So you think you know the ins and outs of Microsoft Exchange?

  • Do you know that in order to ping Microsoft Exchange server-to-server, you need to use two special ping programs that are available with your software?
  • Do you know how to log a fatal error if you have recurring Message Transfer Agent problems?

If you don’t know the answers to these questions, you aren’t alone. Exchange is a complex and powerful program that few people have mastered.

You can find the answers to these questions and others about Exchange in our download “25 indispensable Exchange tips.”

The download lists 25 ways to get the most out of your Exchange server, including how to make a dead letter box that doesn’t appear on your Global Address List—where mail to former employees can go. In addition, the download explains how to track down post-SP3 hotfixes and how to keep your e-mail flowing when your ISP’s DNS server goes down.
Do you oversee or administer Exchange server? If so, you can receive helpful information about Exchange delivered to your inbox by signing up for our free Exchange TechMail.
Master your Exchange server
The difference between a master of the Exchange server and being familiar with the e-mail server is in the details.

For example, an Exchange master knows that you can’t use the ping command to ping one Exchange server from another. Exchange server-to-server communication is through Remote Procedure Calls (RPCs). You need special software for both ends of the connection.

RPINGS.EXE will let you ping another Exchange server that has RPINGS32.EXE on it. This works for Exchange server-to-client pings. You’ll find more about this tip in the download.

Another example of what you will find in these 25 tips is how to get around the “gotcha” if you have persistent Message Transfer Agent (MTA) crashes. The problem is that when MTA crashes, it tries to recover and the process hangs. The only option you have is to kill the process—preventing it from writing clues in its event log about why it is failing. This tip will show you how to modify the server’s registry so that if the MTA crashes, it won’t try to recover, allowing events prior to the crash to be recorded.

An interactive mailing list
We know that you’ll find the tips in this download useful because TechRepublic members have already tested this advice. These tips were originally published in our Exchange TechMails. Often, members respond with comments and questions. For example, member Mark Turner sent in this question: “Is there a way to append permissions to public folders and all the subfolders like you can with CACLS.EXE for NT permissions?”

The answer to Turner’s question was published in the Exchange TechMails. There is a way to add permissions because Exchange has a tool called PFADMIN.EXE that is very much like CACLS.EXE. To learn more about this topic and other troubleshooting issues, check out our download.
Experience is always the best teacher, but have you found another way to get to those little tidbits of Exchange knowledge? Are most of the features in Exchange simply specific to particular situations and not generally useful? Share your thoughts on the matter in a discussion below, or send us a note.