Agents Configuration File Read-Only Element Reference
When you install the Hub Transport or the Edge Transport server role on a computer that is running Microsoft Exchange Server 2010, the installer creates an XML file named agents.config that contains configuration information about agents that are installed on the server. You cannot write directly to this file. The only supported way to write to this file is by using the transport agent commands in the Exchange Management Shell. For information about the Transport Agent cmdlets, see Transport Agent Cmdlets on Microsoft TechNet.
Warning
The use of unsupported methods to write to the agents.config file can produce unexpected results, including failure of the transport service or transport agents, or both. Do not under any circumstances write directly to the agents.config file. The only supported method of writing to the agents.config file is by using the Exchange Management Shell Transport Agent cmdlets.
You can read the agents.config file to determine the presence of and configuration information for one or more agents on the server. This documentation provides a reference for reading the information in the agents.config file. This documentation is not a reference for writing to the agents.config file.
Location of the agents.config File
When you install Exchange 2010, the installer creates an XML file that is named agents.config.template in the <ExchangeInstallFolder>\TransportRoles\Shared folder (where <ExchangeInstallFolder> is the folder in which you installed Exchange 2010). When you install a Hub Transport or an Edge Transport server, Exchange 2010 copies the agents.config.template file to agents.config. Exchange 2010 reads and writes this file when you change the transport agents configuration on the server.
Verifying a Transport Agent Installation
You can use the XML capabilities that are provided by the Microsoft .NET Framework to read and validate the agents.config XML file. To verify the installation and configuration of a transport agent, read the XML in the agents.config file and find the agent element that corresponds to the transport agent. If an agent element for the specific transport agent does not exist, the transport agent is not installed. If the transport agent is installed, you can read the attributes of the agent element to determine its configuration.
Hierarchical Element Reference
The following list shows the element hierarchy in the agents.config XML file.
<configuration>
<mexRuntime>
<monitoring>
<agentExecution/>
<messageSnapshot/>
</monitoring>
<agentList>
<agent/>
<agent/>
<agent />
</agentList>
</mexRuntim>
</configuration>