Creating room lists in Exchange 2010 has developed over time into a process that is fairly easy to implement and visually see (Recipient Configuration > Distribution Group). However, Exchange 2013 is not quite there yet.
It is true with both Exchange 2010 and 2013 you have to create a room list via EMS.
With Exchange 2010, a distribution group can be converted to a room list…
Set-DistributionGroup -Identity “West Coast Office” -RoomList
However, with Exchange 2013 CU1 (using the same command syntax), a distribution list cannot be converted to a room list…
Set-DistributionGroup -Identity “East Coast Office” -RoomList
This is the error receive in the 2013 EMS…
Group “domain1.local/Test/East Coast Office” can’t be converted to a room list. Room lists can only have room mailboxes or room lists as members.
“domain1.local/Exchange Users/Test-Admin” is not a room mailbox or a room list.
+ CategoryInfo : NotSpecified: (domain1.local/Test/East Coast Office:ADObjectId) [Set-DistributionGroup], TaskInvalidOperationException
+ FullyQualifiedErrorId : F25FFBB1,Microsoft.Exchange.Management.RecipientTasks.SetDistributionGroup
+ PSComputerName : d1-ex13-01.domain1.local
In order to create a room list in Exchange 2013, we have to create a new distribution list as a room list from the very beginning. Using EMS, we should be able to issue a command similar to the following to create our new room list…
New-DistributionGroup -Name “East Coast Office” -OrganizationalUnit “domain1.local/Test” -RoomList
Upon successful creation, we will see that the request is completed with the details of the new room list displayed (Name, DisplayName, GroupType, PrimarySmtpAddress).
The biggest difference for me between 2010 and 2013, is that in 2010 we can see the room list (in EMC) after it has been created (or converted). In 2013 CU1, room lists are not displayed in the EAC under Recipients > Groups–and they are nowhere to be found in the EAC.
But there is a way to confirm they have been created. Use the following command to display all distribution groups and what type they are…
Get-DistributionGroup | ft -auto Name, RecipientType, RecipientTypeDetails
Once we have confirmed the new room list has been created we can add members to it.
NOTE: We can only add room mailboxes (or other room lists) to room lists or we will receive an error message similar to this…
“Only room mailbox or room list can be added into room list”
At this point, make sure you have a room mailbox to add to a room list. Once you have identified your list of room mailboxes that will be added to your room list, use the following command to add room mailboxes as members of the room list…
Add-DistributionGroupMember -Identity “East Coast Office” -Member ConfRoomA@domainname.com
Use the same syntax to add other room mailboxes to your room list.
Now that we have created a room list and assigned room mailboxes to it, scheduling conference rooms for a specific location should be easy using the Office Outlook client or Exchange 2013 OWA.
Reference(s): Scheduling Meetings with Room Finder
by Todd Nelson
Reboot. Rinse. Repeat! 