How to use the Microsoft Exchange Troubleshooting Assistant (ExTra) to troubleshoot RPC Client Access issues

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I often ask customers to use ExTra to troubleshoot RPC Client Access issues.  Rather then write this over and over again, here are the steps for using ExTra to troubleshoot a RPC Client Access issue.

    1. On the CAS Server that the MAPI client is connecting to run the following at the command prompt: ExTra.  This will launch the Microsoft Exchange Troubleshooting Assistant (ExTra).
    2. Select 'Go to the Welcome Screen'
    3. Select 'Select a Task'
    4. Select 'Trace Control'
    5. Accept the prompt which says that the server does not have the module needed for interpreting traces.  This is basically saying that you will need to hand off the resulting binary trace log file to a support professional from Microsoft for analysis.
    6. Select a file location.
    7. Enter a file name.
    8. Select the type of tracing needed to be 'Select trace tags manually'
    9. Select the 'Set manual trace tags'
    10. Select all the trace types (e.g. PFD, Fatal, Error, Warning, Debug, etc)
    11. Select the following components and trace tags:
Component to Trace Trace Tag Comments

MapiNet

tagCnctConnect

 

MapiNet

tagDiagnosticContext

 

MapiNet

tagError

 

MapiNet

tagInformation

 

MapiNet

tagMostError

 

MapiNet

tagLocation

 

MapiNet

MapiStore

 

MapiProvider

LogonStatistics

 

MapiProvider

MapiSession

 

RpcClientAccess

ConnectRpc

 

RpcClientAccess

ConnectXrop

(If available)

RpcClientAcesss

FailedRop

 

RpcClientAcesss

FailedRpc

 

RpcClientAcesss

FailedXrop

(If available)

RpcClientAcesss

Logon

 
  1. Optional: If you would like to filter the tracing to a specific mailbox enter the mailbox in the 'mailbox trace filtering options' section.
  2. Select 'Start Tracing'. Wait until you see 'Tracing is currently on..." before continuing to the next step.
  3. Once tracing has started take the steps necessary to reproduce the problem you are having with your MAPI client.
  4. Once the error has happened in the MAPI Client go back to the ExTra application and choose 'Stop tracing'
  5. Navigate to the binary trace log file location and send the file to your support professional for analysis.