Exchange 2010 - Global Address List update?


Well Exchange 2010 is the most powerful Microsoft Email server yet..(according to the Microsoft release notes :x)

If you want to update the Global Address List there are two ways. One from the GUI and one from PS.

We will start with the powershell command first.

The command is "update-globaladdresslist $identity". Obviously you need to find out the identity. To do this we need to play with the command just a little. If you enter the following command "get-globaladdresslist" this will return the name. If you want less information simply type "Get-globaladdresslist | FL Name". This will return like likes of

"Name : Default Global Address List"

This tells us the command is now "Update-GlobalAddressList "Default Global Address List" if you have a single GAL or "Update-GlobalAddressList -identity "Default Global Address List" if you need to specify the GAL to update. Its as simple as that, both commands will work but are to be used in different scenarios.


The second option is through the GUI.

Open your Exchange Management Console. Expand Microsoft Exchange On-Premises, Expand Organization Configuration and select Mailbox. Across the top you will see "Offline Address Book." Select the address book you wish to update(In my case its the Default OAB) and on the left hand side select "Update".





Now I hear you say that's the OAB not the GAL.. well technically its both.. If we right click on the Default OAB and go to Properties, Select the Address Lists you can see that "Include the Default Global Address List" is selected.




Hope this helps someone!

A quick note on Server 2008 R2 Print server logging..


I have been dealing with a problem where printer settings kept changing on a Citrix server. On 2003 the printing logged used to be straight forward however 2008 R2 is a little different, even if you install the "Print and Document Services" role you still seem to have no print logging (or limited!). There is a simple way to log Printing events in Server 2008 R2.

Open your server Manager
Expand Diagnostics
Expand Event View
Expand Applications and Services Logs
Expand Microsoft
Expand Windows
Expand PrintService

when you get to here you will notice there is an "Admin" log. If you right click on this it is indeed enabled, however the "Operational" log below is disabled by default. Simply right click on the Operational log and select enable.


Sit back and wait for your events to be logged then go investigate your printing problems!