SYMPTOMS
In Microsoft Exchange Server 2003, message delivery to local mailboxes and to external mailboxes is slower than you expect. Additionally, if you examine the message queues in Exchange System Manager, you see lots of messages that are queued up in the
Messages awaiting directory lookup queue.
This problem may occur when the following conditions are true:
- You send mail to distribution groups.
- The distribution groups to which you send mail include lots of users who have delivery restrictions configured on their mailboxes. The distribution groups to which you send mail may or may not have nested distribution groups.
Note You configure delivery restrictions on user mailboxes by setting options on the
Exchange General tab in Active Directory Users and Computers.
RESOLUTION
Service pack information
To resolve this problem, obtain the latest service pack for Exchange Server 2003. For more information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
836993 How to obtain the latest service packs for Exchange Server 2003
Hotfix information
A supported hotfix is now available from Microsoft, but it is only intended to correct the problem that is described in this article. Only apply it to systems that are experiencing this specific problem. This hotfix may receive additional testing. Therefore, if you are not severely affected by this problem, we recommend that you wait for the next Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 service pack that contains this hotfix.
To resolve this problem immediately, contact Microsoft Product Support Services to obtain the hotfix. For a complete list of Microsoft Product Support Services telephone numbers and information about support costs, visit the following Microsoft Web site:
Note In special cases, charges that are ordinarily incurred for support calls may be canceled if a Microsoft Support Professional determines that a specific update will resolve your problem. The usual support costs will apply to additional support questions and issues that do not qualify for the specific update in question.
Prerequisites
You must install Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 Service Pack 1 (SP1) before you install this hotfix.
Restart requirement
You do not have to restart the computer after you install this hotfix.
Hotfix replacement information
This hotfix does not replace any other hotfixes.
File information
The English version of this hotfix has the file attributes (or later file attributes) that are listed in the following table. The dates and times for these files are listed in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). When you view the file information, it is converted to local time. To find the difference between UTC and local time, use the
Time Zone tab in the Date and Time tool in Control Panel.
Date Time Version Size File name
----------------------------------------------------------
07-Apr-2005 18:46 6.5.7233.3 462,336 Phatcat.dll
07-Apr-2005 18:54 6.5.7233.3 597,504 Phatq.dll
07-Apr-2005 18:54 6.5.7233.3 832,000 Reapi.dll
Hotfix installation information
After you install the hotfix that is specified in this article, you must create the registry entry that is described in this section. You create the registry entry to enable the features that are introduced by the hotfix. Additionally, for this registry entry to take effect, all distribution groups that include users who have delivery restrictions must be flat. That is, the restricted distribution groups must not have nested distribution groups. The expansion logic will not work if the restricted distribution groups are nested.
The expansion logic that is introduced with the registry entry affects only restricted distribution groups. The expansion logic does not affect typical distribution groups. The expansion logic applies to delivery restriction checking on both mailboxes and connectors.
For distribution groups that are used in connector restrictions, we recommend that you set the registry entry on a connector bridgehead server that has no mailboxes. For Active Directory directory service user restrictions, if the restricted distribution groups have expansion servers, we recommend that you create the registry entry on the expansion servers.
To create the registry entry to enable the features that are introduced by the hotfix, follow these steps:
- Click Start, click Run, type regedit, and then press ENTER.
- Locate and then click the following registry subkey:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\MSExchangeTransport\Parameters
- In the left pane, click Parameters.
- On the Edit menu, point to New, and then click DWORD Value.
- Type RestrictionMethod, and then press ENTER to name the new registry entry.
- Right-click RestrictionMethod, and then click Modify.
- Type 2, and then press ENTER.
- Quit Registry Editor.