Automate Exchange Mailbox Creation for New Users

Using Adaxes it is possible to automate the creation of Exchange mailboxes for Active Directory users. Exchange mailboxes can be automatically created after an Active Directory user is created, modified, or when the state of the user account is changed. In this tutorial you will learn how to configure Adaxes to automatically create Exchange mailboxes for newly created AD users.

To automate the creation of Exchange mailboxes, you need to create a Business Rule that will be executed after a new user account is created in Active Directory.

Launch Adaxes Administration Console, right-click your Adaxes service, point to New and click Business Rule . The Create Business Rule wizard will open.

Enter the name for the new Business Rule and click Next.

Here you need to specify when the new Business Rule must be executed. As we want to create Exchange mailboxes after a new user is created in Active Directory, do the following:

• Select User in the Object Type list.
• Select After in the Operation section.
• Select Creating a User in the Operation section and click Next.

At the next step, you need to specify what the Business Rule will do when a new user is created. To create Exchange mailboxes, the Business Rule must execute the 'Create an Exchange mailbox for the User' action.

• Click the Add Action link.
• In the dialog that opens, select the Create an Exchange mailbox for the User action.
• In the Alias field, specify a template for generation of aliases for new mailboxes.
• In the Allowed mailbox stores list, select the mailbox databases that can be used by this Business Rule action to create new mailboxes.
• In the How to select a mailbox store drop-down list, specify how the Business Rule action will choose which mailbox database to use for each new mailbox.
• Click OK.

Optionally, you may want the new Business Rule to create mailboxes only if certain conditions are met. For example, to create a mailbox only if a new user is created under a specific OU, perform the following steps:

• Select the action/condition set (click the created action to highlight the set) and click the Add Condition icon.
• In the dialog that opens, select the If located under <location> condition type.
• In the Condition Parameters section, click Select Location and choose an OU or container.
• Click OK.

It is also possible to create mailboxes in different mailbox stores based on the user's location, department, first letter of user last name (alphabetically), etc. For this purpose, click the Add action to a new set link and repeat steps 4 and 5 for the mailbox stores you need.

When finished, click Next.

Here, at the Activity Scope page you need to specify where in Active Directory a user must be created to trigger this Business Rule. Click Add.

In the Business Rule Activity Scope dialog that opens, you need to specify the Active Directory locations where the Business Rule will be effective. Select one of the following items:

• All Objects - select if you want this Business Rule to be executed when a user is created in any AD domain managed by the Adaxes service.
  
  
• Specific Domain - select if you want this Business Rule to be executed when a user is created in the AD domain you specify.
  
  
• OU or Container - select if you want this Business Rule to be executed only when a new user is created under the selected OU or container.

Select the item you need and click Add. When finished, click OK.

The specified activity scope items will be displayed in the Assignments list. Click Finish.

If you also want to automatically adjust mailbox settings, see Automate Exchange Mailbox Configuration.

Now, when the Business Rule is complete, every time a new user is created in AD (no matter in which way - using Administration Console, Web Interface, during data import, via PowerShell scripts, etc.), Adaxes will automatically create an Exchange mailbox for this user.