded by the clients will be the old one.
Replicate the data and then see what happens.
-M
Replicate the data and then see what happens.
-M
ASKER
Thanks for the advice. I think the offline stuff seems to be working more or less. I still need to do a bit of testing on it though.
As for the online issue, I did find something interesting. When I load up my account on a Windows XP/Outlook 2003 system I can browse the GAL with no problems. With browsing the GAL also with my mobile and through OWA, is there something in Vista/Outlook 2007 thats preventing me from seeing this list correctly from the Win2k8 servers?
As for the online issue, I did find something interesting. When I load up my account on a Windows XP/Outlook 2003 system I can browse the GAL with no problems. With browsing the GAL also with my mobile and through OWA, is there something in Vista/Outlook 2007 thats preventing me from seeing this list correctly from the Win2k8 servers?
There is nothing that I am aware of with Vista/Outlook 2007 that would cause the problem. I am using that combination myself and it works fine.
-M
-M
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