SUMMARY
When the Microsoft Exchange client tries to locate the computer running
Microsoft Exchange Server on a Novell network, it tries to locate a file
server for the Microsoft Exchange Server name resolution.
To do this, it sends out a SAP Nearest Service Query packet to get the
nearest NetWare file server. There are two ways it should get a response:
- If the file server is on the same subnet as the client, it will
respond.
- A router responds on behalf of the servers on a different subnet, if
and only if the router believes that no servers exist on the client subnet.
This is how most networks are configured, so the client gets a response
from the Nearest Service Query request from several file servers.
Once a NetWare file server has been located, its bindery is used to
translate the name of the computer running Microsoft Exchange Server into
an IPX address.
On the network being used, when the file server is on the same subnet as
the client, but there is an internal network number defined on this
server,
the file server acts as if it is on a different subnet. Because of this,
it
should act as a router and respond to the Nearest Service Query.
But if "Respond To Nearest Service Query=OFF" is set on the NetWare
server, it does not respond to a Nearest Service Query. This setting is
used in some NetWare environments when people do not want all of their
servers to respond to this request. To enable this option, type the
following on the NetWare Server console: SET REPLY TO GET NEAREST
SERVER=ON. If setting the SET REPLY TO GET NEAREST SERVER=ON resolves
the problem, add the entry to the AUTOEXEC.NCF file on the Novell
server. If this entry is not added to the AUTOEXEC.NCF and the server
is cycled, the problem will resurface.
If the Nearest Service Query fails, a General Service Query is issued.
All file servers on the subnet and routers will respond, including the
one configured with a different internal network number. When the
Microsoft Exchange client receives the response to the General Service
query, it does not connect successfully to the computer running
Microsoft Exchange Server; it must have a response to the Nearest
Service Query.