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

Topic Last Modified: 2011-03-19

Public folders in Exchange Server 2010 are designed for shared access and provide an easy and effective way to collect, organize, and share information with other people in your workgroup or organization. Public folders are hierarchically organized, stored in dedicated databases, and can be replicated between Exchange servers.

Note:
By default, a public folder inherits the settings of its parent folder, including the permissions settings.

Looking for other management tasks related to public folders? Check out Managing Public Folders.

What Do You Want to Do?

Use the EMC to configure public folder properties

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

  1. In the console tree, click Toolbox.

  2. In the result pane, double-click Public Folder Management Console.

  3. In the console tree of the Public Folder Management Console, expand Default Public Folders, and then click the parent public folder of the public folder you want to configure.

  4. In the result pane, click the public folder you want, and then, in the action pane, click Properties.

  5. Use the General tab to view the properties of a public folder or to change the public folder's name.

    • Name   Use this unlabeled box to view or modify the display name for the public folder.

    • Path   This read-only field displays the path to the public folder.

    • Total items   This read-only field displays the number of items in the public folder.

    • Size (KB)   This read-only field displays the public folder's size in kilobytes (KB).

    • Public folder database   This read-only field displays the name of the public folder database that contains this public folder.

    • Modified   This read-only field displays the last date and time a configuration change was made.

      Note:
      Configuration changes made through any other method, such as the Exchange Management Shell or Active Directory Service Interfaces (ADSI) Edit, will also update this field.
    • Maintain per-user read and unread information for this folder   Select this check box to allow the user to see if a public folder message has been read or unread in Outlook.

  6. Use the Statistics tab to view the number of associated items in a public folder, the total size of associated and deleted items, the owner and contact count, and the last time the public folder was accessed.

    • Associated items   This read-only field displays the number of associated items in a public folder. Associated items include rules configured on the public folder, categories that are set on posts in a public folder, and more.

    • Total size of associated items (KB)   This read-only field displays the size, in kilobytes, of the associated items in a public folder.

    • Total size of deleted items (KB)   This read-only field displays the size, in kilobytes, of the deleted items in a public folder. The size of a public folder's deleted items is calculated independently of the public folder size displayed on the General tab.

    • Owner count   This read-only field displays the number of owners specified on a public folder.

    • Contact count   This read-only field displays the number of contacts specified on a public folder.

    • Last access time   This read-only field displays the last time the public folder was accessed.

  7. Use the Replication tab to view and set the content replication schedule and to specify the databases on which the public folder content will be replicated. To learn more, see Understanding Public Folder Replication.

    • Replicate content to these public folder databases

      Add   Click this button to open the Select Public Folder Database dialog box. Use this dialog box to specify which public folder databases this public folder should be replicated to. Select the public folder database, and then click OK.

      Remove icon   Select a database from the list, and then click this button to remove it from the replication list.

    • Use public folder database replication schedule   Select this check box to use the replication schedule that is set on the public folder database. This check box is selected by default. To manually set the replication schedule, clear this check box and then select from the options in the corresponding list. If you select Use Custom Schedule, click Customize to open the Schedule dialog box, and then specify the times that you want replication to occur.

    • Local replica age limit (days)   Use this text box to specify the age limit for items in this public folder. Items that have reached the specified age limit are deleted.

  8. Use the Limits tab to view or configure storage quotas, deleted item retention, and age limits for the public folder.

    Storage quotas

    • Use database quota defaults   Select this check box to use the public folder database quota limits on which the public folder resides. If you clear this check box, the Issue warning at (KB), Prohibit post at (KB), and Maximum item size (KB) check boxes are made available.

    • Issue warning at (KB)   Select this check box to automatically warn public folder owners that the public folder is approaching its storage limit.

      To specify this limit, select the check box, and then specify the size of the public folder in kilobytes (KB) at which you want to prohibit posting. You can enter a value between 0 and 2,147,483,647 KB (2.1 terabytes).

    • Prohibit post at (KB)   Select this check box to prevent posting to the public folder after the size of the folder reaches the specified limit.

      To specify this limit, select the check box, and then specify the size of the public folder in KB at which you want to prohibit posting. You can enter a value between 0 and 2,147,483,647 KB (2.1 terabytes).

    • Maximum item size (KB)   Select this check box to limit the maximum size of items that users can post to the public folder.

      To specify the size, select the check box, and then specify the maximum size of items in KB that users can post to the public folders. You can enter a value between 0 and 2,097,151 KB.

    Deleted item retention

    • Use database retention defaults   Select this check box to use the public folder database item retention limits on which this public folder resides. If you clear this check box, the Retain deleted items for (days) check box is made available.

    • Retain deleted items for (days)   Select this check box to set the number of days that deleted items are retained in a public folder. You can enter a value between 0 and 24,855 days.

    Age limits

    • Use database age defaults   Select this check box to use the public folder database age limits on which this public folder resides. If you clear this check box, the Age limit for replicas (days) check box is made available.

    • Age limit for replicas (days)   Select this check box to limit the age of the public folder. Use the corresponding text box to specify the age limit in days. Replicas of this public folder are automatically deleted when the age limit is exceeded. You can enter a value between 0 and 24,855 days.

  9. Use the Permissions tab to add user permissions to or remove user permissions from the selected public folder.

    • Add   Click this button to add a user. After you add the user, you must select the permissions you want them to have.

    • Remove icon   Click this button to remove a user's permissions to the public folder.

    • Permission Level   Use this list and the associated check boxes to assign permissions to the selected user. For more information about the permissions and the level of access that each one grants, see the "Client User Access Rights and Roles" section of Understanding Public Folder Permissions.

  10. (This tab appears only for mail-enabled public folders.)

    Use the Exchange General tab to view and configure the general settings of a mail-enabled public folder.

    • Alias   Use this box to view or modify the alias for the mail-enabled public folder.

    • Display name   Use this box to view or modify the display name for the public folder. This is the name that the public folder displays in the global address list (GAL).

    • Simple display name   Use this box to view or modify the simple display name for the mail-enabled public folder. This field accepts only ASCII characters.

      The Display name field (located on the General tab) can contain Unicode characters. However, third-party applications and older client applications may not support Unicode characters. If the system that is displaying the public folder doesn't support Unicode characters, the simple display name can be used. For more information about Unicode characters, see Unicode.

    • Hide from Exchange address lists   Select this check box to prevent the recipient from appearing in the global address list (GAL) and other address lists that are defined in your Exchange organization.

      After you select this check box, users in your Exchange organization can still send messages to the recipient by using the e-mail address.

    • Custom Attributes Click this button to open the Custom Attributes dialog box. You can specify up to 15 custom attributes for the recipient. To specify the custom attribute values, use the corresponding boxes, and then click OK. To learn more, see Understanding Custom Attributes.

  11. (This tab appears only for mail-enabled public folders.)

    Use the E-Mail Addresses tab to configure the e-mail addresses for the recipient. You can modify the existing addresses or create additional ones. Each recipient must have at least one primary STMP address that is internal to your Exchange organization and one external address.

    • Add   Click Add to add a new e-mail address for this recipient. Use the drop-down box to select from the following address types:

      SMTP Address   This is the default address type. Click this button and use the corresponding dialog box to add an SMTP address.

      EUM Address   This address type is available only for user mailboxes. It's not available for mail users, mail contacts, distribution groups, or mail-enabled public folders. An EUM (Exchange Unified Messaging) address is used by Unified Messaging servers to locate UM-enabled users within an Exchange 2010 organization. EUM addresses contain the extension number and the UM dial plan for the UM-enabled user. Click this button and use the corresponding dialog box to add an EUM address.

      Custom Address   Click this button and use the corresponding dialog box to add a custom address (for example, fax or X.400).

      Note:
      With the exception of X.400 addresses, Exchange doesn't validate custom addresses for proper formatting. You must make sure that the custom address you specify complies with the format requirements for that address type.
    • Edit   Click this button to modify the selected e-mail address.

    • Remove icon   Click this button to remove the selected e-mail address.

    • Set as Reply   Click this button to set your selected address as the "reply to" address. A recipient can have multiple e-mail addresses for a specific address type. This allows the recipient to receive messages that are addressed to any one of these e-mail addresses. However, a single address must be used for any messages that are sent by the recipient. If a recipient has multiple e-mail addresses, the primary address is used for any messages sent by the recipient.

      This button is available only when an address other than the primary address is selected. Primary addresses for each address type are displayed in bold type.

      If an e-mail address policy in your Exchange organization applies to this mailbox, the Set as Reply setting will be controlled by that policy. To change the primary address for a specific address type, you must clear the Automatically update e-mail addresses based on e-mail address policy check box.

    • Set as External   This button is available only for mail users and mail contacts. It's not available for user mailboxes, distribution groups, or mail-enabled public folders. Click Set as External to designate the selected e-mail address as the external e-mail address for the recipient.

      Note:
      This button is enabled when an address other than the external e-mail address is selected.
    • Automatically update e-mail addresses based on e-mail address policy   Select this check box to have the recipient's e-mail addresses automatically updated based on changes made to e-mail address policies in your organization. This box is selected by default.

  12. (This tab appears only for mail-enabled public folders.)

    Use the Member Of tab to view a list of the groups to which this recipient belongs. Some of these groups may not be mail-enabled. Mail-enabled groups will have an envelope icon next to them. You can't use this tab to modify membership information. The recipient may match the criteria for one or more dynamic distribution groups in your organization. However, dynamic distribution groups aren't displayed on this tab because their membership is calculated each time they are used. For more information, see Managing Distribution Groups.

  13. (This tab appears only for mail-enabled public folders.)

    Use the Mail Flow Settings tab to configure delivery options and message size or message delivery restrictions for the mail-enabled public folder.

    • Delivery Options   Select this setting and then click Properties to open the Delivery Options dialog box. Use this dialog box to configure the following settings:

      Send on behalf   Click Add to open the Select Mailbox or Mail-Enabled User dialog box. Use this dialog box to grant a recipient the permissions to send e-mail on behalf of the selected public folder. Click Remove icon to remove a recipient from the list.

      Forward to   Select this check box, and then click Browse to open the Select Recipient dialog box. Use this dialog box to select a recipient to whom you want to forward all e-mail messages that are sent to this public folder.

      Deliver message to both forwarding address and mailbox   If you selected the Forward to check box, you can select this check box to specify that e-mail messages be delivered to both the public folder and to the forwarding address.

    • Message Size Restrictions Select this setting and then click Properties to open the Message Size Restrictions dialog box. In this dialog box, use the Maximum message size (in KB) check boxes to set the maximum size for messages that can be sent and received by this recipient. Use the corresponding text boxes to type the maximum message size allowed (in KB). The message size must be between 0 and 2,097,151 KB. If a message larger than the specified size is sent to the recipient, the message will be returned to the sender with a descriptive error message.

    • Message Delivery Restrictions   Select this setting and then click Properties to open the Message Delivery Restrictions dialog box. Use this dialog box to configure the following settings:

      All senders   Click this button to specify that the recipient can accept messages from all senders. This includes senders in both your Exchange organization and external senders. This button is selected by default. This option includes external users only if you clear the Require that all senders are authenticated check box. If you select this check box, messages from external users will be rejected.

      Only senders in the following list   Click this button to specify that the recipient can accept messages only from a specified set of senders in your Exchange organization. Click Add to open the Select Recipient dialog box. This dialog box displays a list of all recipients in the Active Directory forest. Select the recipients you want, and then click OK. You can also search for a specific recipient by typing its name in the Search box and then clicking Find Now.

      Require that all senders are authenticated   Select this check box to prevent anonymous users from sending messages to the recipient.

      No senders   Click this button to specify that the recipient will not reject messages from any senders in the Exchange organization. This button is selected by default.

      Senders in the following list   Click this button to specify that the recipient will reject messages from a specified set of senders in your Exchange organization. Click Add to open the Select Recipient dialog box. This dialog box displays a list of all recipients in the Active Directory forest. Select the recipients you want, and then click OK. You can also search for a specific recipient by typing its name in the Search box and then clicking Find Now.

Use the EMC to overwrite child public folder settings with the parent public folder settings

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

  1. In the console tree, click Toolbox.

  2. In the result pane, double-click Public Folder Management Console.

  3. In the public folder tree of the Public Folder Management Console, expand Default Public Folders, and then click the parent public folder of the public folder you want to configure.

  4. In the result pane, click the public folder you want to configure.

  5. In the action pane, click Manage Settings.

  6. On the Introduction page, click Overwrite Settings to override the child public folder settings with the selected parent public folder settings. You can overwrite the age limits, keep per-user read/unread state, replicas, and replication schedule. This option is available only if the public folder that you're modifying has one or more child public folders.

  7. On the Select Settings page, select the settings to overwrite. For more information about the settings you can configure, see Configure Public Folder Properties.

    • Age limits   Select this check box to copy the selected public folder's age limits to the child public folders.

    • Keep per user read/unread state   Select this check box to copy the selected public folder's per-user read/unread settings to the child public folders. This setting allows users to see if a public folder message has been read or unread in Microsoft Outlook.

    • Replicas   Select this check box to copy the selected public folder's replica settings to the child public folders.

    • Replication schedule   Select this check box to copy the selected public folder's replication schedule to the child public folders.

  8. On the Overwrite Settings page, review your configuration settings. Click Overwrite to overwrite the child public folder settings with the selected public folder. Click Back to make configuration changes.

  9. On the Completion page, review the following, and then click Finish to close the wizard:

    • A status of Completed indicates that the wizard completed the task successfully.

    • A status of Failed indicates that the task wasn't completed. If the task fails, review the summary for an explanation, and then click Back to make any configuration changes.

  10. Click Finish to close the wizard.

Use the Shell to configure public folder properties

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

Use the Set-MailPublicFolder cmdlet to configure public folder properties.

This example sets the primary SMTP address of the public folder Sales to MyMailPublicFolder@contoso.com.

Copy Code
Set-MailPublicFolder -Identity "\Sales" -PrimarySmtpAddress MyMailPublicFolder@contoso.com
Note:
You cannot change the primary SMTP e-mail address if the EmailAddressEnabled parameter is set to true.

This example disables the e-mail address policy of the mail-enabled public folder Sales.

Copy Code
Set-MailPublicFolder -Identity "\Sales" -EmailAddressEnabled $False

This example assigns a value (string) to the first custom attribute of the mail-enabled public folder Sales.

Copy Code
Set-MailPublicFolder -Identity "\Sales" -CustomAttribute1 "This string is the value of custom attribute one."

This example sets a 200 megabyte (MB) size limit for the mail-enabled public folder Sales, after which the folder can no longer send e-mail messages.

Copy Code
Set-MailPublicFolder -Identity "\Sales" -SendStorageQuota 200MB

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