Exchange Server 5.5 Searches Do Not Reflect Recent Security Changes (287298)

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256986 Description of the Microsoft Windows Registry

SYMPTOMS

If you perform searches within two hours of making security changes, the security changes may not be enforced.

When a user's query contains matches that reside in a Microsoft Exchange Server 5.5 public folder, SharePoint Portal Server performs a security check on the Exchange Server computer to verify that the user has access to the document. If the user does not have access, the search result is filtered out. Because security is checked at the time that the query is run, changes to security settings on Exchange Server folders are immediately enforced in subsequent queries and do not require an index update. However, subsequent security changes may not be reflected in searches for two hours.

CAUSE

This issue can occur because the results of the security check are cached in the Search process for 120 minutes by default. Therefore, security changes made on a folder may not be enforced until the cache expires (up to 120 minutes later).

RESOLUTION

If you do not want to wait until the cache expires, you can invalidate the cache immediately by restarting the Microsoft Search service. To restart the service:

Click Start, point to Programs, click Administrative Tools, and then click Services.
Right-click Microsoft Search, and then click Restart.

MORE INFORMATION

WARNING: If you use Registry Editor incorrectly, you may cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that you can solve problems that result from using Registry Editor incorrectly. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.

The first time that an Exchange Server 5.5 content source is indexed, the following registry value is created:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Search\1.0\Exchange\CacheMinutes

You can modify this behavior by changing this value to the number of minutes that you want the results of the security check to be cached in the Search process.

You must be restart the Microsoft Search service for the change to take effect.