Introduction to Removing Transporter Suite

When using MS Transporter Suite for Directory Sync and Free Busy there can be instances when you need to use the product on a different Exchange 2007 Hub Transport Server, which might be in a different AD Site.   This could be because you are having technical issues with that server.  You may need to remove the Microsoft Transporter Suite completely.  You may have already configured a new Directory Connector and a new Free Busy Connector (on HUB_Server_A).   If you install the MS Transporter Suite on the new Hub Transport Server (HUB_Server_B), you will see the two Connectors that you have already installed.

However, if HUB_Server_A requires removing or re-installing, then these Connectors will drop off the MS Transporter Console on HUB_Server_B.   This is because, although the configuration appears as if it is shared, each Connector is “owned” by the Hub Transport Server that it is first configured.

If you break out to the Transporter Shell and run the command:

get-dominodirectoryconnector

You will see that one field shows which server is the owner.

The equivalent command for the Free Busy Connector is:

get-dominofreebusyconnector

One approach, and probably the most reliable, is to take screen shots of your configurations, and remove the Transporter Connectors from the Transporter Console off HUB_Server_A.   Then run the get-dominodirectoryconnector  and get-dominofreebusyconnector  commands from the Transporter Shell to ensure they have been cleaned up.    Then wait for AD replication to take place.  Next check in the Transporter Console on HUB_Server_B and the two Connectors should have been removed.  Also check using the Transporter Shell using the same commands as listed above to ensure that they have gone.

I have seen scenarios where the Connectors are not showing in the Transporter Console, but are showing from the Transporter Shell.   This will prevent any new Connectors from being added to the Transporter Console, as you will get an error saying an instance of the Connector already exists.  No matter how many times you remove and re-install the MS Transporter application, the situation will remain.

You will need to try the following Transporter Shell command from the Exchange 2007 Hub Transport Server:  (make sure you are Enterprise Admin to do this)

remove-dominodirectoryconnector -identity “<enter name of connector here>”

Get the name of the Connector(s) from the information presented by the following Transporter Shell commands:

get-dominodirectoryconnector

If you get really stuck then you can use the following Transporter Shell commands to set any missing attributes, such as the “Name” field.  I have seen instances where this value has become dropped, and this is preventing the Connectors removal.

set-dominodirectoryconnector -Name “<enter the name here>”

Microsoft provide a full reference to the command parameters for the above.

The last resort, if the above steps do not help, is to remove any required instances of the Directory Connector and/or the Free Busy Connector, by using ADSIEDIT from a Windows 2003 domain member server.  You need to be logged in with sufficient rights, and always test in a lab environment first.  Navigate to the Configuration container, then locate the Exchange Administrative Group, then locate the Routing Group container.  This will contain the connector instances related to the Transporter Connectors described here.  Be very careful when deleting the required connector from here – as there is no restore path.  Wait for AD replication.   Then you should be able to create the connector from new again.   This has saved me a few times when some of the connector attributes have been dropped or been corrupted.

Conclusion on Removing Transporter Suite

This information should provide enough clues to removing Transporter Suite. The product works well for the DirSync and FreeBusy functions, but is certainly prone to error if you have to start removing it from a Hub Transport Server onto another, especially in a different AD Site.   Watch out for AD replication as well – always ensure it has taken place before making any further changes.  However, it is free!