XFOR: How to Reset Microsoft Exchange Dirsync Numbers

Sometimes you need to reset the directory synchronization (dirsync) sequence numbers when you are troubleshooting Microsoft Mail directory synchronization problems with a Microsoft Exchange 2000 server that is participating as a requestor or as the dirsync server.

Only reset dirsync numbers as part of a systematic approach to troubleshooting dirsync problems as documented in the application note, "WA0725, Microsoft Mail for PC Networks Directory Synchronization," which you can download from the following Microsoft FTP location:

Dirsync numbers are stored in different places depending on what role the Exchange 2000 server plays in the process. To reset dirsync numbers requires, use the ADSI Edit tool included on the Microsoft Windows 2000 CD-ROM, Disc 2.

WARNING: If you use the ADSI Edit snap-in, the LDP utility, or any other LDAP version 3 client, and you incorrectly modify the attributes of Active Directory objects, you can cause serious problems. These problems may require you to reinstall Microsoft Windows 2000 Server, Microsoft Exchange 2000 Server, or both. Microsoft cannot guarantee that problems that occur if you incorrectly modify Active Directory object attributes can be solved. Modify these attributes at your own risk. If the Exchange 2000 server is a dirsync requestor, the requestor leaf object is in the Connections container object. If the Exchange 2000 server is a dirsync server, the remote requestor leaf object is in the Dirsync Server container object. Exchange 2000 uses the following synchronization numbers:

• DXA-Conf-Seq (Confirmation sequence number). On the remote dirsync requestor object, this number keeps track of what has been acknowledged by each requestor. When all transactions have been confirmed, this number should match the DXA-Svr-Seq number. The DXA-Conf-Seq number can be less than the DXA-Svr-Seq number if the server has sent updates to the requestor and no acknowledgment has been received from the requestor (this usually happens after the next T1 time).
• DXA-Imp-Seq (Import sequence number). Number of full import requests sent by the requestor.
• DXA-Req-Seq (Requestor sequence number). Cumulative total of number of transactions sent by the requestor to the server.
• DXA-Svr-Seq (Server sequence number). Cumulative total of number of transactions sent by the server to the requestor.

If Exchange 2000 is acting as the dirsync server, you can reset numbers for individual remote dirsync requesters as follows:

1. Start ADSI Edit.
2. Navigate to the dirsync server object that you created under the Connections object.
3. In the right pane, double-click the remote dirsync requestor object for which you want to reset the synchronization numbers.
4. Set the Select which properties to view option to "Both."
5. Click Select a property to view to select the properties.
6. Set the following properties to 0:
   DXA-Conf-Seq
   DXA-Imp-Seq
   DXA-Req-Seq
   DXA-Svr-Seq
7. Stop and start the Microsoft Directory Synchronization Service.
8. You must now run Listds.exe on the requestor to reset the dirsync numbers.

If Exchange 2000 is acting as a requestor:

1. Navigate to the Connections Container.
2. In the right pane, double-click the dirsync requestor object that you created.
3. Set the Select which properties to view option to "Both."
4. Click Select a property to view to select the properties.
5. Set the following attributes to 0:
   DXA-Conf-Seq
   DXA-Imp-Seq
   DXA-Req-Seq
   DXA-Svr-Seq
6. Stop and start the Microsoft Directory Synchronization Service.
7. You must remove and reconfigure the Exchange 2000 postoffice through the Microsoft Mail Administrator program on the MS Mail dirsync server as well.