How to Create Virtual Directories for an Exchange Virtual Server in a Windows Server Cluster

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When you create an Exchange Virtual Server, during the creation of the Exchange System Attendant resource, Exchange creates an HTTP virtual server resource. This topic explains how to create virtual directories for an Exchange Virtual Server in a Windows Server cluster.

Before you can create a virtual directory, you must create an HTTP virtual server in Exchange System Manager. For detailed instructions, see How to Create an HTTP Virtual Server in Exchange System Manager. After you create the HTTP virtual server, you must add virtual directories to the back-end server(s) that match the virtual directories configured on the front-end server. A typical Exchange installation contains virtual directories called Exchange and Public. In Exchange System Manager, virtual directories of HTTP virtual servers appear as child objects of the HTTP virtual server.

Before You Begin

For any virtual directories that point to mailboxes, ensure that the SMTP domain selected on the virtual directory Properties matches the SMTP domain of users who will be using that front-end server. If the correct domain is not selected, users of that domain will not be able to use that virtual server to log on. The list of domains is compiled from the domains of the SMTP addresses in the Exchange organization's recipient policies. If you have more than one recipient policy for the same domain, you will see duplicates. In this case, it does not matter which one you select.

Procedure

To create virtual directories for an Exchange Virtual Server in a Windows Server cluster

  1. Open Exchange System Manager

  2. In the console tree, expand Servers, expand the server that you want to configure as a back-end server, expand Protocols, and then expand HTTP.

  3. Right-click <HTTP Virtual Server Name>, point to New, and then click Virtual Directory.

  4. In Properties, in the Name box, type Exchange.

  5. Under Exchange Path, the Mailboxes for SMTP domain option is selected by default. Keep this setting, because users use the Exchange virtual directory to access their Exchange mailboxes. Click OK to create the first virtual directory.

  6. In the console tree, right-click <HTTP Virtual Server Name> again, point to New, and then click Virtual Directory.

  7. In Properties, in the Name box, type Public.

  8. Under Exchange Path, click Public folder, and then click Modify.

  9. In Public Folder Selection, double-click Public Folders. After a few seconds, Exchange resolves the public folder's server name and appends it to the name of the Public Folders container.

    The Public Folder Selection dialog box

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  10. Click OK to close the Public Folder Selection dialog box.

  11. In Properties, click OK.

  12. If there are additional virtual directories configured on your front-end server, you must also create those virtual directories. To create additional virtual directories, repeat Steps 5 through 10 for each virtual directory.

For More Information

For more information about creating virtual directories, see "Configure the Server's Virtual Directory" in Exchange 2003 Help.