Description

It can be difficult to determine what value to use for Exchange Connection Points when Enterprise Vault (EV) targets Exchange 2013 or later, and typically with hybrid Exchange (2010 & 2013, or 2016 & 2016, for examples).

As stated in EV documentation, the common value to use would be the subject name of a cert pointing either to an Exchange server, or a device that load balances for Exchange.  A common name like this might look like

mail.company.com 

msstd: mail.company.com

Even using autodiscover is a common practice, with the directory for that resembling:

autodiscover.company.com/autodiscover/autodiscover.xml

However, when testing with either of the above as Exchange Connection Points, and the EV archiving tasks are unable to resolve the system mailboxes, an alternative must be used.  In that scenario, it is worth investigating how Outlook on the EV server can connect to the system mailbox.

A good method for this is to view Outlook's Test E-mail Autoconfiguration log. Follow this example below.  First gain access to the option for Test E-mail AutoConfigruation option by holding Ctrl and Shift, while right-clicking the Outlook icon in the system tray as seen here:

In this example, a mail profile was configured to open up the EV archiving task's system mailbox.  When viewing the Test AutoConfgiuration module, and swapping to the Log tab, the following is seen:

Notice, the default Autodiscover URL fails.  However, when specifically asking for Autodiscover on another Exchange server, it resolves and opens the session to the system mailbox. 

Thus, in this scenario, utilizing the FQDN of that alternate Exchange server from above (whose hostname begins with "aps" as shown) as an Exchange Connection Point allowed the archiving task to work.

The idea behind this is to force EV to use the same connection points as Outlook is forced to use.  It also indicates there's a general problem with Autodiscover in the environment, but for the purposes of having EV archiving work with it as it is, this is a good method to investigate what will work and what will not.