Exchange 2003 SP2 and ContentFilter container and UCEArchive folder

One of the most frequent questions I have received over the past two weeks of Exchange 2003 SP2’s existance on this planet has been regarding IMF and a brief note in the Exchange 2003 SP2 release notes: “Do I have to create the ContentFilter container?” Just to be clear, here is the part from the release notes that everyone is referencing:

Because Intelligent Message Filter is included in Exchange Server 2003 SP2, it is no longer an add-on and, therefore, a container must be created within Active Directory® directory service as follows:

Cn=UCE Content Filter,cn=Message Delivery,cn=Global Settings,cn=cn=Microsoft Exchange,cn=Services,cn=configuration,dc=

So do you need it? Well, here is the skinny: Most likely not. I have put this procedure through all of my test platforms, all of my SBS boxes and I went from a virgin to SP2 and from SBS 2003 SP1 with Exchange 2003 SP1 to Exchange 2003 SP2 and the answer still seems to be no. I cannot, in all my tests, get IMF of Exchange to mulfunction without this container. As a matter of fact, the Exchange 2003 SP2 setup does not create this container if IMF does not exist. Furthermore, on Exchange 2003 SP1 with IMF that has been upgraded to SP2 (IMF uninstalled of course) there are no modifications made to the ContentFilter folder or any of its settings.

Remember that you need to uninstall IMF before you proceed with Exchange 2003 SP2 installation. But if you did not have IMF installed in the first place, you will get it with Exchange 2003 SP2. You do have to enable IMF by hand (by default it is disabled) but it will work fine without it at least on SBS 2003.

Should I create the UceArchive folder?

The answer to this one is no as well. If you have enabled IMF on Exchange 2003 SP2 and set the spam to be Archived this folder will be created when the first piece of SPAM is received by Exchange. This UceArchive folder is created in (assuming you are using the C: for Exchange):

C:\Program Files\Exchsrvr\Mailroot\vsi 1\UceArchive

Hope that answers some of the questions that have come up. As per our podcast on Exchange 2003 SP2 you need to evaluate SP2 carefully and roll it out once you are happy with what it has to offer. Remember that this patch is irreversible, so there is no “uninstall” short of full restore.