Topic Last Modified: 2005-11-17
The Microsoft® Exchange Server Analyzer Tool queries the Active Directory® directory service to determine the number of domains in the environment. If the Exchange Server Analyzer finds multiple discrete Active Directory domains in the forest, each domain is then queried to determine whether there are one or more mail-enabled, non-universal groups in those domains.
If the Exchange Server Analyzer determines that mail enabled non-universal groups exist in the multiple-domain forest, the Exchange Server Analyzer displays a warning.
If you use domain local or global distribution groups in a multiple-domain forest, e-mail delivery problems may occur for the following reason:
- To expand distribution groups into individual recipients,
Exchange contacts a global catalog server.
- Although the global catalog server has a listing of groups of
all types from each domain, the global catalog server does not
contain the membership list for domain local and global groups
created in remote domains.
- If a message is sent to a global distribution group but
expanded in a non-home domain, Exchange cannot correctly deliver
the message to members of the group.
- Because the categorizer cannot expand the distribution list,
when a user sends a message to a global distribution or
mail-enabled security group in a multiple-domain forest, the users
in the global distribution group may not receive the message.
- The last entry in the tracking logs is a submission to
categorizer. The sender of the message does not receive a
non-delivery report (NDR).
To resolve this issue and make sure of e-mail delivery, use universal distribution groups in a multiple-domain environment. The membership of universal distribution groups is replicated to each global catalog server in each domain
For more information about this issue in particular and about universal distribution groups in general, see the following topics:
- "Using Mail-Enabled Groups in Multi-Domain Environments" in the
Administration Guide for Exchange Server 2003 (http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=47617).
- The "Group scope" section of "Understanding Groups" in
Active Directory (http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=51276).
- "Guidelines for Creating Query-Based Distribution Groups" in
the Administration Guide for Exchange Server 2003 (http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=47617).
In addition, see the following Microsoft Knowledge Base articles:
- 231273, "XADM: Message Delivery to Global Groups Does Not Work"
(http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=3052&kbid=271930).
- 283051, "XCON: E-Mail Sent to Mail-Enabled Global Group May
Disappear" (http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=3052&kbid=283051).
- 231273, "Group Type and Scope Usage in Windows" (http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=3052&kbid=231273).