How to Manually Create a Topology for Directory Access

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To troubleshoot problems with a specific global catalog server or domain controller, you may want to override the automatic discovery of servers by clearing the Automatically discover servers check box. This procedure outlines how to manually create a topology for Directory Access.

Note

When you manually create a topology for DSAccess, you no longer have the advantages of automatic failover and load balancing that you have when DSAccess automatically discovers the topology.

Before You Begin

If you manually set a domain controller or global catalog server on the Directory Access tab in the Properties dialog box of a server that is not running Windows 2000 Server SP3 or later, Exchange will not use the domain controller or global catalog server, and Exchange logs an Event 2116.

Procedure

To manually create a topology for Directory Access

  1. In Exchange System Manager, right-click an Exchange server, and then select Properties.

  2. On the Directory Access tab, in the Show list, select the type of servers that you want to view.

    Note

    You cannot clear the Automatically discover servers check box if you select All Domain Controllers in the Show list.

  3. Clear the Automatically discover servers check box.

    This action clears the current list of servers.

    Warning

    By default, DSAccess automatically discovers servers. It is strongly recommended that you keep this setting.

  4. Click Add to add servers to the topology, or click Remove to remove servers from the topology.

For More Information

For more information about setting automatic discovery of servers, see How to Automatically Discover Servers.