What determines Current Domain Controller, Current Global Catalog and CurrentConfigDomainController?

Michigan39 31 Reputation points
2022-03-03T16:59:57.76+00:00

I run; Get-ExchangeServer -Identity mailserver -status | Fl current

This command returns current DC, GC and ConfigDC. In EMC, Server Configuration, "Modify Configuration Domain Controller....." it is chosen "Use a default domain controller." What is a default DC? Where is it indicated which DC(s) are default?

How does it choose a GC or a ConfigDC? What, really, is a configDC anyway?

None of this seems to come from the DNS IPs used by the NIC.

How do I change any of this to test getting rid of old DCs?

Exchange | Exchange Server | Management
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  1. Andy David - MVP 157.8K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator
    2022-03-03T18:07:05.057+00:00

    The configuration DC:
    https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/module/exchange/set-adserversettings?view=exchange-ps

    The ConfigurationDomainController parameter specifies the fully qualified domain name (FQDN) of the configuration domain controller to be used for reading Exchange configuration information in this session.

    DSACcess Event 2080 tells you what DCs are being used:
    https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/exchange/troubleshoot/administration/msexchangedsaccess-event-id-2080

    IF you want to exclude a DC from Exchange:

    set-exchangeserver <Exch Server> -StaticExcludedDomainControllers DC1, DC2  
    

    https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/module/exchange/set-exchangeserver?view=exchange-ps


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  1. Michigan39 31 Reputation points
    2022-03-04T14:38:21.007+00:00

    Just an FYI; set-exchangeserver -Identity exchange -StaticExcludedDomainControllers asf-dc1.domain.local Did work. It did create a Key, in Default, not beneath it. Within Default ExcludedDCs REG_MULTI_SZ = dc3.domain.local

    Thanks for everything.

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  2. Michigan39 31 Reputation points
    2022-03-03T19:27:42.887+00:00

    Well, I will say that 2080 does show 5 DCs; 3 new and 2 old. They all are Cs and Ds and 3 (two new) are Gs. So, that said, I think I'm okay. Doing a lot of reading and help from this forum got me to a comfortable place....I hope. You'll never forget when your Exchange server loses contact with AD. No EMC, no Exchange shell...nothing. The registry is all you have. Do you know if command "set-exchangeserver <Exch Server> -StaticExcludedDomainControllers" creates a registry entry so I can recover from disaster?

    Thanks again, big help.


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