Testing mail server via telnet

I get asked for the steps alot so here you go; specific to Exchange/Windows SMTP (some mail servers have slightly different steps)

1.Telnet exchangeserver.domain.local 25
This will connect to your mail server on port 25
2. Type "EHLO" to open the session
3. type "MAIL FROM: yourname@somedomain.com
4. type "RCPT TO: this is the domain hosted by exchange to which you want to test relay.
5. type "DATA"
6. Type your message
7. Then terminate the message with enter . enter
8. Type "QUIT"

OT: SC DPM 2007

First of all I really like DPM and found it very easy to setup if you can find the right DOCS (don't read the help file, use technet and search the internet). Also, most of the errors I encountered were resolved via newsgroups, blogs etc so it can be a little trying. I'm currently using it to backup Exchange 07 CCR, MOSS 2007, SQL 2000, SQL 2005 and domain controllers. Exchange 07, DC's and SQL 2000 were very easy. SQL 2005 required SP2 and sharepoint took some other steps as well. This is a great doc to get started: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb808827.aspx

One thing I did not find on the internet was a sharepoint problem I was having. I was getting an error stating "this windows sharepoint services farm cannot be protected......". It turns out you cannot backup the SP databases separately from the farm, so I removed the SP db's from the DPM protection group and SP is backing up just fine; now off to test the restore.

Forefront for Exchange re-install for SP1

So the only way I could get exchange 2007 sp1 to install was to uninstall forefront, then re-install it after the sp1 install. This was fine in the lab, but i was very worried about doing this in production because of the customizations I had performed and 30 days of messages in quarantine. It turns out, all custom lists, customizations and quarantines are preserved even with a full uninstall then re-install. Way to go Microsoft!

SP1 and ActiveSync

Make sure you've got an activesync policy defined and applied to your users that have windows mobile devices prior to installing SP1 otherwise they'll get the new 'default' policy which has been shown to break sync is some WM5 devices.

SP1 install woes part II

Uninstalling forefront for exchange, then sp1, then re-installing FF worked, but i'll have to find some other way to work it when i roll production as i've got to many customizations in my production forefront.

Also, i've just started playing with the public folder management GUI, which appears to only let you manipulate the send as permission. I'm guessing MS is expecting us to use outlook or powershell for public folder client permissions (or I just missed an option); a little disappointing.

Well I'll be banging away at SP1 for the next few weeks and post what else I find.

SP1 install woes with forefront

On a test exchange server i've upgraded to the latest version of forefront (at least latest available through MVLS 10.0.0.556), and the pre-req check of SP1 doesn't like it at all. Ive followed MS KB 929080, but to no avail. Still getting this:

Error:Setup cannot continue with the upgrade because Forefront Security for Exchange Server 10.0 was detected. Forefront Security for Exchange Server 10.0 needs to be upgraded to a compatible version of Forefront Security for Exchange Server first and its services need to be disabled to upgrade Exchange Server 2007.Recommended Action: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=30939&l=en&v=ExBPA.3&id=6dfac22b-581a-4e10-938b-5f2498ead01d

I'm thinking i'll uninstall FF on the test box, install SP1 then attempt to reinstall forefront and re-post my findings.