XADM: How to Set up the Anonymous Posting Service

• Microsoft Exchange Server, version 4.0

SUMMARY

The Anonymous Posting service will allow you to have users post anonymous submissions to a Microsoft Exchange Public Folder (PF). This article describes the steps necessary to set up the Anonymous Posting service.

MORE INFORMATION

The following steps are required to set up the Anonymous Posting service:

1. Create a Windows NT service account. Make sure that you grant this account the Logon as a Service privilege. In addition, make sure that this account is a member of the ADMIN group. If this account does not have administrative privileges, you will receive the following error:

         Could not start the Anonymous Posting Service on \\<Computer Name>.
         Error 1069: The Service did not start due to a Logon Failure.
   

2. Create a mailbox named Anonymous. Set the Primary Windows NT Account for the mailbox to the user account created in step 1. At this point, make sure to note the following settings of the Mailbox:

         Organization Name
         Home site
         Directory Name (Advanced Tab for the Mailbox)
   

3. Create the anonymous PF:

       A. Create the PF from a Microsoft Exchange client.
       B. Open the folder properties and select Permissions.
       C. Add the Anonymous mailbox to the permissions list with the Editor
          Role.
       D. Select to the Administration tab and select the folder assistant.
       E. Add a rule, select FROM, choose the anonymous mailbox, and click OK.
       F. Choose FORWARD TO, select the anonymous mailbox, and choose OK.
       G. In the folder assistant dialog box, click Edit Rule, and then click
          Delete.
       H. Click the advanced button, check the box labeled Only Items That Do
          not Match These Conditions, and Click OK.
       I. Close all remaining open dialog boxes.
   

4. Copy the Anonymous Posting service files from the Microsoft Exchange Server CD to a directory on your hard drive where you want to run the service from. These files are located in the following location:

         \Setup\<platform>\sampapps\server\anon.
   

5. Install the files necessary for the Anonymous Posting service. Do this by running the Instanon.exe program that you copied in step 4. You will need to enter the information that you wrote down when you created the Anonymous mailbox. Choose OK to install the service.

6. Make sure that the Anonymous Posting account has the following rights in the Microsoft Exchange permissions context:

   - In the site object, the Anonymous Posting account needs at least the

        Administrator role.
   

   - In the Organization object the Anonymous Posting account also needs

        at least the Administrator role.
   

7. To test the Anonymous folder, start a Microsoft Exchange client, go to the Anonymous public folder, and compose a new post in this forum. Type in a message and post the message.

8. If the Anonymous Posting service is not running, you will be able to post a message with no errors, but the message will not appear in the PF until the service is restarted.

   ARTICLE-ID: Q145923
   TITLE     : XADM: How to Send Mail with the "Anonymous" Sender Name