Wednesday, October 25, 2017

Microsoft Exchange Server Interview Questions & Answers Part 3



How to know the build number for the version of Exchange 2013 that you’re running?
Get-ExchangeServer | Format-List Name, Edition, AdminDisplayVersion

What is white space in exchange and how to find it?
Database white space is the area within Exchange Server mailbox databases that has been reclaimed after an item or object -- such as a mailbox -- has been deleted.
Get-MailboxDatabase -Status | select Name,DatabaseSize,AvailableNewMailboxSpace
To get a completely accurate representation of white space in the mailbox database, admins should use the ESEUTIL /MS command: When using ESEUTIL /MS, you must dismount the target database while the process runs.
Don't worry too much about white space; Exchange does a good job managing it for you. However, if you begin running out of space on a mailbox disk and see that there's a large amount of white space within a particular database that resides on that disk, you should install a new set of disks (or provision a new LUN), create a new store and move the mailboxes over.

How to repair Mailbox DB without dismounting /on live? (Mailbox corruption due to oversized EDB)
Use the New-MailboxRepairRequest cmdlet to detect and fix mailbox corruptions. You can run this command against a specific mailbox or against a database. While this task is running, mailbox access is disrupted only for the mailbox being repaired. If you're running this command against a database, only the mailbox being repaired is disrupted. All other mailboxes on the database remain operational.

What is a recovery database in exchange how it works?
A recovery database allows us to mount a copy of a database on an Exchange server without having any impact on the live copy of that same database. In fact we can even use recovery databases to mount copies of databases from other servers within the same Exchange organization, thanks to database portability.

Delivery groups in exchange? Types?
This is (an evolution of the routing group) and are collections of transport servers that are responsible for delivering messages to a particular routing destination. Transport servers can either be Exchange 2013 Mailbox servers or Exchange 2010 Hub Transport servers (only for routing destinations that are connectors and distribution group expansion servers).
Routable DAG,Mailbox DG,Connector source DG,AD site DG,Server list DG

Explain Exchange Transport pipeline?
Transport pipeline is made up of three different services:
  • Front end transport service: It does basic message filtering based on domains, connectors, senders and recipients. It only connects with the transport service on a mailbox server and does not backlog any messages locally
  • Transport service: It runs on all mailbox servers, and it handles SMTP mail flow. It helps in message categorization and content inspection. The transport services routes messages between the Mailbox Transport service, the Transport Service and Front End Transport service.  This service does not queue messages locally
  • Mailbox Transport: This system includes receiving and sending SMTP to the transport service from mailbox using RPC (Remote Procedure Call).
 

The Mailbox Transport Delivery service receives SMTP messages from the Transport service and connects to the mailbox database using an Exchange Remote Procedure Call [RPC] to deliver the message.
The Mailbox Transport Submission service connects to the mailbox database using RPC to retrieve messages and submits them over SMTP to the Transport service. The Mailbox Transport service also does not queue any messages locally.

The steps for installing cumulative updates and service packs on Exchange 2013?

  • Take a confirmed backup of Active Directory.
  • Take a confirmed backup of your existing Exchange 2013 servers and databases
  • Have documented any customizations such as OWA, config files on servers, registry changes, Lync integration, or third party add-ons.
  • Review the known issues with receive connectors that can cause upgrades to fail, leaving servers in a non-operational state.
  • Verify that your Exchange SSL certificates have not expired.
  • The first servers to be updated in a site are the Mailbox servers.
  • The Client Access servers are updated second.
  • Edge Transport servers can be updated last.

How to determine the current Domain Controller and Global Catalog servers being used by Exchange 2007, 2010, 2013, or 2016 via PowerShell?
Application Event Logs under Event ID 2080.
Get-ExchangeServer -Identity “ServerName” -status | fl

What is the role of GC in Exchange server Scenario?
In order to send and receive email, both the Exchange server and Microsoft Outlook client must be able to query a global catalog server. Exchange server must also query a global catalog server to resolve recipient email addresses. Microsoft Outlook clients can't even open the Global Address List (GAL) unless they can connect to a global catalog server (either directly or via DSProxy).


Name the protocols used by Outlook 2013 with exchange? Is there any changes happened after SP 1 release?
Outlook 2013 normally uses RPC over http for connecting to the exchange but after SP1 up gradation Exchange will use MAPI over RPC.

Explain what is the role of categorizer?
Categorizer performs following functions
  • Recipient Resolution: The e-mail address of the recipient is resolved to decide whether the recipient has got a mailbox in the Exchange Organization or an external e-mail address
  • Routing Resolution: Once the information regarding the recipient is resolved, the ultimate destination for the mail is routed, and the next hop are determined
  • Content Conversion: Once the mail has reached its determined address, the SMTP is converted into readable format like HTML, rich text format or plain text
What is SPF Record? Sender Policy Framework record
An SPF record is a type of Domain Name Service (DNS) record that identifies which mail servers are permitted to send email on behalf of your domain. The purpose of an SPF record is to prevent spammers from sending messages with forged From addresses at your domain

Exchange regenerates the OAB, What is the Default generation schedule?
Default generation schedule 24 hours (Event ID 17002)
8 hours in exchange 2016

Exchange OAB Server distributes the OAB (Only for Exchange 2010, Exchange 2013 uses proxying instead) Default distribution schedule
Default distribution schedule: 480 minutes (8Hours)

Outlook downloads the OAB Default update schedule?
Default update schedule: 24 hours
This means that in the worst possible scenario, an update to the Address Book won’t become available to the user until about 48 hours after the change.
This situation however is extremely rare since the default maintenance time on Exchange is at 5:00 AM and updates and downloads are usually performed during working hours.

If I cannot see a see if a user/group/shared mailbox in my Outlook OAB, how can I tell if it is present in the Global Address List
Look in the Outlook Web App (OWA). OWA looks directly to the GAL for email referencing,

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