Fix Exchange Hybrid Configuration Wizard Partner STS Error
Question details
The user needs to resolve an issue where the Exchange Hybrid Configuration Wizard fails during domain verification.
- Product
- Microsoft Exchange Server
- Device & OS
- Windows
- Scenario
- Running the Exchange Hybrid Configuration Wizard or setting up federation via Set-FederatedOrganizationIdentifier.
- Observed behavior
- The wizard fails, reporting that the connection to the Partner STS was unexpectedly closed, often accompanied by error code 6107B429.
Ensure that your Exchange Server and Windows operating system are fully updated to their latest cumulative updates before modifying server registry keys.
Enable TLS 1.2 and Configure .NET Framework Settings
Update your server's registry settings to enforce TLS 1.2 for secure communications during the Hybrid Configuration Wizard.
The 'Partner STS connection unexpectedly closed' error is typically caused by TLS protocol mismatches. To resolve this, you must explicitly enable TLS 1.2 and configure the .NET Framework to use the default system TLS versions.
Open the Registry Editor on your Exchange server and navigate to the SCHANNEL settings to enable TLS 1.2 for both the client and server components.
Set the 'SystemDefaultTlsVersions' registry key to ensure that the required .NET Framework versions utilize the system's default TLS protocols.
Explicitly disable TLS 1.0 Client and TLS 1.1 Client in the registry to prevent the server from falling back to older, unsupported communication protocols.
Restart your Exchange servers to fully apply the registry changes, then launch the Exchange Hybrid Configuration Wizard again.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What causes the Partner STS connection unexpectedly closed error?
This typically occurs when there is a secure communication protocol mismatch, such as the server attempting to use TLS 1.0 or 1.1 instead of the required TLS 1.2 when communicating with the Partner STS endpoints.
Are TLS versions handled differently across Exchange versions?
Yes. For example, Exchange 2010 has TLS 1.2 disabled by default, whereas Exchange 2013 and newer versions generally have it enabled by default if the server is fully updated.
Is restarting the server necessary after changing SCHANNEL settings?
Yes. Any changes made to TLS settings in the registry and .NET Framework configurations require a full server restart to be successfully applied to the Exchange Hybrid Configuration Wizard.
