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Wrong OAB URL due to new cas server

Answered Wrong OAB URL due to new cas server

  • Tuesday, February 28, 2012 10:12 AM
     
     
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    Hello,

    I have some problem, i think, with autodiscover settings. 

    I have one exchange cas server "exchange1.mydomain.com" and i decided to deply two new cas server "exch-cas-a.mydomain.com" and "exch-cas-b.mydomain.com". I have configured Outlook anywhere on this two server with external URL "exchange1.mydomain.com" for testing.

    My Users connectly on Outlook anywhere tolds me that sometimes Outlook ask them authentication on "exch-cas-a" or "exch-cas-b". So, to avoid problem i decide to shutown those two new cas servers.

    Now, my Outlook client get wrong URL for OAB and OWA internal, i can see on the the Outlook autodiscover, in the section "RPC" that the OWA internal URL and OAB URL are wrong, pointing to "exch-cas-b" (this server is not running)

    On the section "HTPP" URL are correct.

    I have checked RPC for database -> OK (good url)

    Autodiscover external URL -> OK

    Outlook provider -> Seems OK

    What can i do because before deploying these servers, Outlook settings were good...

    Thanks !

    MCITP : Enterprise Messaging Administrator 2010
    Engineer Hosted Exchange solutions

     

All Replies

  • Tuesday, February 28, 2012 4:19 PM
     
     
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    You have missed the autodiscover entry.
    If you have multiple servers with the CAS role then it is probably a good idea to set them with the same autodiscover URL.

    This is set on set-clientaccessserver and is the value AutodiscoverServiceInternalURI.

    Change that on all of the servers. I would suggest that you start up the new servers that you had shutdown and leave them running. Just adjust the URL on each of them. It can even be your existing server as the URL, then change it when you are ready.

    Simon.

    Simon Butler, Exchange MVP
    Blog | Exchange Resources | In the UK? Hire Me.

     
  • Wednesday, February 29, 2012 8:52 AM
     
     
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    Yes, indeed i have change this URL for new cas servers and change too OAB and all exchange services to point to my "first exchange server".

    I would like to "migrate" to cas array, the purpose is to keep URL "exchange1.mydomain.com" for all my clients (Outlook anywhere, autodiscover,...) but this name should point to load balancer and the server will no longer exist.

    Is it possible ? How it can work beacause for exemple OAB is physically stored on the server exchange1.mydomain.com... cas array is ok with that ?

    Thanks again

    MCITP : Enterprise Messaging Administrator 2010
    Engineer Hosted Exchange solutions

     
  • Wednesday, February 29, 2012 11:20 AM
     
     
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    CAS Array is ONLY for MAPI traffic, nothing else.

    You can use the same IP address for the CAS array as you can for web services, Outlook Anywhere etc, but the host name used should be unique and not resolve on the Internet. As such it also does not have to appear in the SSL certificate.

    The CAS Array will only be picked up by clients if you repair or recreate the Outlook profile, major downside. Everything else will be detected by autodiscover, so will continue to work through that.

    So what I would do is plan to drop the name of the current server, but add it to the new SSL certificate. For external traffic that is still using that name, point it at the current CAS role or NLB, so that it resolves correctly and because it is in the SSL certificate it will connect.

    Ensure that all URLs are configured correctly. The CAS array host name will then come in to use as clients are updated. Retrofitting a CAS array is hard work because Outlook doesn't update automatically, it requires manual intervention - so it is best to have one right from the start of a deployment, even with a single server.

    Simon.

    Simon Butler, Exchange MVP
    Blog | Exchange Resources | In the UK? Hire Me.

     
  • Wednesday, February 29, 2012 2:10 PM
     
     
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    Ok tahnks for you help, but i have don't understand how I could deploy this solution.

    Currently, all my Outlook clients and Web services, OAB... point to a server CAS that has the name: "exchange1.mydomain.com" .

    I would like to deploy cas array, the goal is to keep the existing name (I did not want to reconfigure all Outlook clients RPC/https). Can i create cas array with name exchange1.mydomain.com ? The "real" Exchange1 server will no longer exist.

    How do I proceed with this operation?

    I do not want there to change my positions on Outlook, they will always be connected to the case that points exchange1 array.

    MCITP : Enterprise Messaging Administrator 2010
    Engineer Hosted Exchange solutions

     
  • Friday, March 02, 2012 11:00 AM
     
     
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    up ?

    MCITP : Enterprise Messaging Administrator 2010
    Engineer Hosted Exchange solutions

     
  • Monday, March 05, 2012 7:53 PM
     
     
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    If you can't wait, then hire a consultant to assist you - no one on these sites are paid to answer your questions.

    The change of the URL for Outlook Anywhere will be handled by Autodiscover.
    You should deploy an RPC CAS Array and then start the process of getting the Outlook clients updated.

    When you remove the server the clients are currently using, move the DNS entry and IP address to one of the new servers, and continue to update the clients so that they are using the CAS array host name instead of an actual server name.

    That is going to be the only way to deploy the new servers without any disruption to clients.

    By using a new name for your RPC CAS array you are able to deploy a NLB solution easily, with no disruption to clients. As the RPC CAS array is only a host name, you can simply switch it back to point to one of the new CAS role servers directly.

    Although if Microsoft are to be believed, if you simply remove that CAS role server completely, and have the RPC CAS Array, autodiscover etc all setup correctly, then the clients should redirect to the new RPC CAS array name automatically. The old server has to be completely gone though, Exchange removed using add/remove programs so that a new autodiscover process is forced. Simply shutting down the server to test doesn't work (Which is why I think that is a major leap of faith in Microsoft, and it isn't something I do).

    Simon.

    Simon Butler, Exchange MVP
    Blog | Exchange Resources | In the UK? Hire Me.

     
  • Tuesday, March 13, 2012 9:24 AM
     
     
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    Thanks Sembee !

    When you said "By using a new name for your RPC CAS array you are able to deploy a NLB solution easily, with no disruption to clients." what did you mean ? 

    If i'm using my "old" cas name for cas array, what are the difference ? more disruption/downtime for my clients ?



    MCITP : Enterprise Messaging Administrator 2010
    Engineer Hosted Exchange solutions

     
  • Wednesday, March 14, 2012 5:17 PM
     
     
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    You are going to have to remove the old server at some point, and that will mean you will have a period where the Exchange services are not available and then the name doesn't resolve anywhere. Furthermore you cannot guaratee that the server you are removing is going to come out clean. The additional work that might be required to remove it will further increase the downtime.

    By using a new name that doesn't "belong" to a server, you can maintain full continuty because you just need to switch the DNS record and while waiting, both the old and new servers will work.

    Simon.

    Simon Butler, Exchange MVP
    Blog | Exchange Resources | In the UK? Hire Me.

     
  • Thursday, March 15, 2012 10:41 AM
     
     
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    Ok i see now... but like you said previously Outlook does not update automatically so each of my users need to repair Outlook profile, no way to do that automatically ?

    MCITP : Enterprise Messaging Administrator 2010
    Engineer Hosted Exchange solutions

     
  • Thursday, March 15, 2012 4:04 PM
     
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    Ok i see now... but like you said previously Outlook does not update automatically so each of my users need to repair Outlook profile, no way to do that automatically ?

    MCITP : Enterprise Messaging Administrator 2010
    Engineer Hosted Exchange solutions

    That is indeed the problem, which Microsoft have not provided an answer for. It is why having a RPC CAS array address in use from the start is so important. The answer that I have been given by Microsoft is to remove the server completely, including from DNS and that "should" force a full autodiscover process to occur on the clients. Of course it is only "should" and there is no way that you can test it, as it is dependant on the server being removed. Shutting it down or removing the DNS manually is not enough, because Exchange will still "know" the server exists.

    This client issue is going to become more and more of a problem as people start to migrate off their first Exchange 2010 servers, either for an upgrade to a new version.

    Touching the clients in advance (ie after the RPC CAS Array has been configured, but before the old server is removed) is the only way to guarantee no downtime at the moment.

    Simon.

    Simon Butler, Exchange MVP
    Blog | Exchange Resources | In the UK? Hire Me.

    • Marked As Answer by JoR_ Monday, March 26, 2012 8:09 PM
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  • Thursday, March 15, 2012 4:34 PM
     
     
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    Ok... it's sure, start with CAS ARRAY make easier :)

    If i configure a new CAS server with same parameter of my old CAS server (Autodiscover, OAB, OWA, ECP, EWS,...) and then swith DNS to point to my CAS Array instead of my old CAS (Cas Array configure with the same name) and then shutdown old server, i think the downtime should be minimal no ?

    No change in RPC configuration (same name) and for other services...

    What do you think about that ? 

    MCITP : Enterprise Messaging Administrator 2010
    Engineer Hosted Exchange solutions

     
  • Thursday, March 15, 2012 5:17 PM
     
     
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    You cannot just shutdown an Exchange server - it has to be removed.
    Therefore you are going to have downtime. So the simple answer is whether you accept the downtime or not.

    Simon.

    Simon Butler, Exchange MVP
    Blog | Exchange Resources | In the UK? Hire Me.

     
  • Friday, March 16, 2012 9:16 AM
     
     
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    Do you have a ling for the all steps necesseray to completety remove an Exchange server ?

    I think downtime can be easaly managed, you plan this operation during the night for example.

    Thanks

    MCITP : Enterprise Messaging Administrator 2010
    Engineer Hosted Exchange solutions

     
  • Friday, March 16, 2012 1:41 PM
     
     
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    There isn't much to it. If the server is a mailbox server then all data has to be removed.
    Otherwise just use Add/Remove programs to remove the product. It will tell you if there is a reason why it cannot be removed.

    Simon.

    Simon Butler, Exchange MVP
    Blog | Exchange Resources | In the UK? Hire Me.

     
  • Friday, March 16, 2012 1:52 PM
     
     
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    Ok, no the CAS server have just HUB role on it, not mailbox.

    Thanks for all

    MCITP : Enterprise Messaging Administrator 2010
    Engineer Hosted Exchange solutions