How to Import Directory Information into Active Directory Using Ldifde.exe

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This topic discusses how to import directory information into Active Directory using Ldifde.exe.

Before You Begin

To successfully complete the procedure in this topic, ensure that your environment meets the following requirements:

  • You have Exchange Administrator permissions.

  • You have permissions to read and create organizational units and user accounts in Active Directory.

  • The non-Exchange messaging system supports LDAP, and you have the required permissions to access the non-Exchange directory information.

Procedure

To import directory information into Active Directory using Ldifde.exe

  1. Start Active Directory Users and Computers, right-click the domain object, such as Fabrikam.com, and then point to New and select Organizational Unit.

  2. In the New Object – Organizational Unit dialog box, type Remote SMTP Recipients in the Name text box, and then click OK.

    A dedicated organizational unit for SMTP recipients

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  3. Start Windows Explorer and open the directory where the Exchange Migration Wizard placed the migration files (for example, D:\ADSI.001).

  4. Open the directory.pri file in Notepad and verify that it contains valid data.

    A sample directory.pri file

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  5. Use the information from the directory.pri file to create a local data file (LDF) file for Ldifde.exe. The following is a sample LDF file:

    dn: CN=Ted Bremer,OU=Remote SMTP Recipients,DC=fabrikam,DC=com
changetype: add
objectClass: contact
cn: Ted Bremer
sn: Bremer
givenName: Ted
displayName: Ted Bremer
mailNickname: Ted
targetAddress: SMTP: Ted@legacy.fabrikam.com
mail: Ted@legacy.fabrikam.com

dn: CN=Hao Chen,OU=Remote SMTP Recipients,DC=fabrikam,DC=com
changetype: add
objectClass: contact
cn: Hao Chen
sn: Chen
givenName: Hao
displayName: Hao Chen
mailNickname: Hao
targetAddress: SMTP: Hao@legacy.fabrikam.com
mail: Hao@legacy.fabrikam.com

dn: CN=Pilar Ackerman,OU=Remote SMTP Recipients,DC=fabrikam,DC=com
changetype: add
objectClass: contact
cn: Pilar Ackerman
sn: Ackerman
givenName: Pilar
displayName: Pilar Ackerman
mailNickname: Pilar
targetAddress: SMTP: Pilar@legacy.fabrikam.com
mail: Pilar@legacy.fabrikam.com

    Tip

    You can automate the conversion of .csv-based files, such as directory.pri, into LDF format by using a Microsoft Excel macro, as discussed in Understanding Interoperability and Migration in Exchange Server 2003.

  6. Save the file in the current directory as Importfile.ldf and then use the following command to import the data into Active Directory:ldifde -i -f c:\importfile.ldf -s Server01.

  7. Switch back to Active Directory Users and Computers, refresh the view, and verify that the recipient objects exist.

    Mail-enabled user accounts for non-Exchange users

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Note

For full directory synchronization, you must also export directory information about Exchange users from Active Directory and import this data into the legacy messaging system. You must perform this step manually or in a semi-automated way using tools that are included with your legacy messaging system. Administering or programming a non-Exchange messaging system is beyond the scope of this topic.

For More Information

For conceptual information about interoperating with and migrating from other non-Exchange messaging systems to Exchange Server 2003, see Interoperating with and Migrating from Other Non-Exchange Messaging Systems to Exchange Server 2003.