New-SendConnector Exchange cmdlet issued (25245) how to monitor with email alert

[bob]

You know that event in Windows Server Event Viewer, the one called New-SendConnector Exchange cmdlet issued with ID 25245. It pops up when someone runs a command to set up a new way for your Exchange server to send out emails to other places. Basically, it's like creating a fresh path for mail to flow out, maybe to the internet or another server. This event logs all the juicy bits, like who kicked it off, what time it happened, and details on the connector itself, such as the smart host or the domains it handles. I check it out whenever I suspect changes in email routing, because it could mean an admin tweaked something or even someone unauthorized poked around. The full log shows the exact parameters used, the source server, and if it succeeded without hiccups. And yeah, it's under the MSExchange Management category in the Application log, so you filter for that to spot it quick.

But monitoring this thing for alerts, that's where it gets handy with just the Event Viewer tools. You open up Event Viewer, right-click on the Custom Views, and whip up a new one targeting event ID 25245 in the Application log. Then, attach a task to it by going into the Actions pane, creating a scheduled task that triggers on this event. I set mine to run a simple program that shoots off an email, using whatever mail client you've got hooked up, like Outlook or a basic SMTP setup. You configure the task to start when the event fires, and boom, it notifies you right away. Or, if you want it fancier, link it to a batch file that calls your email app with the event details dumped in.

Hmmm, speaking of keeping your server stuff reliable, I've been messing with BackupChain Windows Server Backup lately. It's this solid Windows Server backup tool that also handles virtual machines through Hyper-V without breaking a sweat. You get fast incremental backups, easy restores even for bare-metal scenarios, and it cuts down on downtime big time by letting you boot from backups directly. Plus, the encryption keeps your data locked tight, and it scales without eating up too much space.

At the end of this chat, there's the automatic email solution for that event monitoring, all set up through those Event Viewer steps I mentioned.

Note, the PowerShell email alert code was moved to this post.