I noticed when I create a "mail user" in Exchange 2007 the user's "mail" LDAP property is populated. However, when I remove this properties in the AD snapin the "mail user" object remains. What is the effect of me removing the e-mail address from the mail LDAP property? Does this stop mailflow or is the mail LDAP property "just for show"? TIA.

On Wed, 20 Oct 2010 01:37:38 +0000, snickered wrote: >I noticed when I create a "mail user" in Exchange 2007 the user's "mail" LDAP property is populated. However, when I remove this properties in the AD snapin the "mail user" object remains. Annoying, isn't it? >What is the effect of me removing the e-mail address from the mail LDAP property? Does this stop mailflow or is the mail LDAP property "just for show"? You'd think it was "just for show" but if you have anti-spam software that queries the AD to validate inbound e-mail addresses it's probably causing your Exchange server to generate a NDR becasue the LDAP query is probably including the "mail" attribute in its search. If the AD object isn't mail- or mailbox-enabled, go ahead and remove the attribute. --- Rich Matheisen MCSE+I, Exchange MVP --- Rich Matheisen MCSE+I, Exchange MVP

Ok, but if the user is mail or mail-enabled what is the effect if I remove the "mail" attribute from the AD object? Are you saying it has no effect assuming I only have Exchange (no other tools that rely on this attribute)?

If user is mailbox enabled and you want to remove exchange attribute or mail attribute from that user. in that case you will be left only with AD account and mails will not be delivered to mailbox. Mailbox will be in disconnected state. Mail enabled users hold only the AD account and an external email address is assigned to this user. so if you remove the mail attribute from this account this wont affect user as user's mailbox will be on some where else. Read more to understand the diff between malilbox enabled and mail enabled user http://www.msexchange.org/tutorials/Understanding-Mailbox-Enabled-Mail-Enabled-Recipients.html Vinod |CCNA|MCSE 2003 +Messaging|MCTS|ITIL V3|

I understand the difference between mailbox-enabled and mail-enabled. My question is what is the purpose of the "mail" attribute in the user object of AD that is populated when you mail-enable the user? I can play with it some to figure it out, I just figured someone knew what would happen if I remove it.

On Wed, 20 Oct 2010 03:15:35 +0000, snickered wrote: >Ok, but if the user is mail or mail-enabled what is the effect if I remove the "mail" attribute from the AD object? You'll have errors when you generate the OAB. The same thing happens if the "mail" attribute is different to the primary SMTP proxy address. >Are you saying it has no effect assuming I only have Exchange (no other tools that rely on this attribute)? If you don't care about the OAB it probably won't matter. But why remove it if the object *IS* mail enabled? If you want the question answered definitively, create a test user and remove the attribute. --- Rich Matheisen MCSE+I, Exchange MVP --- Rich Matheisen MCSE+I, Exchange MVP

Yeah, I just needed to play with it a bit. Thanks Rich.