EV 8.0 Sp1 -Outlook plugin / Offline store

[PF]

Hi,

We have a few weird issues with EV 8.0 sp1 at the moment, specifically around domain controllers and Outlook plugin for EV.

We are running Outlook 2007 sp2 and the EV outlook client version 8.0 sp1. When you start outlook in the morning and run the following command NETSTAT | find /c "1025"  there is a number of connections to our domain contoller. around 4-6. Throughout the day, this remains the same.

However, if users leave their PC on over night, the next day the number of connections (from midnight local time to the PC) starts to increase. And the number of connections vary. No pattern yet.

One PC, by 9am will have 35 connections, the other 170. Some as high as 500.

If we hold down the control key and click on the outlook systray icon and choose Microsoft Exchange Connection Status the number of connections is not 35, or 170.. but between 4-6 however running netstat -b shows that all 170 connections are comming from outlook.

From the MS Exchange Connection Status window, if you click the Reconnect button the number of connections reported by netstat returns to normal. Same as if you exited outlook and restarted.

When we uninstall EV client, none of this occurs. On any PC!!!!  (and we've tried several).

So we are convinced that the EV client is making these connections to our DC, and not releasing them.

Anyone seen this or have any ideas?

Cheers


p.s Is there a white paper on how the offline store works?  Interestingly when I cleared my vaultcache on my PC, it has only downloaded 1900 items whereas I have 10,000 archived?  Limit set to 11GB ...so that shouldn't be an issue.

[MichelZ]

Hi PF

FIrst of all, SP2 is not yet supported in Enterprise Vault, have a look here:
ftp://exftpp.symantec.com/pub/support/products/Exchange_Mailbox_Archiving_Unit/276547.pdf

I had 2 Connections to the DC (netstat | find /c "1025") / 16 Connections (netstat .-b -> Outlook -> DC), running Outlook overnight. (Outlook 2007 SP1, EV8 SP1)
Exchange Connection Status has 8 Connections.

So maybe, this is really an Outlook SP2 issue?
Could you try with SP1?

Cheers

[PF]

Hi MichelZ,

This has happened with Office 2007, Office 2007 SP1 and now Office 2007 SP2. Also Windows XP Sp2 and Sp3.   Didn't happen with Office 2003 at all.

We've had Microsoft (we are a large organisation working with MS to showcase MS technologies in the legal realm - thus can get MS resouces quickly) guys do a site visit.

In their words, Office 2007 works completely differently to 2003. Many of there partners who develop outlook plug-ins have had to redevelop their plugins to work successfuly with Office 2007.

THey are confident that EV is the cause of the issue of creating connections to DC

[TonySterling]

Hey PF,

Do you have a case open with SYMC yet?  If not, highly recommend you do so and share the MSFT findings with them.

Regards,

[PF]

Hi Tony,

Not yet... we are still investigating... our current thought is that it is the pre-emptive storage is causing it....

So any thoughts.. happy to hear them.

[TonySterling]

I understand.  Personally, I wouldn't think pre-emptive would be causing it, but I have been wrong once or twice.  :)

When does your archive schedule kick in?

Also, what is the OS of your DC?

If this is causing you an issue SYMC is the best bet to isolate what the process and explain what is happening, they have the "keys" to code.

[John_Chisari]

 PF, when you log a case - can you ask for the hotfixed client for EV8 SP1 - think that may resolve your issue, the issue that was fixed was a memory leak due to Vault Cache trawl - you would only see the leak when Outlook is left open for long periods of time (like overnight), what you are describing may also be a side effect of the memory leak.

I tried to look for the hotfix on the external site, but don't think it has been published yet.

[Paul_Grimshaw]

So have you taken a look at the EV Client log and seen what happens between when you state the connections are low and when they are high. The only thing that I can think of is if you have got Vault Cache configured.

[PF]

Hi John and Paul,

Yes we have vault cache configured.

We spent most of the day looking through ev client logs and noticed that the TRAWL comment over and over and over again in the log almost corresponds to the increase in DC connections.   Interestingly the users which had smaller mailboxes created more DC connections (as it TRAWL through the MB qucker)  and larger mailboxes had less connections.

What we don't get is the TRAWL comment appears over and over and over again in the logs from UTC 14:00  to UTC 00:00 (or local time of 00:00 to 10:00)   I cannot see where those times correspond to any server settings (or desktop policy etc...)???

I'm going to raise a ticket asking for the hotfix.. the hotfix number would be handy :)  if you have the time!!

[Paul_Grimshaw]

Quote ETRACK Number 1591336 when logging the hotfix request.

[John_Chisari · Accepted solution]

Just had it published if you don't already have it - seer.entsupport.symantec.com/docs/325649.htm

[PF]

Ahh.. Thank you John for doing that!!!

I'll let you know how it goes!!!!

Justin

[TonySterling]

Hey Justin,
once you verify please mark the post as solved so others are pointed to the solution.

Cheers,

[PF]

Hello,

Quick update. Sorry for the delay.. I've not been around.

The hotfix did resolve some impressive memory leaks (over night my outlook would be up to 1.2GB of VM), however the hotfix didn't address the multiple DC connections.

I've raised a support call and they have reproduced inhouse. Now waiting for a patch to try.

I'll keep you posted.