Hi all.
I've been working on setting up Exchange 2013 in our Exchange 2007 environment. I've managed to install it, configure it, move a handful of mailboxes, and fix several issues (2013 users being asked to login, free/busy maximum settings mismatch, Autodiscover not really updating the settings in Outlook clients...). However, I'm stuck on getting Exchange 2013 users to access Exchange 2007 public folders. Because the new server is very much in a development stage, I can't migrate the public folders over and won't until the mailboxes are thoroughly tested and fully migrated.
According to the public folders FAQ at http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/jj150538(v=exchg.150).aspx, it's both possible and impossible to get new users to access legacy folders.
From "Considerations:"
Exchange 2013 no longer supports public folder databases. Therefore, there’s no coexistence with legacy public folders. As a result, Exchange 2013 is unable to read from the hierarchy stored in a public folder database on Exchange 2010 or Exchange 2007 servers.
From "Migrate public folders from previous versions:"
...However, user mailboxes on Exchange 2013 servers or Exchange Online can connect to legacy public folders. Exchange 2013 public folders and legacy public folders can’t exist in your Exchange organization simultaneously....
I did originally start to build the master hierarchy in 2013 before finding this page, but I have since deleted the hierarchy from Exchange and from AD via ADSIEdit.
When a 2013 user tries to access a 2007 public folder, they are met with "Cannot expand the folder. Microsoft Exchange is not available. Either there are network problems of the Exchange server is down for maintenance. (<correct info about the the legacy 2007 server's DN>)"
I've reviewed the RPC logs from the new server and am seeing what looks like a proper redirect command to the Outlook client. But the Outlook client can't connect to the public folders.
I've tested public folders in OWA and they don't work there. I've verified that the services are started on both the new and old servers. And I've used the Outlook Connection Status tool to observe how Outlook seems stuck in a perpetual "connecting" state to the old mail server, even when I'm not trying to access a public folder.
So my question then, is using Exchange 2013 to access Exchange 2007 public folders actually possible or not? If so, what else can I check to find out why I can't open legacy public folders? We need to access some of the shared folders for collaboration, and I'm trying to avoid moving the upgraded users back into Exchange 2007. This seems to be about the last major problem I have before I can start migrating all of the other users.
Thanks!
Alan
PS - Microsoft, please update your Exchange 2013 Public Folders FAQ to clarify if this is possible or not. You state both in two adjacent sections.