AutoDiscover with Office 365 and Exchange

Exchange and Office 365 provide the ability for e-mail clients to automatically connect to the server. Users only have to enter their e-mail address and password. By properly configuring DNS and Exchange / Office 365, all other data, such as server name and security settings, will be automatically transmitted.



The AutoDiscover feature in Exchange and Office 365 is based on correctly set DNS servers. In the internal network, there is also the possibility to make some adjustments with the Internet Information Services (IIS). A key area when using AutoDiscover in Office 365 and Exchange is the correct configuration of the certificates .Administrators should make sure that the certificates and their certificate authorities used are accepted by all client devices. In some cases, there may be problems when using placeholders (*) in certificates. When administrators on the Exchange server call the Internet Information Services Manager on the internal network with the client access role, they see a virtual folder named Autodiscover below the default Web page (Figure 1)Active Directory defines which Exchange servers provide AutoDiscover information for clients. Microsoft calls this service a service connection point. Administrators can best view the settings in the Active Directory Sites and Services snap-in . To do this, the Show service node command must be activated in the View menu From Microsoft Exchange / <Organization> / Administrative Groups / Exchange Administrative Group / Servers / <Server Name> / Protocols / Autodiscover, you can see the Exchange servers on the right side. On the Attribute Editor tab, you can call up information in the properties.

- Figure 3: Internally, AutoDiscover information can also be viewed in the Exchange Management Shell.

- Figure 3: Internally, AutoDiscover information can also be viewed in the Exchange Management Shell. (Image: Microsoft)

Administrators can also view the autodiscover settings in the Exchange Management Shell. It uses the Get-AutodiscoverVirtualDirectory command . You can also use the Get-ClientAccessServer | fl cmdlet to display information about autodiscover. To do this, the Get-ClientAccessServer | fl AutoDiscover * command is usedConfiguration in the Internet and without domain connection

Clients that are not part of the domain or connect from the Internet can also use AutoDiscover. In this case, settings are used on the domain's DNS servers. Outlook and Smartphones / Tablet use the domain's DNS record in the email address. The client attempts to connect remotely over HTTPS using the following URLs: https: // autodiscover. <Domain name> /autodiscover/autodiscover.xml and https: // <DNS name of E-mail domain> /autodiscover/autodiscover.xml .

To allow clients from the Internet to connect to the mailbox, the server name must be resolved. This means that administrators must create DNS records in the DNS zone or public DNS servers for the zone for AutoDiscover to work. If companies deploy multiple SMTP addresses in the enterprise, administrators must create an SRV record for auto discovery in each zone. On external DNS servers, the entry should consist of the following data:Service: _autodiscover,
  • Protocol: _tcp,
  • Port Number: 443,
  • Host: External DNS name for access.
In some cases, users may receive an error message when using AutoDiscover. This is due to the forwarding of an HTTP request to an HTTPS address. The problem occurs especially with clients with Outlook 2010/2013. In this case, it is best if a registry entry is changed on the clients. Microsoft describes the problem and its solution in the Microsoft Knowledgebase .