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Q175545: XADM: Directory Replication Occurs Five Minutes After Startup

Article: Q175545
Product(s): Microsoft Exchange
Version(s): winnt:4.0,5.0,5.5
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): exc4 exc5 exc55
Last Modified: 20-NOV-1999

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Exchange Server, versions 4.0, 5.0, 5.5 
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SYMPTOMS
========

Five minutes after restarting the Microsoft Exchange Directory Service,
directory replication requests are sent to other Microsoft Exchange Sites. The
replication requests can be sent outside of scheduled times on the Directory
Replication connectors.

CAUSE
=====

When the Directory Service starts, it searches the Directory for objects that
have a property indicating that they should be synchronized at startup. All
naming contexts are created with this property set so the Directory Service
sends a request for updates at startup for each of them. Since directory
replication between Sites is messaging based, the Directory Services waits five
minutes for the Microsoft Exchange Message Transfer Agent (MTA) to start before
submitting the update requests.

STATUS
======

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Microsoft Exchange Server
version 4.0. This problem has been corrected in the latest U.S. Service Pack for
Microsoft Exchange Server version 4.0. For information on obtaining the Service
Pack, query on the following word in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

  SERVPACK


MORE INFORMATION
================

Microsoft has added a new registry value to the Microsoft Exchange Directory
Service that allows a Microsoft Exchange administrator the option of having the
Directory Service ignore the synchronize at startup property for naming contexts
that are message based (this implies replication requests to Sites). The
Directory Service will still send synchronization requests during the scheduled
replication times as configured on the Directory Replication Connectors.

WARNING: Using Registry Editor incorrectly can cause serious, system-wide
problems that may require you to reinstall Windows NT to correct them. Microsoft
cannot guarantee that any problems resulting from the use of Registry Editor can
be solved. Use this tool at your own risk.

To enable this feature, perform the following steps after applying the new files
from Microsoft.

1. Run Registry Editor (Regedt32.exe).

2. Go to the following key in the registry:

  HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services
  \MSExchangeDS\Parameters

3. On the Edit menu, click Add Value and use the following entry (note the
  spaces carefully).

     Value Name: Replicator inter site sync at startup
     Data Type:  REG_DWORD
     Value:      0

4. Exit the Registry Editor and restart the Directory Service for the change to
  take effect.

Setting this value to 0 will prevent the Directory Service from sending directory
replication requests to other Sites at startup. To restore the default behavior,
either delete the registry value or set it to a value of 1 and restart the
Directory Service.


Additional query words: unplanned unscheduled Directory Replication backlog dirrep

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Keywords          : exc4 exc5 exc55 
Technology        : kbExchangeSearch kbExchange500 kbExchange550 kbExchange400 kbZNotKeyword2
Version           : winnt:4.0,5.0,5.5
Issue type        : kbbug
Solution Type     : kbfix

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