Outlook 2007 reporting server unavailable
I have a problem with Outlook 2007 where it's reporting the exchange server is unavailable, when you click retry it immediately connects online. It's affects different people and it's not every time it's launched, just every so often. CAS site affinity is set correctly and it's only affecting users running Outlook in Citrix. Users with outlook installed locally do not experience this problem. It's almost like outlook it is timing out periodically when it tries to connect. DNS resolution is good and the Exchange 2007 MBX/CAS server is in the same physical location as the citrix servers. I can't only reproduce it every 10 times I log into citrix or more. It seems that once it's launch successfully on one server, I can't reproduce it on that same server after the initial time until I log off for a while. Any ideas on where to start looking? I may need to do a packet capture to see what is going on here. All clients machines including the citrix servers are in a resource forest with 2 way trusts to the account forest. The Exchange Server hosting the MBX\CAS role is Exchange 2007 SP2 and is in an account domain with site affinity to include the Resource Forest and Local Site names.
October 4th, 2011 5:03pm

Hi, is it possible that you turn on error loggin in Outlook? On the Tools menu, click Options. On the Other tab, click Advanced Options. Select the Enable logging (troubleshooting) check box, and then click OK two times. Restart Outlook. Perhaps this will help to get more detailed information on your error. regards Thomas Paetzold visit my blog on: http://sus42.wordpress.com
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October 4th, 2011 5:24pm

Sure can. I will try that out and see what I get for logs.
October 4th, 2011 5:26pm

Hi, is it workin? What´s about the entries in the logfiles? Did it solve the problem? regards Thomas Paetzold visit my blog on: http://sus42.wordpress.com
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October 5th, 2011 4:36pm

I turned on logging for my account and have not been able to reproduce it. I know other users are still having the problem though,
October 5th, 2011 4:37pm

Hi, in this case it would b great if youtrun o loggi on such systems and send the report to the forum. regards Thomas Paetzold visit my blog on: http://sus42.wordpress.com
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October 5th, 2011 5:23pm

I have a problem with Outlook 2007 where it's reporting the exchange server is unavailable, when you click retry it immediately connects online. It's affects different people and it's not every time it's launched, just every so often. CAS site affinity is set correctly and it's only affecting users running Outlook in Citrix. Users with outlook installed locally do not experience this problem. It's almost like outlook it is timing out periodically when it tries to connect. DNS resolution is good and the Exchange 2007 MBX/CAS server is in the same physical location as the citrix servers. I can't only reproduce it every 10 times I log into citrix or more. It seems that once it's launch successfully on one server, I can't reproduce it on that same server after the initial time until I log off for a while. Any ideas on where to start looking? I may need to do a packet capture to see what is going on here. All clients machines including the citrix servers are in a resource forest with 2 way trusts to the account forest. The Exchange Server hosting the MBX\CAS role is Exchange 2007 SP2 and is in an account domain with site affinity to include the Resource Forest and Local Site names. Hi Rowdy19, It appears to be network related issue on the Citrix server. I don’t think Outlook Calendar logging feature can provide a clue. See Description of the Calendar logging feature in Outlook at http://support.microsoft.com/kb/841615. My suggestion is: 1. Update the network driver on the Citrix server; 2. Verify the application log on the Citrix server and the Exchange server; 3. Enable network trace log, and ping the server after the issue occurs so that you can easy to find the point. Refer to: How to use the Network Monitor Capture Utility (Netcap.exe) to capture network traffic information http://support.microsoft.com/kb/924037 How to capture network traffic with Network Monitor http://support.microsoft.com/kb/148942 Let me know if you have any findings. Fiona
October 6th, 2011 3:20am

Local clients and the citrix servers share the same network settings. Network performance from the Citrix Servers is very good. I'm leaning towards an Outlook\Exchange configuration issue at this stage. What I have noticed is that the Auto Discovery service is giving out invalid Outlook Anywhere settings. These settings point to our corporate office that is over a very slow link. Would it be possible Outlook is trying to use these settings even thogh Outlook Anywhere is disabled on the CAS\MBX server. Is there a way to enfore not trying this URL for this site on the CAS\MBX server? I tried clearing the setting in Outlook and it comes right back on the next launch.
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October 6th, 2011 4:50am

What URL do you mean? Can you share the Outlook configuration and your network topology? it can help us better understand. Web-based service does not affect connection between Outlook and Exchange server as I know. You may verify the Outlook connection status. It will tell us if the Outlook client is connected via RPC over http, and what server is connecting and the status. Fiona
October 6th, 2011 5:06am

Microsoft Exchange Proxy Settings URL for Outlook Anywhere. I'm wondering if on launch outlook tried RPC over HTTP before failing over to TCP/IP. I do see in connection status that once connected it is using TCP/IP and not RPC over HTTP. Topology is complex mixed 2003/2007/2010 with lots of remote sites domains and server. There are multiple exchange severs at this one location that expereiences the issue, servicing different domains. The outlook client machines and citrix servers are in a resource forest. The user accounts are in account domains where the CAS/MBX servers exist. At this specific site, the MBX and HUB and CAS roles are all on the same server. Domain controllers including GC's for both resource domains and account domans are local onsite. I have a good Visio diagram that maps it all out, but might be a bit much to post. I will try the network capture, it's the only thing that will tell me that is actually happening. I just need it to be more consistent so I can capture the issue.,
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October 6th, 2011 6:09am

Hi Rowdy19, Thanks for your update. So the problematic client is using a Linked mailbox and is trying to connect via Outlook Anywhere on the Citrix server; but the connection status shows TCP/IP instead of HTTP, and you encounter Server unavailable issue randomly. Is that correct? If this is the case, we need to more diagnosing logs and more detailed information to locate the root cause. Unfortunately, it is beyond what we can do in the forum as the nature of forum support. I'd like to recommend you to contact Microsoft Customer Support Service (CSS) for assistance so that this problem can be resolved efficiently. To obtain the phone numbers for specific technology request please take a look at the web site listed below: <http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=fh;EN-US;PHONENUMBERS> If you are outside the US please see <http://support.microsoft.com> for regional support phone numbers. Your understanding is greatly appreciated! Regarding the question that “I'm wondering if on launch outlook tried RPC over HTTP before failing over to TCP/IP”, that depends on your Proxy Settings in Outlook profile: · If you enable “On fast networks, connect using HTTP first, then connect using TCP/IP”, yes, it will fail over to TCP/IP if the HTTP attempt fails; · If you enable only “On slow networks, connect using HTTP first, then connect using TCP/IP”, it will firstly try to connect via TCP/IP; if it is failed, it will then try the Outlook anywhere connection. · If you did not enable “Connect to Exchange using HTTP”, Outlook will try TCP/IP connection only. It will NOT try HTTP even though TCP/IP attempt failed. Just for your information, I’d suggest you focus on Outlook Anywhere fail to connect in Citrix server, and test the Outlook Anywhere configuration on the Server side via the Office Outlook connectivity Tests https://www.testexchangeconnectivity.com/; besides, test the Outlook Anywhere client configuration in the resource forest. Hope it is helpful. Fiona
October 6th, 2011 11:38pm

Addionally: --if there is any firewall infront of the Citrix server, verify the configutation, make sure the filter or rules allows Outlook Anywhere. --verify and make sure the proxy server URL is available for the problematic clients.Fiona
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October 6th, 2011 11:41pm

I performed a capture and was able to reproduce the issue while capturing. Only problem is, there is about 11,000 lines of network capture. It's hard to figure out where the problem is coming from. I will focus on the Proxy Server URL as I know this is set to a remote server over a SLOW WAN connection. If I uncheck use Proxy Server, the next time outlook is launches, this is checked back again. Do you know if this proxy server will be used even if the Exchange Server and Outlook clients are in the same active directory sites? I can't seem to tell it not to use the proxy server. To answer your question, No these are not linked mailboxes. The Citrix Servers exist in a Resource Forest but there is an account Forest where the Exchange Servers and User accounts reside. Yes I do experience Exchange Server unavailable Randomly.
October 11th, 2011 10:43am

Are you using Exchange 2007? If so, Outlook 2007 uses Autodiscover service to find Exchange. Please ensure that this is setup properly.
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October 13th, 2011 6:34pm

Anything new on this one, i've just started experiencing the exact same thing.
April 28th, 2012 4:16pm

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