Public Folder database dismounted after you move all the Public Folder Replicas from Exchange 2003 server to Exchange 2007 server

Issue with Public Folders

It has been observered that when we decommision the Exchange 2003 server after moving all the Public Folders Replicas from it to the Exchange 2007 Server, the Outlook stops connecting for all the clients... Public folders doesn't show anything from Outlook Web Access and even Public Folder Management Console on Exchange 2007 server doesnt show any of the Public Folders and the Public Folder database doesnt mount.

This typically happens when we manually remove the Exchange 2003 server hosting earlier all the Public Folder replicas.

This happens because the msExchOwningPFTree attribute had its value missing. This msExchOwningPFTree attribute controls the Public Folder database path and contains a list of all the stores in the hierarchy.

We need to specify its correct value in order to make Public Folders work. We can do it from ADSI Edit tool.

• Start the ADSI Edit tool
• Expand the Configuration container, then expand out each container as follows: CN=Services then CN=Microsoft Exchange then CN=YourExchangeOrg then CN=Administrative Groups then CN=AdminGroupofyourPFServer then CN=Servers then CN=YourPFServer then CN=InformationStore and then click on CN=StorageGroupContainingYourPFStore. In the pane on the right you see the public store object listed. Right click on the object and click on properties.
• In the list of attributes, double click on the msExchOwningPFTree attribute and specify the correct value.
• Restart Microsoft Exchange Information Store service.

Here is the Microsoft KB article that will help you to determine the correct value of msExchOwningPFTree attribute and set that up.

Public Folders not able to receive External Emails

When we set the Mail Enabled Public Folders, it receive all the internal emails fine but is unable to receive any mail from outside and throws the NDR to the sender:

This is an automatically generated Delivery Status Notification.

Delivery to the following recipients failed.
abc@xyz.com

Final-Recipient: rfc822;abc@xyz.com
Action: failedStatus: 5.2.1
X-Display-Name: abc

This happens when Permission to Anonymous is set to None. Make sure Anonymous has atleast Contributor rights.

Public Folders and Exchange 2007

Public folders are slowly being pushed out of Exchange into SharePoint 2007 and thus is no longer available in OWA from Exchange 2007.

Exchange 2007 client access server has some limitations in public folder support: no IMAP, NNTP, nor OWA access to Public Folders.

Only Public Folders that are stored on an Exchange 2003/2000 server can be accessed via a browser. There is a speculation that PF access via OWA 2007 will be made available when Exchange 2007 SP1 rolls out.
Also with the release of Exchange 2007 SP1, there will be the Public Folder Management Console for Public folders management. As of now public folder management can only be done through the command shell.

Exchange 2007 is surely de-emphasizing public folders. Public folders may not be included in future releases, but support for public folders will be maintained through at least 2016.

Here is what MS Exchange Team say about Exchange 2007 and Public Folders.