Topic Last Modified: 2005-11-18

The Microsoft® Exchange Server Analyzer Tool queries the Exchange Server Microsoft Windows® Management Instrumentation (WMI) object (Exchange_Server class) to determine the IsFrontEndServer value for the server. If the value is True, the Exchange server is acting as a front-end server. The Exchange Server Analyzer also queries the MSExchangeSRS WMI object (Win32_Service class) to determine the value of the Started property for that object. If the value is True, the Site Replication Service is running on this server.

If the Exchange server is designated as a front-end server and also has a running instance of the Site Replication Service, a warning is displayed.

Exchange uses the Site Replication Service if your topology includes servers running Exchange Server version 5.5 and Exchange 2000 Server or Exchange Server 2003. With this service, later versions of Exchange can replicate server configuration information to Exchange Server 5.5 servers in a form that is compatible with the Exchange Server 5.5 directory, and they can also correctly process configuration information replicated from the Exchange Server 5.5 directory so it can be stored in the Active Directory® directory service. If your topology is configured to use front-end and back-end servers, the Site Replication Service should only run on back-end servers. As of Exchange 2000 Server Service Pack 2, the Site Replication Service does not function correctly on front-end servers and may cause problems.

To fix this issue, convert the front-end server to a back-end server, and configure a new front-end server. Attempting to remove the Site Replication Service from the server is not recommended.

To correct this error

  1. Configure a new front-end server.

  2. On the problem front-end server, in Exchange System Manager, under Servers, right-click the problem server, and click Properties.

  3. Clear the This is a front-end server check box.

For more information about the front-end server and Site Replication Service, see the Microsoft Knowledge Base article 313646, "Services are Disabled on Front-end Servers After an Exchange 2000 Server SP2 Upgrade" (http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=3052&kbid=313646).