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

Topic Last Modified: 2012-11-15

Use the Test-AssistantHealth cmdlet to verify that the Microsoft Exchange Mailbox Assistants service (MSExchangeMailboxAssistants) is healthy, to recover from health issues, and to report back the status of the diagnosis or recovery action.

Syntax

Test-AssistantHealth [-ServerName <ServerIdParameter>] [-Confirm [<SwitchParameter>]] [-IncludeCrashDump <SwitchParameter>] [-MaxProcessingTimeInMinutes <UInt32>] [-MonitoringContext <SwitchParameter>] [-ResolveProblems <SwitchParameter>] [-WhatIf [<SwitchParameter>]]

Detailed Description

The Mailbox Assistants service runs on all servers that have the Mailbox server role installed. This service is responsible for scheduling and dispatching several assistants that ensure mailboxes function correctly.

By default, when you run this cmdlet, it returns the RunspaceId, events, and performance counters in a table format.

You need to be assigned permissions before you can run this cmdlet. Although all parameters for this cmdlet are listed in this topic, you may not have access to some parameters if they're not included in the permissions assigned to you. To see what permissions you need, see the "Mailbox Assistants" entry in the Mailbox Permissions topic.

Parameters

Parameter Required Type Description

Confirm

Optional

System.Management.Automation.SwitchParameter

The Confirm switch causes the command to pause processing and requires you to acknowledge what the command will do before processing continues. You don't have to specify a value with the Confirm switch.

IncludeCrashDump

Optional

System.Management.Automation.SwitchParameter

The IncludeCrashDump parameter specifies that the command should take a Watson error report prior to taking any recovery actions. This parameter should only be used if running from a local machine. If you use the parameter while connected remotely, the command fails.

The default value for this parameter is $false.

You don't have to specify a value with this parameter.

MaxProcessingTimeInMinutes

Optional

System.UInt32

The MaxProcessingTimeInMinutes parameter specifies the maximum amount of time the MSExchangeMailboxAssistants service is allowed to process an event without responding. You can specify a value from 1 through 3600 minutes. The default value is 15 minutes.

MonitoringContext

Optional

System.Management.Automation.SwitchParameter

The MonitoringContext parameter is only used when Microsoft System Center Operations Manager 2007 is being used for server monitoring. If you set the value to $true, the command populates the MonitoringContext object with events and performance counters used by the System Center Operations Manager 2007. The default value for this parameter is $false.

ResolveProblems

Optional

System.Management.Automation.SwitchParameter

This ResolveProblems parameter specifies that if the command detects an issue, it attempts to fix it. This command attempts to fix the following issues:

  • Starts the Mailbox Assistants service if it isn't running.

  • Restarts the Mailbox Assistants service if it detects that the service is hung or deadlocked for more than 15 minutes.

You don't have to specify a value with this parameter.

ServerName

Optional

Microsoft.Exchange.Configuration.Tasks.ServerIdParameter

The ServerName parameter specifies the identity of the Mailbox server on which the mailbox assistant that's being tested resides.

If this parameter isn't specified, the command runs on the local server. If the local server isn't a Mailbox server, the command fails.

WhatIf

Optional

System.Management.Automation.SwitchParameter

The WhatIf switch instructs the command to simulate the actions that it would take on the object. By using the WhatIf switch, you can view what changes would occur without having to apply any of those changes. You don't have to specify a value with the WhatIf switch.

Input Types

To see the input types that this cmdlet accepts, see Cmdlet Input and Output Types. If the Input Type field for a cmdlet is blank, the cmdlet doesn’t accept input data.

Return Types

To see the return types, which are also known as output types, that this cmdlet accepts, see Cmdlet Input and Output Types. If the Output Type field is blank, the cmdlet doesn’t return data.

Examples

EXAMPLE 1

This example detects and repairs the mailbox assistant's health on MBXSVR01, includes the Watson error information, and formats the output to a list.

Copy Code
Test-AssistantHealth -ServerName MBXSVR01 -IncludeCrashDump -ResolveProblems | Format-List

EXAMPLE 2

This example detects the mailbox assistant's health on the local Mailbox server. The MaxProcessingTimeInMinutes parameter specifies 30 minutes as the maximum amount of time the service is allowed to process an event without responding.

Copy Code
Test-AssistantHealth -MaxProcessingTimeinMinutes 30 | Format-List