EXODistributionGroup: Configuration Drift Loop - GUID vs SMTP Address Mismatch

[SNikalaichyk]

Description of the issue

Issue

EXODistributionGroup returns GUIDs instead of SMTP addresses because Get-DistributionGroup cmdlet is not using the -Include*WithDisplayNames switch parameters.

Root Cause

The module calls the Get-DistributionGroup cmdlet without the following parameters:

• -IncludeAcceptMessagesOnlyFromDLMembersWithDisplayNames
• -IncludeAcceptMessagesOnlyFromSendersOrMembersWithDisplayNames
• -IncludeAcceptMessagesOnlyFromWithDisplayNames
• -IncludeBypassModerationFromSendersOrMembersWithDisplayNames
• -IncludeGrantSendOnBehalfToWithDisplayNames
• -IncludeManagedByWithDisplayNames
• -IncludeModeratedByWithDisplayNames

This causes GUID values to be returned instead of SMTP addresses, causing repeated false positive drift detection when configuration specifies SMTP addresses.

Symptoms

Execution logs:

Found existing Distribution Group {example-group}.
Getting Distribution Group managers for example-group
Couldn't retrieve manager recipient {47eecb0e-2d63-4cbf-aa45-2d766912b00c}
Couldn't retrieve manager recipient {8fbe075a-c43d-4b8d-a98d-3300b1b5b613}
Couldn't retrieve manager recipient {695ef81f-a7d0-4a03-8e51-7d5a995fa435}

Configuration drift event log:

<M365DSCEvent>
    <ConfigurationDrift Source="MSFT_EXODistributionGroup" TenantId="contoso.onmicrosoft.com" LCMState="ConsistencyCheck">
        <ParametersNotInDesiredState>
            <Param Name="ManagedBy">
                <CurrentValue></CurrentValue>
                <DesiredValue>user1@contoso.com user2@contoso.com user2@contoso.com</DesiredValue>
            </Param>
        </ParametersNotInDesiredState>
    </ConfigurationDrift>
    <DesiredValues>
        <!-- Truncated -->
    </DesiredValues>
    <CurrentValues>
        <!-- Truncated -->
    </CurrentValues>
</M365DSCEvent>

Solution

Update EXODistributionGroup to specify -Include*WithDisplayNames parameters when calling Get-DistributionGroup.

Reference: Get-DistributionGroup documentation

Impact

• Repeated false positive drift detections
• Unnecessary remediation attempts
• Configuration management instability
• Increased operational overhead

Related Issues

This issue is similar to the previously resolved EXOGroupSettings: Configuration Drift Loop - GUID vs SMTP Address Mismatch · Issue #6676, which affected the EXOGroupSettings resource with the Get-UnifiedGroup cmdlet.

Microsoft 365 DSC Version

1.25.1203.2

Which workloads are affected

Exchange Online

The DSC configuration

Verbose logs showing the problem

Environment Information + PowerShell Version