Microsoft Exchange: Directory Search Base

Directory Search Base

The Directory Search Base is the point from which you start your LDAP query within the Active Directory structure.

For Example a user may exist in a child domain user1@child.parent.com and a second user in user2@child2.parent.com

To crawl accounts in both children we need to use a Directory Search Base of:

DC=parent,DC=com

However if we were only interested in users in child2, we could use Directory Search Base:

DC=child2,DC=parent,DC=com

From an Exchange server or a Domain Controller, your administrator can run this Powershell command to find your Directory Search Base:

(Get-ADDomain).DistinguishedName

Sample Result

DC=child2,DC=parent,DC=com

Your administrator can find the Directory Search Base for a specified mail account:

(Get-ADUser [UserName]).DistinguishedName

Sample Results

CN=My User,OU=My Users,DC=child2,DC=parent,DC=com