How to search Exchange Public Folder using SharePoint Search

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SharePoint 2010 Search can search multiple location. One of those location/content source is Exchange Public Folders.

This article talks about steps that are required to search public folders in Exchange 2007 SP2 or later (which includes Exchange 2010).

Step1: To get the URL of Public Folder do the following:(assuming that you have already created public folder)

  • Open Exchange OWA.
  • Click on Public Folders in the Folder list of your mailbox.
  • Right Click on the Public Folder you want SharePoint to index and choose open in New Window
  • Copy entire URL of the Public Folder in the clipboard.

Step2: Go to Central Administration-> Click on Manage Service Application under Application Management.

Step3: Highlight Search Service Application in the list of Service Application. Then click manage.

Step4: Under Crawling, click on Crawl Rules. Click on New Crawl Rule.

  • Paste the Public Folder URL in the Path.
  • Choose "Match Case"
  • Under Crawl Configuration, choose Include all in this path and then choose "Crawl complex URL (URLs that contain a question mark -?)
  • Under Specify Authentication click on Use the default content access account.
  • Click OK

Step5: Click on content source under crawling -> New Content Source. Give it a name and then choose Exchange Public Folders. In the start address paste the Public Folder URL.

Step6:Under Crawl Settings choose "Crawl everything that comes under the hostname".

Step7: Set the Crawl schedule according to your convenience. In the content source priority choose normal.

Step8:  Under Start Full Crawl, check it.

Step9: click OK

And its done!!!...

Next time do you a search for content in public folder it will be visible in the search results. (If you have atleast READ permission on the public folder :) )