EXIFS Access to Alternate PF Trees in Exchange 2003

by Daniel Petri - January 8, 2009
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In Exchange 2000, how can I provide access to Alternate Public Folder Trees via EXIFS?

Although Exchange 2003 allows multiple Public Folder roots (Create new PF Tree on Exchange 2003), current Outlook clients don't, so you can't display these other structures in Outlook. However, you can view them via the Web with the following format:

http://exchange server/public folder root

or via EXIFS (virtual drive M) just like you'd look at any shared folder on the network.

Exchange Server 2003 does not expose drive M by default. In order to access Alternate PF Trees via EXIFS in Exchange Server 2003 you'll need to re-create drive M. In order to re-create drive M on Exchange Server 2003 follow instructions on the Restore the M Drive Mapping in Exchange 2003 page. This will re-create drive M for you.

After restoring drive M, to make your PF available via EXIFS do the following:

1. On your Exchange server open Windows Explorer and go to your M:\ drive.
2. Drill down to your new Public Folder Tree.
3. Right click it and choose Sharing.
4. Share it with any name you want, and give it the proper share access control permissions.

Note: You can also share any sub-folder you want. You do not have to share the PF Tree itself if you don't want to.

1. Click OK and see if it's visible through Network Neighborhood or through a NET SHARE command on the server. Users will be able to access this new PF like it was a regular shared folder on the server.

Note: This method of sharing Public Folders also works for the Default (MAPI) Public Folder tree and all of it's subfolders.