Applies to: Exchange Server 2010 SP3, Exchange Server 2010 SP2

Topic Last Modified: 2011-03-19

You can use the Shell to remove, re-create, and then reconnect an offline address book (OAB) virtual directory. The OAB virtual directory is the distribution point used by the Web-based distribution method of the OAB. By default, when Microsoft Exchange Server 2010 is installed, a virtual directory named OAB is created in the default internal Web site in Internet Information Services (IIS).

When you remove an OAB virtual directory, the OABs that use Web-based distribution will lose their connection to the OAB virtual directory. After you re-create the virtual directory, you must edit the settings on each OAB that uses Web-based distribution to reconnect to the OAB virtual directory. For information about how to edit OAB settings, see Configure Offline Address Book Properties.

Looking for other management tasks related to OABs? Check out Managing Offline Address Books.

Important:
Before you remove, re-create, and reconnect an OAB virtual directory, make sure that your users are aware of the changes. These procedures may interrupt the OAB downloading process for your users.

Use the Shell to remove, re-create, and reconnect an OAB virtual directory

You need to be assigned permissions before you can perform this procedure. To see what permissions you need, see the "Offline address books" entry in the Mailbox Permissions topic.

Note:
You can't use the EMC to remove an OAB virtual directory.
  1. To get the default OAB virtual directory's settings, run the following command.

    Copy Code 
    Get-OABVirtualDirectory -Identity "OAB (Default Web Site)" | fl | Out-File -filePath "C:\OAB_DefWS_Settings.txt"
  2. Record the settings for the PollInterval, OfflineAddressBooks, RequireSSL, Path, InternalURL, and ExternalURL parameters.

  3. To delete the default OAB virtual directory, run the following command.

    Copy Code 
    Remove-OABVirtualDirectory -Identity "OAB (Default Web Site)"
  4. Type Y to confirm that you want to remove the OAB virtual directory, and then press ENTER. If the OAB virtual directory that you are removing has OABs connecting to it, you will receive another warning indicating that you must designate another OAB virtual directory.

  5. Create an OAB virtual directory that has the same settings as the OAB that you removed, except the settings for the OfflineAddressBooks parameter. You will reconnect the OABs in the next step. For instructions about how to create an OAB virtual directory, see Create an Offline Address Book Virtual Directory.

  6. Reconnect any OABs that use the Web-based distribution method to the new OAB virtual directory. For instructions about how to reconnect OABs to a virtual directory, see Configure Offline Address Book Properties.

For detailed syntax and parameter information, see Remove-OABVirtualDirectory.