Question

How can I change the name of an Exchange 2003 distribution group?

GAL, Global Address List, Active Directory, Exchange 2003

I renamed five distribution groups in Active Directory (AD), but changes do not reflect in the Exchange 2003 global address list (GAL). The old distribution group names show up but the email address is correct.

I thought maybe it takes time for changes to propogate, but it has been two days. How can I correct this ?

Try updating the Recipient Update Service.

Open ESM, Expand the Recipients container. Click on Recipient Update Service.

In the right-hand pane right-click your Recipient Update Service and select "update now".

If that fails to work, choose an off-hours time-frame and choose the "rebuild' option. This is more intensive to exchange so that is why you should do it during off-hours unless you have a small organization, in which case it won't take that long.

Also, check the properties of your RUS. Is it running on the right server? What is the update interval? Is it using the correct Domain Controller?