Some PowerShell cmdlet or parameter combinations are unsuccessful in Exchange Server

  • Article
  • Applies to:
    Exchange Server 2016 Enterprise Edition, Exchange Server 2016 Enterprise Edition, Exchange Server 2013 Enterprise, Exchange Server 2013 Standard Edition

Original KB number:   4295103

Symptoms

Consider this scenario:

  • You have a Microsoft Exchange Server 2013 or 2016 environment that contains two or more mailbox servers.
  • Your Active Directory Forest contains two or more domains.
  • Your Exchange Servers and user objects are located in different Active Directory domains.
  • You manage your recipients through Exchange Management Shell (EMS) by setting Set-ADServerSettings -ViewEntireForest $true.

In this scenario, when you run a PowerShell cmdlet or parameter combination, the cmdlet is unsuccessful, you receive this error message:

Error on proxy command 'Set-Mailbox -Identity:'user@contoso.com' -LitigationHoldEnabled:$False' to server
Ex01.corp.contoso.com:
Server version 15.0x.xxxx.xx, Proxy method RPS:
The operation couldn't be performed because object 'Ex02.corp @contoso.com' couldn't be found on
'Ex02.corp.munich.contoso.com'..  
+ CategoryInfo : NotSpecified: (:) [Set-Mailbox], CmdletProxyException
+ FullyQualifiedErrorId : Microsoft.Exchange.Configuration.CmdletProxyException,Microsoft.Exchange.

Here are some cmdlet or parameter combinations that may be affected:

  • Get-CASMailbox -ActiveSyncDebugLogging
  • Set-CASMailbox -ActiveSyncDebugLogging
  • Set-CASMailbox -ResetAutoBlockedDevices
  • Set-Mailbox -RetentionHoldEnabled
  • Set-Mailbox -RetentionComment
  • Set-Mailbox -RetentionUrl
  • Set-SiteMailbox
  • Set-UserPhoto
  • Get-UserPhoto
  • Set-Mailbox -LitigationHoldEnabled $false

Cause

This behavior is by design when the specified mailbox is located on a different server than the server that EMS is connected to.

Workaround

To work around this behavior, specify the -DomainController parameter with the cmdlet. For example, specify a Domain Controller from the Active Directory domain where the associated user object is located, such as the following:

Set-Mailbox -Identity:'user@contoso.com' -LitigationHoldEnabled:$False -DomainController dc1.sub.corp.contoso.com