PRB: Can't Reduce Time Interval for Timer Event in Microsoft Exchange (246712)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Exchange Server 5.5
  • Microsoft Exchange Server 5.5 SP1
  • Microsoft Exchange Server 5.5 SP2
  • Microsoft Exchange Server 5.5 SP3
This article was previously published under Q246712

SYMPTOMS

When you try to set the time interval for the Timer event in the Microsoft Exchange Server Event Scripting Agent (and the time event in the Routing Object) from the Agent Schedule dialog box, you can only set the time to be a multiple of 15 minutes, such as 0, 15, 30, and so on.

You can programmatically set the time interval to anything you want. However, it might take the event longer to fire than the setting you specify. For example, if you set it to fire every 20 minutes, the event would actually be fired in 30 minutes.

CAUSE

The Exchange Server Event Scripting Agent and the Routing Engine are built on the Exchange Event Service. The Event Service is implemented as a Microsoft Windows NT service that receives notifications from server-based folders about the state of folder items. The Event Service fires events when an item is added, changed, or deleted in a folder. The Event Service also periodically checks whether Timer events have come due and fires them. The interval between checks is 15 minutes.

This means that a Timer event that is set to wait a number of minutes that is not a multiple of 15 (for instance, 20) must wait until the end of the next 15 minute interval (in this case, 30 minutes) before it fires.

RESOLUTION

Set Timer events to fire on multiples of 15 minutes.

REFERENCES

For additional information on how to use Microsoft Exchange Server Event Scripting Agent and Routing Objects, please refer to Microsoft Developer Network.
Modification Type:MinorLast Reviewed:3/4/2004
Keywords:kbprb KB246712
©2004 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.