How to Configure Message Tracking in Exchange Server 2007

Message tracking logs all the SMTP related activities of all messages that are transferred to and from an Exchange Server 2007. Exchange Server 2007 still has Message Tracking feature, just like in Exchange Server 2000 and Exchange Server 2003, but with few differences. First change is that Message Tracking can only be configured from the PowerShell, not from the Exchange System Manager (ESM). Another important change is that message tracking can only be configured on Exchange Servers 2007 with Mailbox, Hub Transport or Edge Transport roles which means we cannot configure message tracking on Client Access or Unified Messaging servers.

Message tracking is enabled by default in Exchange Server 2007 on Mailbox, Hub Transport and Edge Transport servers.

Get-MailboxServer SERVERNAME | fl *messagetracking*

Run below command to disable message tracking:-

Set-TransportServer SERVERNAME -MessageTrackingLogEnabled $false

To re-enable the message tracking:-

Set-TransportServer SERVERNAME -MessageTrackingLogEnabled $true

 Default location of message tracking log files:-

\Program Files\Microsoft\Exchange Server\TransportRoles\Logs\MessageTracking.

Command to change the location of log file:-

Set-TransportServer SERVERNAME -MessageTrackingLogPath LOGPATH

Example:-

Set-TransportServer E2K7 -MessageTrackingLogPath "C:\LogFiles"

Note: After changing the log files location, existing log files will remain in the original location. And new location can never be a network (UNC) path.

The default size of log file is 250MB, which means if log files size exceeds 250MB, then oldest log files will be deleted.

Set-TransportServer E2K7 -MessageTrackingLogMaxDirectorySize 500MB

Set-TransportServer E2K7 -MessageTrackingLogMaxFileSize 5MB

In Exchange Server 2007, log files have an age limit of 30 days by default.

Set-TransportServer SERVERNAME -MessageTrackingLogMaxAge DD.HH:MM:SS

Unlike Exchange Server 2000 and 2003, Exchange Server 2007 enables subject logging by default. Same can be disabled with the below command:-

Set-TransportServer SERVERNAME -MessageTrackingLogSubjectLoggingEnabled $false