With Exchange Server 2019 CU15, a new function called "Feature Flighting" was introduced. In future, Feature Flighting will enable the administrators of an Exchange organization to control which new Exchange features are activated in the company and when. Microsoft hopes that Feature Flighting will make it easier to make new functions available in the company than having to test them in a test environment first.
Feature Flighting uses the cloud service "Office Config Service (OCS)", which is already used by the Emergency Mitigation Service is used to search for corresponding new functions. For updates that are eligible for Feature Flighting, Exchange admins can determine when they are activated in the company. Feature Flighting does not control the installation of the updates, but only when a new function is activated and can therefore be used. The activation of new functions is carried out using rings, Feature Flighting uses the following three rings:
- Early Adopter Ring (Ring 0): Exchange servers in this ring are the first to be used; the ring is used to test new features, which are activated immediately after installation. This ring is intended for courageous administrators.
- Worldwide Ring (Ring 1): Ring 1 is the standard ring in which Exchange Server is located after the installation of CU15. New features are activated as soon as Microsoft releases them to the general public
- Admin Action Ring (Ring 2): Exchange servers in this ring do not activate any new features. It also ensures that previously activated features are deactivated again. New features must be activated individually by admins.
The following graphic illustrates how Feature Flighting works:
Feature Flighting does not apply to all new features and changes in future updates. The Exchange Server team determines which features can be managed via Feature Flighting. At the start with Exchange Server CU15 there is only a test function with the name "PING.1.0". This function is for testing purposes only and does not provide any new features.
Feature Flighting will not bring any further changes for Exchange 2019, but will only become interesting with Exchange Server SE. There will only be new functions with Exchange SE, which may then also be controlled via Feature Flighting. The Exchange team is maintaining a list of the relevant functions:
Feature Flighting is enabled by default as of Exchange Server 2019 CU15. The settings can be checked with the following command:
Get-ExchangeServer | select name,ringlevel
The following command can be used to change the ring for an Exchange Server:
Set-ExchangeServer -Identity SERVERNAME -RingLevel RINGLEVEL
The PowerShell CMDLets "Get-ExchangeFeature" and "Set-ExchangeFeature" can be used to control the functions. The following command can be used to check which features are activated or blocked on which Exchange servers:
Get-ExchangeServer | Get-ExchangeFeature
If a feature should cause problems, the function can be deactivated on all Exchange servers with the following command:
Get-ExchangeServer | Set-ExchangeFeature -FeatureID FEATUREID -Block
The new function uses the diagnostic data that is sent to Microsoft via OCS. Microsoft uses the collected diagnostic data to try to identify problems with the function and determine when a feature switches from ring 0 to ring 1.
The following command can be used to check whether diagnostic data is being sent to Microsoft:
Get-ExchangeServer | select name,DataCollectionEnabled
You can find out which diagnostic data is transmitted to Microsoft here:
If someone wants to switch off the sending of diagnostic data, this command can be used:
Get-ExchangeServer | Set-ExchangeServer -DataCollectionEnabled:$false
Small organizations with only one Exchange Server could also consider switching to Ring 2 so that new features are not automatically enabled for all users without admin testing:
Get-ExchangeServer | Set-ExchangeServer -RingLevel 2
Ultimately, however, the installation of an update determines when new functions can be used. The Exchange updates still have to be installed by the user and it remains to be seen how many new features will be available in Exchange Server SE.
