Autodiscover – what for and how to?

Microsoft introduced autodiscover feature in exchange 2007. This feature lets you to auto configure outlook clients (2007 and above) internal and external.
It really helps to IT Managers to configure stations around the site and even outlook anywhere clients.
Here are the main keys to configure it correctly:

  1. Know your CAS server external IP
  2. Have a correct certificate
  3. Configure your firewall
  4. Configure DNS internal and external

In details:

  1. Small business normally use one exchange server, in this situations your CAS server is using the office external IP.
    In other situations like Medium and enterprise, you will have more than one exchange server and more than one external IP.
    Anyhow, you need to know which external IP you use to apply autodiscover on it.
  2. Very IMPORTANT: when creating a request for CA, make sure to have there the correct “Issue to”:
    autodiscover.domain.com
    autodiscover.internaldomain.local
    Also, make sure you have there what you need, not just autodiscover. J
  3. Configure your firewall:
    you need the correct WAN interface to forward any 443 (https) connections to your CAS server.
  4. Configure DNS:
    If you ask me, I would say that these steps are prerequisite to install exchange server. But in all the searches I made for prerequisite, no one mentioned that you need correct DNS records to work with autodiscover.
    1st we need to configure the internal DNS to work with autodiscover.
    In normal situation, you have internal domain that is different from your external domain.
    Go to DNS console management and create another Zone, primary zone with default settings that answer for autodiscover.domain.com.
    Inside create a Host record that points to:
    same as parent = your internal CAS Server IP address.
    Create SRV Record that points to:
    Service: _autodiscover
    Protocol: _tcp
    Weight: 100
    Priority: 1
    Port: 443
    Host: %CASserver%.internaldomain.local

    2nd you need to create DNS records at your ISP.
    A Record that points to:
    autodiscover.externaldomain.com = External IP
    and SRV Record that point to:
    Service: _autodiscover
    Protocol: _tcp
    Weight: 100
    Priority: 1
    Port: 443
    Host: autodiscover.externaldomain.com

 

And now you are ready to go with autodiscover J

Posted in: Exchange