Microsoft Exchange 2007 Search Basics

Unlike Exchange 2003, Exchange Search is enabled by default in Exchange 2007 and is automatically applied to new databases as they are created. Exchange Search depends on a full-text indexing and each mailbox database in Exchange 2007 has a full-text index associated with it. However, this latest incarnation of Exchange server-side search not the status quo. Search for Microsoft Exchange 2007 has been rewritten. 

Indexing content is now performed as messages arrive at the store and not on a set schedule. Certain attachment types are also indexed, most notably Word, Excel, PDF, PowerPoint and HTML files. To facilitate these changes, indexing is now more integrated with the Information Store Service. The result has been much improved indexing performance in Exchange 2007.

Exchange 2007 Search will show a few processes in Task Manager:

  • Microsoft.Exchange.Search.ExSearch.exe (MSSearch)
  • Msftefd.exe (filter daemon - similar to SQL Server 2005)
  • Msftesql.exe (core indexer)

These Exchange 2007 Search processes will throttle server-side full-text indexing when the Exchange Server needs resources for client access so the user experience is not negatively impacted. Otherwise, new messages get indexed within seconds of arrival. Searches using the server-side Exchange 2007 Search return results expeditiously.

Exchange 2007 Search is not the same as Instant Search in Outlook 2007, which is implemented with Windows Desktop Search (WDS) on the client. Outlook 2007 Instant Search requires either a .pst or Exchange cached mode (.ost). For the desktop client to benefit from Exchange 2007 Search they need to use either Outlook Web Access or a MAPI profile without Exchange cached mode (online mode).

Even though they are index-enabled by default, some databases may not need to be searched efficiently and therefore do not require an index. Full-text indexing is toggled on or off ($true or $false) from the Exchange Management Shell as follows:

>Set-MailboxDatabase <MailboxDatabaseName> -IndexEnabled $false

Also using PowerShell, the Test-ExchangeSearch cmdlet is used to verify the status of Exchange 2007 Search by creating a message and querying for that message and reporting back to the administrator.

William Lefkovics

William Lefkovics on February 12, 2008 at 01:29 PM in Useful Info
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Comments

Thanks for the tip on >Set-MailboxDatabase -IndexEnabled $false

Didn't know about that one up until now. Cheers Matt.

Posted by: Matt at Dec 10, 2008 6:43:41 AM

Thanks for the tip on >Set-MailboxDatabase -IndexEnabled $false

Didn't know about that one up until now. Cheers Matt.

Posted by: Matt at Dec 10, 2008 6:44:15 AM

Thanks for the tip on >Set-MailboxDatabase -IndexEnabled $false

Didn't know about that one up until now. Cheers Matt.

Posted by: Matt at Dec 10, 2008 6:44:37 AM

not seeing managed default folder in outlook 2007..

what am i missing?

Here are the commands i used.

Get-ManagedFolder
Start-ManagedFolderAssistant
Get-Mailbox | Set-Mailbox –ManagedFolderMailboxPolicy 'Default Managed Custom Folders'

help!

Posted by: Jules at Apr 30, 2009 10:34:04 AM

As of April 1, 2009 Microsoft Exchange Hosted Filtering is now Forefront Online Security for Exchange. Forefront Online Security for Exchange consists of layered technologies to actively help protect businesses’ inbound and outbound e-mail from spam, viruses, phishing scams, and e-mail policy violations. This session will touch on the integration of Forefront Online Security for Exchange with Forefront Security for Exchange Server for a hybrid hosted and on-premise spam protection and highlight our new partnership with Cloudmark™. Learn about Forefront Online Security for Exchange and how it will integrate with the Microsoft Forefront integrated security suite codenamed “Stirling”.


Presenter: Mike Chan, Senior Product Manager, Microsoft Corporation

Mike Chan is a Senior Product Manager for Forefront Server Security. Previously, he worked on Internet Explorer 7.0 and security for Windows Vista including Windows Defender. Mike has spent most of his career at Microsoft over the past 7 years on projects such as ISA Server 2004, VPN, and security update management. Previous to Microsoft, he was a developer at various companies including Sun Microsystems, VA Linux, Intel and Trilogy.

Posted by: Promotional Items at May 5, 2010 2:35:19 AM

Thanks for the tip on >Set-MailboxDatabase -IndexEnabled $false

Posted by: iphone at May 5, 2010 2:36:16 AM

Exchange 2007 Search is not the same as Instant Search in Outlook 2007, which is implemented with Windows Desktop Search (WDS) on the client. Outlook 2007 Instant Search requires either a .pst or Exchange cached mode (.ost). For the desktop client to benefit from Exchange 2007 Search they need to use either Outlook Web Access or a MAPI profile without Exchange cached mode (online mode).

Posted by: Promotional Gift Store at May 13, 2010 2:17:02 PM

In-house application support. Should a third-party application be in-place which integrates or uses Outlook for mail services, the application would need to be developed in order for it to be able to use Google Mail

Posted by: Promotional Products at May 13, 2010 2:20:13 PM

Well, it's very important to emphasise that flexibility is the key with Exchange. Google's mail offering may at first glance appear to be ‘cheap’, when compared to similar Exchange hosted offerings, and also, to running Exchange ‘in-house,’ but it is nowhere near as feature rich and flexible as Exchange.

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Thanks for the tip

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Mike Chan is a Senior Product Manager for Forefront Server Security. Previously, he worked on Internet Explorer 7.0 and security for Windows Vista including Windows Defender. Mike has spent most of his career at Microsoft over the past 7 years on projects such as ISA Server 2004, VPN, and security update management. Previous to Microsoft, he was a developer at various companies including Sun Microsystems, VA Linux, Intel and Trilogy.

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Mike Chan is a Senior Product Manager for Forefront Server Security. Previously, he worked on Internet Explorer 7.0 and security for Windows Vista including Windows Defender. Mike has spent most of his career at Microsoft over the past 7 years on projects such as ISA Server 2004, VPN, and security update management. Previous to Microsoft, he was a developer at various companies including Sun Microsystems, VA Linux, Intel and Trilogy.~~~!

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Mike Chan is a Senior Product Manager for Forefront Server Security. Previously, he worked on Internet Explorer 7.0 and security for Windows Vista including Windows Defender. Mike has spent most of his career at Microsoft over the past 7 years on projects such as ISA Server 2004, VPN, and security update management. Previous to Microsoft, he was a developer at various companies including Sun Microsystems, VA Linux, Intel and Trilogy.

Posted by: louis vuitton at Aug 18, 2010 5:30:00 AM

Mike Chan is a Senior Product Manager for Forefront Server Security. Previously, he worked on Internet Explorer 7.0 and security for Windows Vista including Windows Defender. Mike has spent most of his career at Microsoft over the past 7 years on projects such as ISA Server 2004, VPN, and security update management. Previous to Microsoft, he was a developer at various companies including Sun Microsystems, VA Linux, Intel and Trilogy.~~~

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