Introduction to Troubleshooting Exchange 2003 Server
This section covers troubleshooting Exchange 2003 server. My advice includes how to repair corrupt mailstores,
how to track
faulty connections and NDRs. (Backup and Restoring mailboxes are covered in the disaster recovery section).
I begin by explaining how to get into state before you attempt a solution; and I end with examining key tools such as ADSI Edit.
You have a problem? I can help with a solution. You may not be expecting my first piece of advice, no
computer text
books mention it, but Guy says: 'Start by getting into state'. What I mean is get into the right frame of mind. Say to yourself, 'I Can do it. There must be a solution'. Avoid the
dangerous whirlpool of this thinking, my problem is impossible, there is no way out, nothing will work. Often physically doing nothing, but mentally getting into state, prevents you from making the
problem worse. How often have you tried to fix a machine but ended up breaking things that were actually working properly?
Start by leaving the problem for just a few minutes; make yourself a pot of tea, or a cup of coffee, (nothing stronger to drink at this stage!). When you return to the computer, the first thing to do is get
a piece of paper and write down the problem, draw a diagram if that helps. Often just walking away for only a few minutes clears my head and
I am now ready to solve that problem. O.K. so now you are in problem solving state, time for real practical advice.
My mantra is getting you started, reminding you of the best places to check. Your role is that of a detective looking for clues. What is the significance of a red dot here, an error message
there. Once you have assembled the clues it's time to develop a
theory as to the underlying cause of the problem. Finally, draw up a list of possible solutions.
Open the Event Viewer and check the Application Log.
Can you send yourself an email? If necessary, use OWA: http: //server/exchange.
Ensure that all the necessary services are started, remember to scroll down to 'M' for Microsoft Exchange, now you can see services like MSExchangeIS.
What happens if you go to the command prompt and type: telnet servername 25? Do you get a Hello response?
Are there any clues in the Exchange System Manager, Servers, Queues?
Guy Recommends:
The SolarWinds Exchange Monitor
Here is a
free tool to monitor your Exchange Server. Download and
install the utility, then inspect your mail queues, monitor the Exchange
server's memory, confirm there is enough disk space and check the CPU
utilization. This is the real deal - there is no catch. SolarWinds
provides this fully-functioning product for free, as part of their commitment to
supporting the network management community.
If Event viewer reports MSExchangeIS errors, then the following utilities will help to resolve the problem. In an ideal world, you need experience of Eseutil and Isinteg utilities BEFORE disaster strikes. So
practice some of the safer commands, for example eseutil /d or isinteg -s servername -tests alltests.
Eseutil - Powerful tool for repairing Exchange store databases
If you feel that your server ought to be running faster, then take the time to create a counter log. Start with the big 4 objects, memory, processor, disk and network, then progress to Exchange
specific counters such as MSexchangeIS (Information Store).
What ever the problem, always begin by checking the event viewer. I will be amazed if there is not a clue as to what's wrong with your Exchange Server in either the Application or System logs.
Event ID - Track down problems in the Application Log
Registry - Add ShowSecurityPage and see the permissions in Exchange System Manager
ADSI Edit - Learn about Active Directory attributes, for example tombstoneLifeTime
LANSurveyor will produce a neat diagram of your network topology. But that's
just the start;
LANSurveyor can
create an inventory of the hardware and software
of your machines and network devices. Other neat features include dynamic
update for when you add new devices to your network. I also love the ability to export
the diagrams
to Microsoft Visio.
Finally, Guy bets that if you take a free trial of LANSurveyor then you will
find a device on your network that you had forgotten about, or someone else
installed without you realizing!
ExDeploy - Exchange 2003 CD. Will guide you through any installation, or migration.
ExMerge - Specialist tool for extracting data from one mailboxes and importing it into another mailbox.
Guy Recommends: SolarWinds Engineer's Toolset v10
The Engineer's Toolset v10 provides a
comprehensive console of utilities for troubleshooting computer problems. Guy says
it helps me monitor what's occurring on the network, and the tools
teaches me more about how the system literally operates.
There are so many good gadgets, it's like having free rein of a
sweetshop. Thankfully the utilities are displayed logically: monitoring, discovery, diagnostic, and Cisco tools.
Download your copy of the Engineer's Toolset v 10
Begin by getting into the right troubleshooting frame of mind. Believe in yourself. Collect the best tools and examine the numerous Exchange 2003 Server logs. I challenge you to always start your
quest for clues by examining the Application log.
The
extra features you get in your eBook include: 'How to...' sections
with screen shots. Checklists to prepare your migration plan.
