MSExchangeAL events 8026 and 8260: Cannot access Address List configuration information (272552)

SYMPTOMS

After you run dcpromo to demote a Windows domain controller (DC) in your domain, the Microsoft Exchange 2000 Server or Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 MSExchangeAL service starts to log events 8026 and 8260 every 10 minutes. The events are as follows:

Event ID: 8026
Event Type: Error
Event Source: MSExchangeAL
Event Category: LDAP Operations
Description: LDAP Bind was unsuccessful on directory <Fully Qualified Domain Name of Windows domain controller>for distinguished name ''. Directory returned error:[0x51] Server Down.

Event ID: 8260
Event Type: Error
Event Source: MSExchangeAL
Event Category: Service Controller
Description: Could not open LDAP session to directory '<Fully Qualified Domain Name of Windows domain controller>' using local service credentials. Cannot access Address List configuration information. Make sure the server '<Fully Qualified Domain Name of Windows domain controller>' is running.

CAUSE

The Recipient Update Service is configured to use a Windows domain controller that was demoted. When the Recipient Update Service tries to query the Windows domain controller for an update, it cannot contact it.

Note This event can also be logged under normal conditions, when the Kerberos ticket for the server temporarily expires. This is especially likely when only one Windows global catalog server is available. Recovery from Kerberos ticket expiration typically occurs very quickly. In this case, the event is not a cause for alarm.

RESOLUTION

If you determine that the issue was caused by the demotion of a Windows domain controller, you can resolve this issue by following these steps:

Open Exchange System Manager.
Expand the Recipients container, and then click Recipient Update Services.
Double-click each Recipient Update Service, and then change the Windows domain controller setting to the new Windows domain controller in the domain.