Hard coding a Domain Controller in Exchange 2010

Unlike the previous versions, Hard coding a domain controller became as simple for trouble-shooters

When to Hard Code a Domain Controller in Exchange 2010 ?

If you feel Exchange should not see some domain controllers which is not in a good shape

or

Exchange becomes too sluggish when its trying to contact the Domain Controller across site

Some more Scenarios…

For Temporarily , To Troubleshoot and isolate the issue, We can hard code a domain controller

Note: Hard coding a Domain Controller to Exchange 2010 , Gets you to a State of Single Point of Failure

Like, When The hard coded domain Controller Reboots Exchange 2010 will stop working

So Try to Give Multiple DC’s and GC’s while hard coding and It has to be used for temporary purpose as its a single point of failure

To Verify its already Hard coded or not

Run

Get-ExchangeServer “Server Name” –Status | fl Identity,Static*

To Hardcode a Domain Controller in Exchange 2010

Run

Set-ExchangeServer -StaticDomainControllers "DC FQDN" -StaticConfigDomainController "DC FQDN" –StaticGlobalCatalogs "GC FQDN"

Also You can use –StaticExcludedDomainControllers

The StaticExcludedDomainControllers parameter specifies whether to exclude a list of domain controllers to be used by the server.

Reference Link:

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb123716.aspx

To Verify the hardcode

Run

Get-ExchangeServer “Server Name” –Status | fl Identity,Static*

To Remove the hardcode

Run

Set-ExchangeServer –StaticDomainControllers $null –StaticConfigDomainController $null –StaticGlobalCatalogs $null