RoutingMasterDN is pointing to the Deleted Objects container in Active Directory

The other a client noticed the following errors in the Application Event Log in their Exchange 2013 server:

Log Name: Application
Source: MSExchange ADAccess
Date: 3/8/2016 9:44:27 AM
Event ID: 2937
Task Category: Validation
Level: Warning
Keywords: Classic
User: N/A
Computer: xxxxxxxxxxx
Description:
Process edgetransport.exe (Transport) (PID=32144). Object [CN=Exchange Routing Group (DWBGZMFD01QNBJR),CN=Routing Groups,CN=Exchange Administrative Group (FYDIBOHF23SPDLT),CN=Administrative Groups,CN=xxxxxx,CN=Microsoft Exchange,CN=Services,CN=Configuration,DC=xxxxx,DC=xxxxx]. Property [RoutingMasterDN] is set to value [xxxxxxxx
DEL:67729122-b25b-4d4c-b5b0-75ad9e9dacd4], it is pointing to the Deleted Objects container in Active Directory. This property should be fixed as soon as possible.


To correct this problem, we need to use ADSI Edit and navigate to CN=Connections:

In here, right click CN=Exchange Routing Group (DWBGZMFD01QNBJR), go to its properties and find the msExchRoutingMasterDN:

In this particular case, this attribute was pointing to an old Exchange 2010 server that had already been decommissioned. Once I corrected this, and restarted the Transport services, the error went away.

What are Arbitration Mailboxes used for?

Arbitration Mailboxes were first introduced in Exchange 2010, but many administrators still do not fully understand what each arbitration mailbox is used for. In Exchange 2010 there were three arbitration mailboxes and in Exchange 2013 two new ones were introduced (2016 has the same as 2013):

 

SystemMailbox{1f05a927-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxxxxxxxxxx} moderates messages, i.e., it is used for managing approval workflow. For example, an arbitration mailbox is used for handling moderated recipients and distribution group membership approval. The display name for this account is Microsoft Exchange Approval Assistant and is available since Exchange 2010.

SystemMailbox{bb558c35-97f1-4cb9-8ff7-d53741dc928c} is used in the Offline Address Book (OAB) generation process. This arbitration mailbox, with persisted capability of OrganizationCapabilityOABGen, is called an Organization Mailbox. Administrators can create additional Organization Mailboxes for fault tolerance or for serving users in a geographically disbursed Exchange deployment. As such, to list the arbitration mailboxes with persisted capability of OABGen, user the following cmdlet: Get-Mailbox -Arbitration | Where {$_.PersistedCapabilities -match “oab”}. This mailbox is new in Exchange 2013.

SystemMailbox{e0dc1c29-89c3-4034-b678-e6c29d823ed9} holds administrator audit log reports and stores in-place e-discovery search metadata. The display name for this account is Microsoft Exchange. This mailbox is available since Exchange 2010.

FederatedEmail.4c1f4d8b-8179-4148-93bf-00a95fa1e042 is used for federation between different Exchange organizations and is available since Exchange 2010. Its display name is Microsoft Exchange Federation Mailbox.

Migration.8f3e7716-2011-43e4-96b1-aba62d229136, new in Exchange 2013, holds details of mailboxes being moved in migration batches.