Using RestoreShortcutBody for EV http to https change

Hi

To change an existing EV server from the default http to https will require a number of things - firstly I need to change it in the EV site properties, then I need to change IIS and finally I need to run the RestoreShortcutBody for all mailbox users.

The EV environment is currently running EV11.0.1 having been upgraded periodically over the years from the initial install on EV7. It;s just a single EV server doing Exchange mailbox archiving only for about 1500 mailboxes. Retention category is for 7 years and storage expiry is enabled.

I get how the users shortcuts will fail as soon as the https change is made but not entirely sure how the RestoreShortcutBody registry setting detects that the https change has taken place and update all the existing shortcuts - but I'll assume it gets the infromation somehow (from the setting in the EVsite properties I guess).

But is it the case that I just need to update the registry setting on the EV server and EV will then proceed to make the https changes in the shortcuts without any further prompting?

Secondly I also understand there is a big impact when RestoreShortcutBody runs on both the EV server and the Exchange servers as new shortcuts mean new messages written to every single users mailbox...... and it's recommended to do this is batches by running shortcut processing on small numbers of mailboxes at a time.

I'm trying to determine a suitable strategy here that will cause the least end user impact and could do with some ideas if possible:

1) When I make the change to https then every user is impacted straight away - therefore to minimise this I need to restore the shortcut body as fast as possible.... so perhaps doing batches is not the best way forward and a big bang approach is better?

2) I'd like to pilot the process so can I make the change on a temp basis over a weekend for a couple of test mailboxes, run the restoreshortcutbody to make sure the procedures are working and then change it back before Monday morning? This would also give me a chance to review the impact on the application servers which the shortcut updates are being made so I can calculate the time to complete all the users etc.

3)Is there a way that EV and\or IIS can be configured to allow both http and https to be accepted when opening shortcuts so users that have not yet had the shortcuts updated will still be able to open archived items? I can then turn off http when all the users have been updated - just leaving https enabled?

4)If i do decide to go with a 'batches' approach I guess I need to reconfigure the scheduled tasks not to do shortcut processing when archiving items overnight as this will effectively apply the restoreshortcutbody setting to all the users anyway.

 

thanks in advance for any thoughts on how to approach this.