Test Layout

As you may be aware, when there are issues with Dirsync connecting to O365, you get an Unhealthy Directory Synchronization Notification email. The email doesn't provide any information other than to check the event logs. I got this notification for my test environment recently. I happened to have the Synchronization Service Manager (miisclient.exe) open on my Dirsync server and looked in there first. The Active Directory Connector had a status of Success, which is expected. So, all good on the local side. However, the Windows Azure Active Directory Connector had a status of "stopped-extension-dll-exception". The Application event log gave more information: Directory Synchronization, Event ID 115 - Access to Windows Azure Directory has been denied Directory Synchronization, Event ID 0 - Update your password and try again Directory Synchronization, Event ID 655-  Failed credential provisioning ping The cause of my error was an expired password on the account I was using for...

Microsoft has indicated that they are going to be updating the Exchange Online Protection addresses in January 2015. Here is a link with the new IP addresses: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dn163583%28v=exchg.150%29.aspx What does this mean to you? Well, these are the outbound addresses from EOP to your on premises email system. So, if you are using EOP for your on-premises email system, you need to ensure that your firewall is updated to allow traffic from these IP addresses to your on-premises email system. Also, it is not explicitly stated, but I would be concerned that mailflow for hybrid environments will be affected. So, it may be necessary to go into the receive connector used for hybrid mailflow and allow these IP addresses there also. I'll try to check on my hybrid system when the changes go into effect in January and update this post.

We have a client using SBS 2008 that is unable to use printer redirection to print locally when connected to the server via RDP. Printer redirection is basic functionality in RDP and normally works without any setup at all. We took over maintenance on this server from another organization about 4 years ago, but never had any need to test or use printer redirection until recently. After taking a look at the event logs, we saw EventID 1103 for Microsoft-Windows-TerminalServices-Printers with the following message: An internal communication error occurred.  Redirected printing will no longer function for a single user session.  Check the status of the Terminal Services Device Redirector in the System folder of Device Manager. The Terminal Services Device Redirector is a device driver that is responsible for printer redirection. On this server, the Terminal Services Device Redirector did not exist in Device Manager. So, we need to install it. Conveniently, several web sites provid...