What is the procedure(s) for cleaning up all the created Stub Objects from Active Directory? (4229718)

You would like to delete all the Stub Objects while keeping the Collaboration Services (QCS) database in a healthy state, how can this be accomplished?

There are three different ways to accomplish the end goal of removing all objects gracefully.

Choose one of the following:

RESOLUTION 1 (Unsubscribing from the Subscription)

1. Open the QCS Console, right-click Collaboration Services | Properties

2. Click Synchronization | Active Directory

3. From the right-pane Under Subscription settings, change "Retention time for removed objects" to 1 (Default is 30 days)

4. Click Ok

5. From the left-pane within the Collaboration Services Console, expand Subscription

6. Right-click the Subscription you wish to remove all the Stub Objects for and click Unsubscribe

7. Allow the AD Receiver Deletion Events to register in the Events node for all the Stub objects.  This will take time to receive all the Deletion Events. 

8. Once all the Deletion Events occur, wait 24 hours and the QCS Stub objects will be deleted automatically from Active Directory in the order the Deletion Events were written to the Events node.

Note: After all the Deletion Events occur you can safely delete all Stub Objects from Active Directory manually, instead of waiting for the retention period.

RESOLUTION 2 (Remove the Published Objects from the scope of the Publication)

1. Open the QCS Console, right-click Collaboration Services | Properties

2. Click Synchronization | Active Directory

3. From the right-pane Under Subscription settings, change "Retention time for removed objects" to 1 (Default is 30 days)

4. Click Ok

5. From the left-pane within the Collaboration Services Console, expand Publication

6. Right-click the Publication you wish to remove all the Published Objects from and click Edit...

7. Remove all objects. If the publication was populated via containers or by adding the entire AD then remove the AD or containers and close with OK.

Note: If additional LDAP filters have been used do not delete the filters, by doing so QCS will process and synchronize absolutely all objects (since there will be no filters anymore).

8. Allow for AD Receiver Deletion Events to registered in the Events node for all the Stub objects on the site subscribed to the publication.  This will take time to receive all the Deletion Events. 

9. Once all the Deletion Events occur, wait 24 hours and the QCS Stub objects will be deleted automatically from Active Directory in the order the Deletion Events were written to the Events node.

Note: After all the Deletion Events occur you can safely delete all Stub Objects from Active Directory manually, instead of waiting for the retention period.

10. Delete the Publication if no longer required.

RESOLUTION 3 (QCS no longer required or plan to re-deploy clean)

If Collaboration Services is no longer required in the Environment or if you plan to Re-deploy Collaboration Services

Note: Deleting the published objects manually or via other means is allowed, the OU created by QCS can also be deleted, however deletions should be performed after QCS is uninstalled.

1. Uninstall Collaboration Services from the site you wish to remove all stub objects for

2. Open Active Directory and manually delete all Stub objects

3. If applicable, reinstall Collaboration Services or leave Collaboration Services uninstalled.

4. Re-create your Publications as they were previously

5. Subscribe to the Subscriptions you require.

**If you wish to re-install Collaboration Services while keeping your Stub Objects and GAL entries perform the steps in the following Knowledgebase article**:

Steps to perform complete reinstall of QCS while maintaining stub objects and GAL entries (30213)