How to remove an Exchange Server from Enterprise Vault (EV)

Problem

Removing an Exchange Server that has been archived by Enterprise Vault (EV) is a fairly straightforward process that requires three basic steps, of which two are purely cautionary.

Solution

Step I – Check that no EV-associated mailboxes remain on the Exchange Server

Step II – Check that the EV MSMQs do not have outstanding items to process

Step III – Remove the Exchange Server’s task and target

Each of the steps is further illustrated below.

Note: These steps apply to removing an Exchange Server that has been successfully processed by EV archiving. For the situation in which an Exchange Server has been added as an EV target but archiving has not yet been run against it, Step III is all that applies.

 

Step I – Check that no EV-associated mailboxes remain on the Exchange Server

1.     Ensure that the EV Provisioning Task has run successfully in normal mode, so that the most current state of the Exchange Organization is reflected in the EV database.

2.     Look up the ExchangeServerIdentity value in the EnterpriseVaultDirectory database.

a.     Open SQL Management Studio to the instance containing the EV databases.

b.     Create a new query and paste the following SQL statement:

USE EnterpriseVaultDirectory
SELECT ExchangeComputer, ExchangeServerIdentity
FROM ExchangeServerEntry
WHERE ExchangeComputer = 'NameOfExchangeServer'
 

c.     Replace the italicized value NameOfExchangeServer with the name of the Exchange Server to be removed. (Use the computer name, not the fully qualified domain name.)

d.     Execute the query.

e.     Record the ExchangeServerIdentity that is returned. (This should be a simple one- or two-digit number.)

3.     Look up EV’s record of mailboxes associated with this ExchangeServerIdentity.

a.     Still in SQL Management Studio, create a new query and paste one of the following statements.

                                          i.     On EV 9.0 and later, use:

USE EnterpriseVaultDirectory
SELECT *
FROM ExchangeMailboxEntry EME
INNER JOIN ExchangeMailboxStore EMS ON EME.MbxStoreIdentity = EMS.MbxStoreIdentity
INNER JOIN ExchangeServerEntry ESE ON ESE.ExchangeServerIdentity = EMS.ExchangeServerIdentity
WHERE ESE.ExchangeServerIdentity = 'ResultFromPrevious'
 

                                        ii.     On EV 8.0 and earlier, use:

USE EnterpriseVaultDirectory
SELECT *
FROM    ExchangeMailboxEntry
WHERE ExchangeServerIdentity = 'ResultFromPrevious'
 

b.     In either SQL statement, replace the italicized value ResultFromPrevious with the value for ExchangeServerIdentity that was obtained and recorded above.

c.     Execute the query.

d.     Any mailboxes that are returned are still associated with that Exchange Server. Move them to another Exchange Server using the procedure described in this article . After the mailboxes are moved, remember that the Provisioning Task must run again before the EV database, and therefore the SQL queries above, will reflect the changes.

e.     When zero mailboxes are returned, proceed to Step II.

Step II – Check that the EV MSMQs do not have outstanding items to process

1.     On the EV Server, open the list of Private Queues in the Message Queuing console.

a.     In an environment with standalone (i.e., non-clustered) EV servers:

                                          i.     Open the Computer Management console from Administrative Tools.

                                        ii.     Navigate to Services and Applications > Message Queuing > Private Queues.

b.     In a clustered EV environment:

                                          i.     Run the ClusterCompMgmt.bat file found in the EV installation directory.

                                        ii.     Navigate to Services and Applications > Message Queuing > Private Queues.

2.     Check that there are no messages present in any Archiving and Retrieval queues associated with the server to be removed, as well as in the Storage Archive and Storage Restore queues.

a.     If they are empty, proceed to Step III.

b.     If there are still messages in the queues, normally you should allow the Enterprise Vault tasks and services to clear message queues per their normal operation. If there is a significant build-up of messages on particular queues, it is important to investigate the cause of the problem. In certain circumstances, Technical Support personnel may advise you to clear specific message queues manually.

Step III – Remove the Exchange Server’s task and target

1.     Stop and delete the Exchange Server’s Mailbox Archiving Task.

a.     In the Vault Admin Console, navigate to Enterprise Vault Servers > EV Server Name > Tasks and identify the Mailbox Archiving Task associated with the Exchange Server to be removed.

b.     If the task is running, right-click it and select Stop.

c.     Once the task is in the Stopped status, right-click it again and select Delete.

d.     Click Yes to confirm the deletion of the task.

2.     Delete the Exchange Server target.

a.     In the Vault Admin Console, navigate to Targets > Exchange > Domain Name > Exchange Server and identify in the right pane the Exchange Server target to be removed.

b.     Right-click the desired Exchange Server and select Delete.

c.     Click Yes to confirm deletion of the target.