Recent Discussions
Problems after upgrade to CU14
Hi, I'm in the process of migrating from Exchange 2013 CU23 to Exchange 2019. I installed Exchange 2019 CU13 on Win2022 Server, in coexistence with our 2013 and everything was looking good. Before starting with the testing to route emails through 2019, I checked that CU14 was released recently, so I download/install the CU14 in upgrade mode (with the no EP flag) to have the last build, and now I'm having problems with virtual directories, mailboxes, and so ON. Already run the healtchecker powershell scripts and nothing out of the ordinary. Some of the problems I'm having: 1. When I clic on the 'authentication' tab in any Virtual Directory (ECP, OWA, EWS) I got this error: "The task wasn't able to connect to IIS on the server <FQDN>. Make sure that the server exists and can be reached from this computer: The RPC server is unavailable." The other tabs don't throw me any errors, but almost all options are greyed-out. 2. In SERVERS > DATABASES, when entering the properties of any Database that are on the new EX2019, I got this error: 'Exchange can't connect to the Information Store service on server <FQDN>. Make sure that the service is running and that there is network connectivity to the server.' I cannot create a new Database neither and the status of the currents 2019 Mailbox databases says Uknown and BadCopyCount = 1. 3. SERVERS > CERTIFICATES: Cannot see any Cert here for the EX2019. The error I get: "Cannot connect to the remote procedure call service on the server named <servername>. Verify that a valid computer name was used and the Microsoft Exchange Service Host service is started." Already check: - Binding of the Certificate 'Microsoft Exchange 'on the BackEnd and our Public Certificate on the Frontend Server. - All Exchange Services are up and running. - Restart of IIS. It appears that is something with permissions and/or with IIS that breakdown after the installation, but still don't know what it is. Al things related to the 2013 environment appears to be normal and functioning. according. Something I noticed, on the Certificate error it says the name of the server, and in the other errors, it says the FQDN of the server. Please guide me here, what could be the problem and what to check/confirm. Thanks in advance.Change Coming for How Outlook Extracts Events from Email
The Outlook events from email feature changes from January 31, 2026. Events will only be created if notifications support the properties for events defined by schema.org. Seeking consistency is a good idea, especially if it means that Outlook can process notifications sent by airlines, car hire companies, and other event providers in a way that doesn’t happen today. However, some disruption is likely. https://office365itpros.com/2025/09/30/events-from-email-schema/
Missing Teams Contacts after Migration
Hello, We are currently migrating mailboxes from exchange 2019 to exchange online. The migration works absolute flawless. Now we have some employees complaining about missing teams contacts that were previously created in Teams only. The MS support told me that this is a teams limitation and the local contacts are gone. I know about unified contacts, thats contacts are synced now between outlook and teams and newly created contacts are stored in exchange online mailbox. But whatabout the old contacts ?? cant believe that theres no workaround to keep this contacts. Do you know something about this ? Rene
How to extract domain of the original link from a SafeLink
I'm trying to extract the original domain from the links that are warped by Microsoft SafeLinks I use the Nager.publicsuffix library in C# to parse domains, but with SafeLink's it only returns the SafeLink domain instead of the real one Example: https://ind01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fstspg.io%2Fn504fyn3g38x... https://nam.safelink.emails.azure.net/redirect/?destination=https%3A%2F%2Fentra.microsoft.com%2Fdemodomain.cf%23blade... I've tried writing custom logic for SafeLink pattern, but Microsoft seems to use different formats, so it's not reliable Question: What's the best way in C# to reliably detect and unwrap these SafeLink's (or other tracking URLs) so I can extract the original domain before passing it to Nager.PublicSuffixIssue with Distribution Groups Members
Hello Please i need your help on this issue. Issue with Distribution Groups Members. I created Manually Dynamic Distribution Group and added Users with Exchange Mailbox option but its added all the active licenced users and shared mailboxes and unlicenced users also. I only want Licenced users only in that group where E3 Licenced are assigned and users are active. But all users are added in that group instead of Licenced active users. I need only automatically add active users who has Office 365 Licence. I do not require any shared mailbox users I do not require non-active users NOTE: I do not want to create the users through PowerShell. So please is there a solution for GUI only
Meeting rooms - end of synchronization with AD
Hi all, We have a hybrid environment, and the meeting rooms are "physically" in Exchange Online—I can no longer see them on the on-premises Exchange server. However, they are still synchronizing from AD. What do I need to do to ensure that the meeting rooms are completely in Exchange Online and do not synchronize from AD? So that the "point of truth" is in Exchange Online? Thank you for your tips.
Exchange 2016 to SE and Exchange Online questions
Hi, We're currently in the process of migrating from Exchange 2016 to Exchange Subscription Edition (SE), along with moving a portion of our mailboxes to Exchange Online. We have approximately 3,000 mailboxes, and around 2,000 of those will eventually end up in Exchange Online—for various reasons (don’t ask why…). I have a few questions I'd like to clarify and hope you can assist: Exchange On-Premises Questions: If a user mailbox is moved to Exchange SE, can they still access shared or user mailboxes that remain on Exchange 2016? Do we need to migrate them in the same batch to preserve access/permissions? (should't be an issue in the same Exchange Org right?) If a shared mailbox is migrated to Exchange SE while the user mailbox remains on Exchange 2016, will access still work? Do we need to point the Hardware Load Balancer (HLB) to the new Exchange SE servers before mailbox moves to allow proper client connectivity and proxying back to Exchange 2016? Or is it okay to keep the HLB pointed to the Exchange 2016 servers until all migrations are complete and then switch it over? Proxy upwards from Exchange 2016 to Exchange SE? What’s the best practice here? Pros/cons? Exchange Online Questions: If we want all outbound mail to go through the on-prem Exchange environment—even for Exchange Online mailboxes—is this configured via the Hybrid Configuration Wizard (HCW)? Is the Litigation Hold status preserved when migrating a mailbox to Exchange Online? Can a mailbox hosted in Exchange Online access a shared mailbox still residing on-prem? (Should't be an issue right?) Can an on-prem mailbox access a shared mailbox that has been migrated to Exchange Online? For mailboxes with Full Access or Send As permissions (e.g. user mailboxes tied to shared mailboxes), do they need to be migrated together in the same batch to retain functionality? We’ll be using native Microsoft migration tools (no 3rd-party solutions). If I recall correctly, separate migrations will still allow Full Access?!?, but Send As may not work properly unless migrated together. Is that still accurate?Migrating on-prem functional shared mailboxes to 365
I have an on-premises Exchange environment (SE Edition) with Edge servers, configured in a hybrid setup. New users are provisioned directly in Office 365, but many legacy users still exist solely on-premises. In addition, we have around 800 shared/functional mailboxes that are local and were not created as hybrid objects. I need to migrate these on-prem shared mailboxes to Office 365. I’m unsure of the best approach—should I: Convert them to full hybrid and migrate using the hybrid tools? Recreate them manually in Office 365? Or is there another recommended method? My goal is to make the transition as seamless and transparent as possible for users, while keeping the process simple and efficient on the admin side.Validate Guest/Member users for accounts created before 2014
Old exchange accounts that were created before 2014-2015 don't have userType field. When we query such users their userType returns null: https://graph.microsoft.com/v1.0/users/xxx?$select=createdDateTime,userType How do we differ in such case between Guest and Member accounts?Exchange 2016 and deffer delivery
Hi! Is it possible to configure delay of outgoing sending messages for user mailbox, like outlook's deffered delivery? I couldn't find such an option in mailflow-rules, as deepseek says "New-TransportRule -Name "DelaySendForUser" -SenderAddressEquals "email address removed for privacy reasons" -DeferMessageMinutes 2 -Enabled $true" - it doesn't work:))How to consistently differentiate Microsoft service notification emails from normal user emails?
I receive a large number of notification mails from Microsoft services (SharePoint, Teams, etc.) and they clutter my mailbox. I’ve tried: Inbox rules filtering by sender (e.g., email address removed for privacy reasons) → doesn’t work since Microsoft uses many changing domains. Filtering by Microsoft IP ranges → some internal org mails also get caught. Filtering by domains from Microsoft endpoint list → works, but the list updates monthly, so not reliable. Question: Is there a consistent way (e.g., via Internet message headers or any other property) to reliably identify Microsoft-generated notification emails vs normal user emails?
HCW fails to download
Erst einmal Entschuldige mich mich falls ich diese Frage im falschen Kanal stelle Hallo versuche gerade mit dem "Programm" Microsoft.Online.CSE.Hybrid.Client.application die HYbrid Stellung zu realisieren komme aber nicht weiter . Das Programm startet einwandfrei. Die Datei Microsoft.Online.CSE.Hybrid.Client.exe.manifest wird aber nicht heruntergeladen In der Firewall kann ich keinen Blockierten traffic sehen. Meldung die Anwendung konnte nicht dedownloaded werden. Erforderliche Dateien fehlen in der Anwendung. Wenden Sie sich an den Hersteller der Anwendung OS Server 2012R2 Software Firewall ist aus Kein Antivirenprogramm aktiv Falls jemand ähnliche Probleme hatte und die lösen konnte wäre ich sehr dankbar über Hinweise wie das geschafft wurde. Der Support von Microsoft war nicht sehr hilfreich Ticket ist aber noch offen. Die Aktivierung von C:\HCW\Microsoft.Online.CSE.Hybrid.Client.application führte zu einer Ausnahme. Folgende Fehlermeldungen wurden entdeckt: + 'file:///C:/HCW/Application Files/Microsoft.Online.CSE.Hybrid.Client_17_1_2714_0/Microsoft.Online.CSE.Hybrid.Client.exe.manifest' konnte nicht gedownloadet werden. + Ein Teil des Pfades "C:\HCW\Application Files\Microsoft.Online.CSE.Hybrid.Client_17_1_2714_0\Microsoft.Online.CSE.Hybrid.Client.exe.manifest" konnte nicht gefunden werden.Hotfix update for 2016 CU23 HU18: (KB5066370) breaks OWA and leaves all services disabled
Has anyone else applied the latest hotfix? First of all it tries to validate open files instead of just killing these processes as part of the update, then after rebooting all the services are left in a disabled state. Then I discover it has broken IIS and OWA doesnt work. We have had client issues all day in the office. It looks like another update has been pushed out without sufficient testing. Any help would be grateful at this point, I am looking to take 2 out of 4 servers offline.
Which ExchangeServerApp is the right one? How to tell?
From running HCW multiple times w/ various exceptions, we have a number of separate ExchangeServerApp instances in Entra. How can I definitively tell which one (or more) is the correct instance? I can't find any of the UUIDs in the Entra entries anywhere in the Exchange Server configuration. I can't run the ConfigureHybridExchangeApplication script because (from the error it gives) it doesn't handle the multiple app identifiers. I submitted feedback but haven't heard back from the CSS-Exchange people. Any guidance appreciated.Information about Exchange SE trough SPLA
Does anyone have any information about the possible availability of Microsoft Exchange Subscription Edition (SE) through SPLA ? As you may know, SharePoint Subscription Edition (SE) was already released since a few years, however it never approved by Microsoft to be used in SPLA, it is not mentioned in the SPUR and they don’t provide the installations keys for this version to SPLA hosters. If they follow the same policy with Exchange SE, we will not have any solution to run an Exchange Server on a supported version after 14th of October 2025 when Exchange 2019 reaches end of support. Thanks for your comments Thierry
Licensing question: Exchange Server SE for CSP M365 E3/E5 customers without Extended Use Rights
Does anyone have any information on licensing the new Exchange Server SE for customers who have M365/O365 E3/E5 purchased via CSP but do not have Extended Use Rights (i.e., no EA/EAS -> no on-prem Office server licenses included)? Specifically: Is it enough to license Exchange Server SE per node only, or Do customers also need to purchase Exchange Server CALs per user (even if they already have M365 E3/E5)? I’ve spoken with multiple licensing distributors and a Microsoft partner contact, but I still haven’t been able to get a definitive answer. According to a comment from Jeremy Carlson and Microsoft’s licensing documentation, certain licenses appear to include "CAL-equivalency rights". Can anyone here confirm whether these CAL-equivalency rights cover access to Exchange Server SE in the CSP E3/E5 (no Extended Use Rights) scenario? licensing reference: https://www.microsoft.com/licensing/terms/product/CALandMLEquivalencyLicenses/MCA#clause-2165-h3-1Our mail domain isn't safe by default for Exchange Online users
Hello all, Our PR Team requested to force automatic download of pictures for internal letters that are sent by the team. We decide to use GP setting "Automatically download content for e-mail from people in Safe Senders and Safe Recipients Lists" from Office an administrative template. It works fine for users with on-prem mailboxes because our mail domain is in the Safe Senders by default, but it doesn't work for users with mailboxes in Exchange Online. For EO mailboxes, pictures of internal letters are not downloaded automatically in classic Outlook. They have to add "@<our mail domain" to Safe Senders list to download pictures automatically. Any attempts to add the same domain by using Set-MailboxJunkEmailConfiguration fail because "the domain is the default mail domain"! (And should be treated as safe). Headers show that letters are not "Anonymous" but internal. It looks like a bug, or we missed something in our Hybrid configuration. Any ideas? King regards, Dmitry HorushinExchange Hybrid Wizard won't run
Hi all, 2 x Exchange 2019 (CU 14 and April SU) in a dag Windows Server 2022 I'm trying to run the Hybrid Configuration Wizard but nothing happens. From one of the servers I go to https://aka.ms/HybridWizard. Using Edge it offers to Open Microsoft.Online.CSE.Hybrid.Client.application but nothing happens when I click Open. I downloaded the application and tried to run it manually but absolutely nothing happens. Nothing in the event logs to say why nothing happened. I had a look and ClickOnce Application Deployment Support Library is the default to open .application files. Tried using the old IE to run it (as some posts online suggest) but again nothing happens. If I run the application from another PC (Windows 10), it attempts to run but fails and I get the error: Deployment and application do not have matching security zones Has anyone else had this issue and was able to resolve? thanks justin EDIT: I am looking at doing the Classic Full hybrid.
Recent Blogs
- A reminder that on September 16 2025, we will enforce the first temporary block of shared security principal use for our hybrid customers.Sep 12, 2025
