How to create an offline address list that contains a filtered copy of the global address list

This article describes how to create an offline address list that contains a filtered copy of the global address list. Users working offline can use the offline address list in hosted environments.

An offline address list is a set of address lists contained in files that are created and stored on an offline address list server. Users that work offline can connect to an Exchange 2000 Server computer and download offline address lists remotely to obtain information about other users in the organization.

When you create an offline address list, the specified address lists are converted to a single data file and stored in a public folder. When users download the offline address list, this data file is used as the source of information.

Offline address lists normally contain at least one address list that represents the global address list. Users working offline can use this global address list with Messaging Application Programming Interface (MAPI) e-mail clients.

If you want to create an offline address list with a filtered copy of the global address list, you must actually use Address Lists instead of the Global Address lists. If you create an offline address list that contains any global address list, whether that global address list is filtered or not, the users download the largest global address list. Instead, you should create an address list with the same filter as your filtered global address list, and use that address list in your offline address list. To create an offline address list that contains a filtered copy of the global address list:

1.	Identify a unique attribute for each hosted organization. Address lists are built by using Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) filters. To ensure that the appropriate hosted organization appears in a particular address list, identify an Active Directory attribute that is unique to all the recipients in the organization, including users, groups, and contacts. For example, company or userPrincipalName.
2.	Create a global address list: a. Click Start, point to Programs, point to Microsoft Exchange, and then click System Manager. b. Expand the Recipients branch in the left pane, right-click All Global Address Lists, point to New, and then click Global Address List. NOTE: To expand a branch, double-click the branch or click the plus sign (+) to the left of the branch. c. Type a name for the global address list, and then click Filter Rules. d. In the Find box, select Custom Search. e. Click the Advanced tab, specify an LDAP filter that identifies all the recipients in the hosted organization, and then click OK. For example, specify an LDAP filter where userPrincipalName is equal to *@domain.com, where domain is the name of your domain. f. Click Finish. g. Right-click the new global address list, and then click Properties. h. Click the Security tab, and then click Advanced. i. In the list of permissions, select the item with the name Authenticated Users and the permission Open Address List, and then click Remove. j. Click Add, and then type the name of the group that contains all the users in the hosted organization. k. In the Apply onto box, select This object only, and then under Open Address List, click to select the Allow permission check box. l. Click OK, click OK again, and then click OK again.
3.	Create an address list that is a copy of the global address list: a. In Exchange System Manager, expand the Recipients branch in the left pane, right-click All Address Lists, point to New, and then click Address List. NOTE: To expand a branch, double-click the branch or click the plus sign (+) to the left of the branch. b. Type a name for the address list, and then click Filter Rules. c. In the Find box, select Custom Search. d. Click the Advanced tab, specify an LDAP filter that identifies all the recipients in the hosted organization, and then click OK. Specify the same LDAP filter that you specified in step 2e. e. Click Finish. f. Right-click the new address list, and then click Properties. g. Click the Security tab, and then click Advanced. h. In the list of permissions, select the item with the name Authenticated Users and the permission Open Address List, and then click Remove. i. Click Add, and then type the name of the group that contains all the users in the hosted organization. j. In the Apply onto box, select This object only, and then under Open Address List, click to select the Allow permission check box. k. Click OK, click OK again, and then click OK again.
4.	Create an offline address list: a. In Exchange System Manager, expand the Recipients branch in the left pane, right-click Offline Address Lists, point to New, and then click Offline Address List. NOTE: To expand a branch, double-click the branch or click the plus sign (+) to the left of the branch. b. Type a name for the address list. c. Click Browse, select the Exchange 2000 Server computer that you want to use for creating and storing the offline address list, click OK, and then click Next. d. Remove any address lists that are already selected to be included in the offline address list. To remove an address list, select it, and then click Remove. NOTE: It is important that there are no global address lists in the offline address list. e. Specify that the address list created in step three should be included in the offline address list, and then click Next. To add an address list, click Add, select the address list to include, click Add, and then click OK. NOTE: Do not add the global address list created in step two. Only create the address list created in step three. f. If a message is displayed that indicates that the offline address list will not be available immediately, click Next. g. Verify that the information displayed is correct, and then click Finish.
5.	Update the new filtered offline address list: a. In Exchange System Manager, expand the Recipients branch. b. Click the Offline Address Lists branch one time. c. In the right pane, right-click the new filtered offline address list, and then click Rebuild.
6.	Associate the new filtered offline address list with a mailbox information store: a. In Exchange System Manager, expand the Administrative Groups branch. b. Expand First Administrative Group. c. Expand the Servers branch. d. Expand the server branch that you want to change. e. Expand the Storage Groups branch. f. Right-click the private mailbox information store that you want to use, and then click Properties. g. On the General tab under Offline Address List, click Browse, click the new filtered offline address list, and then click OK.