2013 CU23: "the operation couldn't be performed because object <mailserver's web address> couldn't be found on <dc>"

Question

Upgrading Exchange RTM to CU23

Up to Mailbox Role : Transport Service

The following 1 error(s) occurred during task execution:
[03/07/2021 05:27:16.0956] [1] 0. ErrorRecord: The operation couldn't be performed because object 'mail.client.com' couldn't be found on 'DC01.localdomain.local'.
[03/07/2021 05:27:16.0956] [1] 0. ErrorRecord: Microsoft.Exchange.Configuration.Tasks.ManagementObjectNotFoundException: The operation couldn't be performed because object 'mail.client.com' couldn't be found on 'DC01.localdomain.local'.
at Microsoft.Exchange.Configuration.Tasks.DataAccessTask1.GetDataObject[TObject](IIdentityParameter id, IConfigDataProvider session, ObjectId rootID, OptionalIdentityData optionalData, Nullable1 notFoundError, Nullable1 multipleFoundError, ExchangeErrorCategory errorCategory) at Microsoft.Exchange.Configuration.Tasks.DataAccessTask1.GetDataObjectTObject
at Microsoft.Exchange.Configuration.Tasks.SetObjectWithIdentityTaskBase3.ResolveDataObject() at Microsoft.Exchange.Configuration.Tasks.SetSystemConfigurationObjectTask3.ResolveDataObject()
at Microsoft.Exchange.Configuration.Tasks.SetObjectTaskBase2.PrepareDataObject() at Microsoft.Exchange.Management.SystemConfigurationTasks.UpgradeExchangeServer.PrepareDataObject() at Microsoft.Exchange.Configuration.Tasks.SetTaskBase1.InternalValidate()
at Microsoft.Exchange.Configuration.Tasks.SetSystemConfigurationObjectTask`3.InternalValidate()
at Microsoft.Exchange.Configuration.Tasks.Task.<ProcessRecord>b__b()
at Microsoft.Exchange.Configuration.Tasks.Task.InvokeRetryableFunc(String funcName, Action func, Boolean terminatePipelineIfFailed)
[03/07/2021 05:27:16.0956] [1] [ERROR] The following error was generated when "$error.Clear();
upgrade-ExchangeServer -Identity $RoleFqdnOrName -DomainController $RoleDomainController

" was run: "Microsoft.Exchange.Configuration.Tasks.ManagementObjectNotFoundException: The operation couldn't be performed because object 'mail.client.com' couldn't be found on 'DC01.localdomain.local'.
at Microsoft.Exchange.Configuration.Tasks.DataAccessTask1.GetDataObject[TObject](IIdentityParameter id, IConfigDataProvider session, ObjectId rootID, OptionalIdentityData optionalData, Nullable1 notFoundError, Nullable1 multipleFoundError, ExchangeErrorCategory errorCategory) at Microsoft.Exchange.Configuration.Tasks.DataAccessTask1.GetDataObjectTObject
at Microsoft.Exchange.Configuration.Tasks.SetObjectWithIdentityTaskBase3.ResolveDataObject() at Microsoft.Exchange.Configuration.Tasks.SetSystemConfigurationObjectTask3.ResolveDataObject()
at Microsoft.Exchange.Configuration.Tasks.SetObjectTaskBase2.PrepareDataObject() at Microsoft.Exchange.Management.SystemConfigurationTasks.UpgradeExchangeServer.PrepareDataObject() at Microsoft.Exchange.Configuration.Tasks.SetTaskBase1.InternalValidate()
at Microsoft.Exchange.Configuration.Tasks.SetSystemConfigurationObjectTask`3.InternalValidate()
at Microsoft.Exchange.Configuration.Tasks.Task.<ProcessRecord>b__b()
at Microsoft.Exchange.Configuration.Tasks.Task.InvokeRetryableFunc(String funcName, Action func, Boolean terminatePipelineIfFailed)".

What does "Object" even mean in this case, and why is it trying to find object "mail.client.com" instead of "mailserver.localdomain.local"?

Answer 1

Hi @AWIT

How many domain controllers are there in your environment? Have you checked if domain controllers are in sync with each other? Try force the replication between DCs and verify the result again

I also see that if we encounter the issue like "The operation couldn't be performed because object 'xx' couldn't be found on 'DC'." we need to enable the ViewEntireForest parameter, make all the objects in the forest are viewed and managed in this session

In addition, here is a related thread discussed the similar issue. The operation couldn't be performed because object '*\New Exchange Server' couldn't be found on 'Domain Controller

we can also try to specify a domain controller using the /DomainController parameter.
And the official document:
Upgrade Exchange 2013 to the latest cumulative update or service pack
Install Exchange 2013 using unattended mode

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