Content indexing in Exchange 2003 has been replaced with a more formal Exchange Search service. The Search Indexing Service shows up in Task Manager as Microsoft.Exchange.Search.ExSearch.exe. Microsoft Search (Exchange) is listed as msftesql.exe. The entire information stores are indexed by default, both messages and attachments, where possible. Indexes are updated dynamically, and not dependent on some static schedule. New content is added to the index as soon as possible after arrival.

Outlook Web Access search queries filter the index right on the Exchange Mailbox server using Exchange Search.

Outlook 2007 Instant Search uses the Windows Desktop Search component which is included in Vista and a downloadable application for Windows XP. Instant Search maintains a local index on the client and indexes .pst and .ost file content. But what if Outlook is in Online Mode and therefore not using an .ost? Well certainly, the client does not reach into the Exchange store and attempt to maintain a local index of the mailbox stored on the server. Searches executed in Outlook 2007 in Online Mode use Exchange Search. In order to search the content of attachments, Outlook 2007 Online Mode must be used.

Windows Mobile Devices can execute searches on the server as well when using Exchange Activesync. Searches are performed locally on the device and in the mailbox on the server returning results through Activesync.

Exchange Search service reports issues to the Application Event Log. You can verify that Exchange Search is functioning through the Exchange Management Shell as follows:

[PS] c:>Test-ExchangeSearch

To run this cmdlet, the administrator needs to be a local admin on the Exchange server being queried and a member of the Exchange Administrators Group. This cmdlet creates a unique message and attachment in a mailbox and tells Exchange Search to find it. By default, the System Attendant mailbox is used, but the -Identity parameter allows the administrator to assign a mailbox to test against. Other parameters allow specific Domain Controllers be used or certain Exchange Servers with the mailbox role installed. By default, the local Exchange Server is used when the cmdlet is run on Exchange. The administrator can also tell the test how long to wait between creating the test message and searching for it. This value is assigned using the -IndexingTimeout parameter and helps test the timeliness of the dynamic Indexing process. The output for this cmdlet is very simple and indicates either a search success or failure within the timeout period. Figure 1 shows a successful test.

Note: You need Exchange 2007 Update Rollup #3 or higher to execute Test-ExchangeSearch against remote Exchange servers in other domains in the forest. See MS KB 936337.

Articles that may interest you:

Is 'Make a new profile' the new 'Format C:'?

Searching Outlook's Calendar

Partial Word Searches in Outlook 2010

Disabling Network Popups

Last reviewed on Mar 28, 2012