Microsoft KB Archive/243311

= Setting an Attribute's searchFlags Property to Be Indexed for ANR =

PSS ID Number: 243311

Article Last Modified on 11/13/2003

-

The information in this article applies to:


 * Microsoft Windows 2000 Server
 * Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server
 * Microsoft Windows 2000 Datacenter Server

-



This article was previously published under Q243311



SUMMARY
Ambiguous Name Resolution (ANR) is a search algorithm implemented by Windows 2000 Active Directory for easier searching. Selected attributes are defined by the schema as being indexed for ANR.

By default, the following attributes are set for ANR:
 * GivenName
 * Surname
 * displayName
 * LegacyExchangeDN
 * msExchMailNickname
 * RDN
 * physicalDeliveryOfficeName
 * proxyAddress
 * sAMAccountName

This article describes how to configure an attribute as being indexed for ANR.



MORE INFORMATION
An administrator with Schema Administrator rights can change an attribute's default value for ANR. Every attribute in the schema has an optional property defined as "searchFlags." This property determines whether or not an attribute can be used in an ANR search. To make an attribute enabled for ANR by modifying its searchFlags property:
 * 1) Locate and log on to the Schema FSMO domain controller with Schema Administrator rights. This FSMO role can be transferred if necessary, but Microsoft does not recommend it. If you are not logged on to the Schema FSMO role owner, you receive a dialog box telling you so.
 * 2) Using Adsiedit, navigate to the Schema object and expand it to expose the entire DN of the Schema container.
 * 3) Click the Schema container, right-click the attribute you want to index in the right pane, and then click Properties.
 * 4) On the Attributes tab, click searchFlags in the Select a property to view list.
 * 5) Type a value of 5 in the Edit Attribute box, and then click Set.

The value 5 is derived by adding 1 and 4 from the following bits:

1 = Index over attribute only

2 = Index over container and attribute

4 = Add this attribute to the ANR set (used in conjunction with bit 1)

8 = Preserve this attribute on logical deletion (make attribute available on tombstones)

If you want to preserve an attribute when it is deleted and also perform ANR upon it, set the value to 13 (1 + 4 + 8 = 13).

One example of an attribute on which you may want to perform this operation is the User Principal Name (or userPrincipalName) attribute.

NOTE: Microsoft recommends modifying or extending the schema only in extreme situations. Proceed with extreme caution, because making a mistake may render a system unusable, resulting in a reinstallation. For additional information, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

216060 Registry Modification Required to Allow Write Operations to Schema

Keywords: kbenv kbinfo KB243311

Technology: kbwin2000AdvServ kbwin2000AdvServSearch kbwin2000DataServ kbwin2000DataServSearch kbwin2000Search kbwin2000Serv kbwin2000ServSearch kbWinAdvServSearch kbWinDataServSearch

-

[mailto:TECHNET@MICROSOFT.COM Send feedback to Microsoft]

© 2004 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.