I have two Exchange 2013 CU5 Standard servers in a DAG.  Both servers have both the CAS and Mailbox roles installed.   The servers are running Server 2012 Standard. 

Both servers have many of the following Event ID entries the Application log.

Log Name:      Application

Source:        MSExchangeApplicationLogic

Date:          5/15/2015 3:09:42 PM

Event ID:      3018

Task Category: Extension

Level:         Error

Keywords:      Classic

User:          N/A

Computer:      <serverFQDN>

Description:

Scenario: GetConfig.GetConfig. The request failed. Mailbox:  Url: https://o15.officeredir.microsoft.com/r/rlidMktplcWSConfig15?CV=15.0.913.22&Client=WAC_Outlook Exception: System.Net.WebException: Unable to connect to the remote server ---> System.Net.Sockets.SocketException: A connection attempt failed because the connected party did not properly respond after a period of time, or established connection failed because connected host has failed to respond 157.55.80.94:443

   at System.Net.Sockets.Socket.EndConnect(IAsyncResult asyncResult)

   at System.Net.ServicePoint.ConnectSocketInternal(Boolean connectFailure, Socket s4, Socket s6, Socket& socket, IPAddress& address, ConnectSocketState state, IAsyncResult asyncResult, Exception& exception)

   --- End of inner exception stack trace ---

   at System.Net.HttpWebRequest.EndGetResponse(IAsyncResult asyncResult)

   at Microsoft.Exchange.Data.ApplicationLogic.Extension.BaseAsyncOmexCommand.<>c__DisplayClass2.<EndGetResponseCallback>b__1()

Obviously Exchange is attempting to connect to Microsoft.com.  Due to organisational requirements, that type of connection is not going be allowed.  Please explain to me how to stop Exchange from attempting to make this connection.  Thanks.

Hi skisd,

Thank you for your question.

The error means the server is behind a firewall preventing direct access to the Internet. Requests for Internet resource such as https://o15.officeredir.microsoft.com/r/rlidMktplcWSConfig15?CV=15.0.913.22&Client=WAC_Outlook are blocked so the server never connect to the resource.

We could make the Exchange connect to the Internet via a web proxy, add the web proxy address and port to the Exchange server configuration using the following command:

Set-ExchangeServer InternetWebProxy <InternetWebProxy.contoso.com:port>

For example:

Set-ExchangeServer InternetWebProxy <http://10.0.0.1:8080>

If there are any questions regarding this issue, please be free to let me know.

Best Regard,

Hi Jim.  Thank you for the response.

You are right about the Exchange server being behind a firewall, and not having direct access to the firewall. 

Please note that rather than looking for a method of allowing the traffic from the Exchange server to reach the Internet, I'm looking for a method of stopping Exchange 2013 from trying to connect to this Internet resource.  If you have any ideas on how to do that, please share them with me.  Thanks!!

• Edited by skisdsupport 13 hours 12 minutes ago