XADM: Exchange 2000 Public Folder Referrals (265242)

SUMMARY

This article discusses the difference between public folder affinity and public folder referrals. Public folder affinity, a function of Microsoft Exchange Server 4.0, 5.0, and 5.5, has been reconstructed in Exchange 2000 Server, and the feature is now called public folder referrals. Public folder referrals provide MAPI, IMAP4, and Outlook Web Access (OWA) clients a way to access public folders in a remote Exchange 2000 Routing Group.

MORE INFORMATION

Public folder referrals are initialized by default, unlike public folder affinity, which you had to configure. When there is a connector between Routing Groups, public folder referrals are able to go across the link. In previous versions of Exchange Server, public folder affinity was not transitive. For example, if Site A has public folder affinity with Site B, and Site B has public folder affinity with Site C, Site A does not automatically have affinity with Site C. Because affinity is not configured between Sites A and C, users in Site A cannot access folders in Site C and vice versa.

In Exchange 2000, public folder referrals are transitive. For example, Routing Group A allows public folder referrals to Routing Group B, and Routing Group B allows public folder referrals to Routing Group C. Routing Group A also allows public folder referrals to Routing Group C and vice versa.

Administrators may not want to allow public folder referrals between specific Routing Groups. You can use the Exchange System Manager (ESM) to disable referrals on a certain connector. To turn off public folder referrals, right-click the Routing Group connector and click Properties. On the General tab, click to select the Do not allow public folder referrals check box. If this check box is selected, referrals are disabled through that connector.