A topic which frequently confuses Exchange Administrators is the concept of "Scoped Send Connectors". So what are they?
When you mark a send connector as scoped, this means it can only be used by Exchange 2007/2010 hub transport or Exchange 2013 mailbox servers in the same Active Directory site as the send connector. If not selected, the connector can be used by all transport servers in the Exchange environment.
How do you determine what servers are in the Active Directory Site? A Send Connector is not bound to any specific Active Directory site Clint, they are merely an object in Active Directory!
True, however say you have an Active Directory site called "Contoso HQ" and the site has 4 transport servers whether they be Exchange 2010 Hub Transport servers or Exchange 2013 mailbox servers. Two of these servers are marked as source servers a of the scoped send connector and two aren't. The two servers which are a member as a source server of the send connector can obviously use the send connector. The other two transport servers in the same Active Directory site which are not source servers can also use the scoped send connector, all other transport servers in other sites - bad luck!
Unmarking it as scoped means transport servers in other sites can relay through the send connector if there is no closer option for external mail relay.
Hope this blog post brings clarification to this topic.
When you mark a send connector as scoped, this means it can only be used by Exchange 2007/2010 hub transport or Exchange 2013 mailbox servers in the same Active Directory site as the send connector. If not selected, the connector can be used by all transport servers in the Exchange environment.
How do you determine what servers are in the Active Directory Site? A Send Connector is not bound to any specific Active Directory site Clint, they are merely an object in Active Directory!
True, however say you have an Active Directory site called "Contoso HQ" and the site has 4 transport servers whether they be Exchange 2010 Hub Transport servers or Exchange 2013 mailbox servers. Two of these servers are marked as source servers a of the scoped send connector and two aren't. The two servers which are a member as a source server of the send connector can obviously use the send connector. The other two transport servers in the same Active Directory site which are not source servers can also use the scoped send connector, all other transport servers in other sites - bad luck!
Unmarking it as scoped means transport servers in other sites can relay through the send connector if there is no closer option for external mail relay.
Hope this blog post brings clarification to this topic.
Fantastic tip.
ReplyDeleteThis is awesome. I can now separate my send traffic between my two Exchange sites.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the explanation. Can't find this in Exchange 2013 help.
ReplyDeleteMark.
Thanks! Now I study hard for my Exchange 2013 exam and that was a big question for me. Very helpfully post, thanks again!
ReplyDeleteQuestion: if I have 2 send connector, the first marked as COST1 and the second as COST2, if the first is down or with issues, how long does exchange take to use the second connector ??
ReplyDeletethanks !!
Awesome post AND GREAT POINTS YOU HAVE SHARED HERE, inMotion Review
ReplyDeleteNice tip thanx.
ReplyDelete