Windows 7 / Getting Started

Managing Disconnected Mailboxes

Exchange Server 2003 introduced an exciting concept in mailbox administration: the Mailbox Recovery Center. Utilizing this feature, administrators could identify disconnected mailboxes (those no longer associated with a user account) and perform a variety of actions-including recovering the mailbox by connecting it to a new or existing user.

In Exchange Server 2007 and Exchange Server 2010, this process has been greatly simplified by the addition of a Disconnected Mailbox node located in the Recipient Configuration node of the Exchange Management Console.

With this utility, you can quickly and easily recover a mailbox that has been disassociated from a corresponding user mailbox. To reconnect a disconnected mailbox, perform the following procedure:

  1. Start the Exchange Management Console.
  2. In the Console Tree, navigate to the Recipient Configuration \ Disconnected Mailbox node.
  3. In the action pane, click Connect to Server, and then click Browse. Select the Exchange server in which the mailbox resides, click OK, and then click Connect.
  4. In the results pane, select the disconnected mailbox that you want to reconnect; then in the action pane, click Connect. This starts the Connect Mailbox Wizard.
  5. On the Introduction page, select the type of mailbox you are reconnecting. By default, User Mailbox is selected, regardless of the mailbox type of the original mailbox. Click Next to continue.
  6. On the Mailbox Settings page, fill out the following fields:
    • Matching User-If the Exchange server located a matching user object in AD, this field will be prepopulated. There are times that a matching user exists, but Exchange Server does not locate it-in those instances, you can click Browse and, if found, you can insert the user by selecting it and clicking OK.
    • Existing User-If you want to connect the mailbox to another existing user (but not a "matching" user), select this option button. Click Browse and select the user from those shown. After selecting the option, click OK to continue.
    • Alias-The Alias is automatically filled in based on the alias of the account you have selected previously.
    • Managed Folder Mailbox Policy and Exchange ActiveSync Mailbox Policy-Select the associated check boxes for these items if you want to associate the mailbox with an existing policy. The policy can be selected by clicking the Browse button.
  7. Click Next to continue.
  8. View the Configuration Summary and ensure all is correct. If you need to make any changes, use the Back button. After all the information is correct, click Connect.
  9. From the Completion page, review the Completion Summary and ensure the reconnection was successful. Click Finish to close the wizard.
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In this tutorial:

  1. Administering an Exchange Server
  2. Role Based Access Control
  3. Shared Versus Split Permissions Models
  4. Configuring Exchange Server 2010 for Split Permissions
  5. Administrative Tools
  6. Exchange Management Console
  7. Exchange Management Shell Command Log
  8. Exchange Control Panel
  9. Performing Common Tasks
  10. Creating Multiple Mailboxes in the Exchange Management Shell
  11. Understanding Distribution Groups
  12. Dynamic Distribution Groups
  13. Managing Distribution Groups
  14. Creating Mail Contacts
  15. Managing Disconnected Mailboxes
  16. Moving Mailboxes
  17. Recipient Configuration
  18. Mail Flow Settings
  19. Mailbox Features
  20. Managing Email Addresses
  21. Understanding Archiving
  22. Enabling Archiving on a Mailbox
  23. Using the Exchange Server 2010 Toolbox
  24. Public Folder Management Console
  25. Mail Flow Troubleshooter
  26. Routing Log Viewer
  27. Exchange Server Coexistence
  28. Server Administration
  29. Setting Limits on Databases