One of the most common questions I'm asked is if we have any resources that document the default settings for the Exchange-related virtual directories in Exchange 2007 - specifically with regards to the authentication and SSL settings. This aims to address that need should you find yourself in a situation where these settings have been inadvertently modified with the end result being an undesirable behavior in Exchange 2007. These settings hold true for both Exchange 2007 RTM and Service Pack 1.
We begin with the default settings on a standalone Client Access Server, followed by the settings on a standalone Mailbox server:
| Exchange 2007 Client Access Server |
| Location | Authentication | SSL Setting | Comments |
| Default Web Site | Anonymous | Required | "Enable HTTP Keep-Alives" setting should be enabled on Web Site tab |
| /Owa | Basic | Required | Management of authentication setting should be done in Exchange Management Console |
| /Exchange | Basic | Required | Management of authentication setting should be done in Exchange Management Console |
| /Public | Basic | Required | Management of authentication setting should be done in Exchange Management Console |
| /Exchweb | Basic | Required | Management of authentication setting should be done in Exchange Management Console |
| /Oab | Integrated | Not required | |
| /Autodiscover | Basic and Integrated | Required | |
| /Ews | Integrated | Required | |
| /UnifiedMessaging | Integrated | Required | |
| /Microsoft-Server-Activesync | Basic | Required | Management of authentication setting should be done in Exchange Management Console |
| /Rpc | Basic and Integrated | Required | Technically, this is a Windows component but I've added it here since Outlook Anywhere depends on the installation of this virtual directory |
| Exchange 2007 Mailbox Server |
| Location | Authentication | SSL Setting | Comments |
| Default Web Site | Anonymous | Not required | |
| /Exadmin | Basic and Integrated | Not required | |
| /Exchange | Basic and Integrated | Not required | Management of authentication setting should be done in Exchange Management Console |
| /Public | Basic and Integrated | Not required | Management of authentication setting should be done in Exchange Management Console |
- Joe Turick