OWA URL change. HOW???

[amanuel]

hi, everyone,
I would like my OWA URL to be http:\\mail.domain.com instead of http:\\mail.domain.com\echange

How can I do that? I know it's an IIS config, but what exactly do I do?

 

[wfbtr]

this is from the Exchange Server 2003 Administration Guide:

Simplifying the Outlook Web Access URL

The HTTP virtual server that is created by Exchange during installation has the following URLs for user access:
·

http://server_name/public

This URL provides access to public folders.
·

http://server_name/exchange/mailbox_name

This URL provides access to mailboxes.
However, users frequently request that a URL that is simpler than the default URL be made available for accessing their mailboxes. Creating this simple URL makes the URL both easier to remember and easier to enter into a Web browser. For example,

http://www.contoso1.com

is an easier URL for users to remember than

http://contosoexchange01/exchange.

The following procedure provides a method for simplifying the URL that is used to access Outlook Web Access. This procedure configures a request sent to the root directory of the Web server (

http://server_name/)

to redirect to the Exchange virtual directory. For example, a request to

http://server_name/

is directed to

http://server_name/exchange/,

which then triggers implicit logon.
To simplify the Outlook Web Access URL
1. Using Internet Services Manager, open the properties for the Default Web Site.
2. Click the Home Directory tab, and then select A redirection to a URL.
3. In Redirect to, type /directory name, and then click A directory below URL entered.
For example, if you want to redirect

http://mail/

requests to

http://mail/exchange,

in Redirect to, you would type /exchange.
4. To require users to use SSL, in Redirect to, type

https://mail/directory

name, and then click The exact URL above option.
This setting hard codes the name of the server. Therefore, if you redirect client requests to

https://mail,

the client must be able to resolve the name "mail."
For information about another method for redirecting clients to SSL, see Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 279681, "How to Force SSL Encryption for an Outlook Web Access 2000 Client" (

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=279681).

 

[amanuel]

Worked like a charm. Thanks!

 

[wfbtr]

you're welcome.
would you know how to change the website url from //servername.domain.com to //mail.domain.com ?

i think i need to do this step first- then redirect it leaving off the "exchange".
thanks.

 

[amanuel]

yes, sir.
what i did was just create a CNAME entry in dns and that took care of that part.
you can do it both interanally and externally.

 

[wfbtr]

thanks. that did the trick.
have you done the forcing of ssl? when i tried forcing it, for some strange reason the url automatically dumps me into the administrator mailbox, even without a username and password. then i tried the redirecting url in that kb article above. it doesn't redirect the http: url.

 

[AndyPeck]

This may point you in the right direction with regards to redirect http to https

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;555053&Product=exch2003