A $100,000 Question. Which Exchange 2007 roll-up is on your system?

Ehlo All,

So, how do you confirm which Exchange 2007 roll-up is on your system when running Windows 2008? Uninstall or change a program (formerly called Add/Remove Programs), nope! Exchange System Console, nope! Windows file version #'s, nope! Windows Update, nope! That'll only show you if an update is available. Microsoft didn't make it easy, but someone did. Answer is a very handy PowerShell script that Paul Flaherty wrote. You literally, just need to run it, and bang, it does it's magic and you have your answer. In 3 simple steps.

1) Download and unzip it here, let me know if it goes offline, and I'll post my copy. Unzip and copy to a directory (e.g. c:\temp)
2) open Exchange Management Shell, and cd to the directory with the script.
3) type the following in bold (inside the quotes and there is no space between the . & \ characters) ".\Get-ExchangeServerPlus.ps1"

Results will say:
[PS] C:\Temp>.\Get-ExchangeServerPlus.ps1
EX [Mailbox, ClientAccess, HubTransport] [Standard] 8.0.535.0
- 20081209: Update Rollup 4 for Exchange Server 2007 Service Pack 1 (KB952580)
8.1.311.3
- 20090212: Update Rollup 6 for Exchange Server 2007 Service Pack 1 (KB959241)
8.1.340.1
- 20081217: Update Rollup 5 for Exchange Server 2007 Service Pack 1 (KB953467)
8.1.336.1

Now you know which rollup you have.

Enjoy,
-Ben

Non-Windows Mobile Issue relating to ActiveSync with Exchange 2007 SP1

Ehlo All,

If you attended the October 08 meeting of the NY Exchange Server User group (NYExUG), you would have learned that ActiveSync is a different beast for Windows Mobile (e.g. HTC Touch, iPAW Hwxxx, etc) & licensed ActiveSync devices (e.g. iPhone, Palm Treo, etc). So, when I recently upgraded from Exchange 2003 to Exchange 2007 SP1 (on Windows 2008 - I like pain), I was hoping ActiveSync would just work. Nope, I was out of luck. End user Palm 700p error of AirSAMStateMachine.c 1913 4628. But the fix was pretty easy IF you know the PowerShell command. IF is the key word there.

So, as always, first step of troubleshooting, is to Google the error and see what comes up. I quickly found that ActiveSync's default security policy was probably the cause of the issue. And I crossed my fingers and ran the following command (bold italics on 1 line) below. Also, don't just run commands like I recklessly did, but find out what exactly it's doing and how to reverse it in case all hell breaks loose. This is a mission critical application.

Start --> Programs --> Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 --> Exchange Management Shell
Remove-ActiveSyncMailboxPolicy -Identity "Default"

Then magically, ActiveSync started working. Just so you know, below is the Microsoft TechNet article that explains the various options available in ActiveSync policies. There are many more settings that can be controlled in Exchange 2007. I'm not sure which setting caused the issue, but at least I have 1 less screaming user which makes exploring and research the options more enjoyable.

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc182294.aspx

-Ben

NYExUG Member Review of PowerShell Book

At one of our last NY Exchange User Group meeting which was focused on PowerShell and Exchange presented by PowerShell MVP Brandon Shell, Manning Publications provided us a copy of their Windows PowerShell in Action book to review. One of the winners of the book provided me this review.

-Ben

Here is my review of the PowerShell book:

There are usually two different types of sysadmin who script: the ones who will find a script online, modify it for their needs (hopefully test it) and deploy it, and one that will figure out all the methods and procedures and write a script from scratch. This book while it says is geared to all beginner’s is really written for the later type of sysadmin. The book does a wonderful job of explaining in detail how the pipeline works but for most sysadmins they would want a more finished example of doing something versus how the pipeline itself works.

--Tracy

Continuing on our NYExUG Meeting - PowerShell Education

Hello Everyone,

For those who attended the past September 2008 NY Exchange User Group meeting, we had a great intro to PowerShell by Brandon Shell (a PowerShell MVP). If you missed this or are interested in learning more PowerShell that is Exchange specific, see this SearchExchange article. It's a good start and provides many examples. Article was written by Brien M. Posey, MCSE (& former Exchange MVP).

SearchExchange's Primer on PowerShell for Exchange.

-Ben