HOW TO: Create a New Global Address List with a Custom Search by Using an LDAP Filter

This article describes how to use a Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) query to create a custom search.

You can have more than one Global Address List; however, clients can typically gain access to only one of these Global Address Lists. When you cannot obtain the Global Address List that you want by using the options in the Exchange filter screen, you can use a Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) query to create a custom search. This article describes how to use Exchange System Manager or the ADSI Edit snap-in to create a Global Address List by using a custom search.

Use the Exchange System Manager Utility

To use Exchange System Manager to run an LDAP query to create a custom search, follow these steps:

1. Start the Exchange Server 2003 System Manager utility.
2. Expand Recipients, right-click All Address Lists, point to New, and then click Address List.
3. In the Address List name box, type a descriptive name for the address list, and then click Filter Rules.
4. In the Find list, click Custom Search.
5. Click the Advanced tab.
6. Type the LDAP query. For example, type givenname=firstname (where firstname is the first name of the user who you want to find).
   
   Note This query field is limited and may not be sufficient for the length of the LDAP query that you want to perform.
7. Click OK, and then click Finish.

The new address list that contains the custom LDAP query is saved under All Address Lists.

Use the ADSI Edit Utility

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 Windows Server 2003, Microsoft Exchange 2000 Server, or both Windows and Exchange 2000 Server. 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. Note You can use the ADSI Edit snap-in to work around the 256-character limit of the Exchange System Manager LDAP query.

1. Start the ADSI Edit utility. This utility is included on the Windows 2000 Server CD-ROM or the Windows Server 2003 CD-ROM. To install the ADSI Edit utility on a Windows 2000-based system, run Setup.exe from the Support\Tools folder on the Windows 2000 CD-ROM. On a Windows Server 2003-based system, right-click Suptools.msi in the Support\Tools folder on the Windows Server 2003 CD-ROM, and then click Install. To start this utility, click Start, click Run, type adsiedit.msc, and then click OK.
2. Expand the Configuration container, and then expand CN=Configuration,DC=example,DC=com (where example.com is the name of your domain).
3. Expand CN=Services, expand CN=Microsoft Exchange, expand CN=OrganizationName (where OrganizationName is the name of your organization), expand CN=Address Lists Container, and then expand CN=All Address Lists.
4. Right-click the address list where you want to create a custom LDAP search, and then click Properties.
5. In the Attributes list, click purportedSearch, and then click Edit.
6. In the Value box, type the LDAP query that you want, and then click OK.
7. Click Apply, click OK, and then quit the ADSI Edit utility.

You may have to force replication between domain controllers to activate this new query.

For additional information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: