I've recently been dealing with a lot of old msExch attributes left in our Active Directory after we moved from on-prem Exchange to Exchange Online. Since we're running a hybrid AD system with Entra Connect Sync, there are some attributes we still need, but definitely not all of them. We're completely off on-prem Exchange now and I'm curious if anyone has a reliable list of which attributes to keep or remove. Also, are objects like contacts and public folders safe to delete?
3 Answers
In a hybrid setup, you should avoid cleaning up the msExch attributes because they are crucial for Entra Connect Sync. They may look unnecessary, but removing them can disrupt recipient lookups and mailbox provisioning. If your aim is to fully transition to the cloud, consider using Microsoft's object-level Source of Authority feature instead of doing a manual cleanup. You’ll need to decommission your last Exchange Server properly instead of just deleting attributes. As for contacts and public folders, leave them alone unless remove them as part of the Exchange uninstall process if you are decommissioning.
If you're looking for a way to start managing attributes, you might want to check out ManageEngine AD Manager Plus. It lets you rename and modify attributes, which could be helpful for your cleanup efforts. Just keep in mind that it's an on-prem solution and you’ll need a Windows server for it.
You shouldn't try to clean up all those old attributes. It’s safer to keep them all intact. You can focus on cleaning up actual Exchange accounts instead. I found a helpful guide on the official documentation about managing hybrid Exchange recipients when shutting down your last on-prem server.

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