
Configuring the Hub
Transport Role
Exchange Server 2000/2003 used the concept of bridgehead servers and connectors. A bridgehead
server referred to an Exchange server that served as a connection point for delivering email from
one routing group to another and to remote or external email systems. Bridgehead servers used
connectors to make information flow between routing groups and remote or external systems
possible. Several types of connectors were available: SMTP, Routing Group, and X.400.
Exchange Server 2007 introduces the concept of the Hub Transport role. Computers running Exchange
Server 2007 with the Hub Transport role are called Hub Transport servers and are identical to
bridgehead servers in Exchange 2000/2003; however, they differ greatly in core transport
functionality. The Hub Transport server role is installed in any Active Directory site that contains the
Mailbox server role and is responsible for mail delivery within the Active Directory site. It can be
installed on separate hardware as the only server role or on the same server hardware in conjunction
with other non - clustered Exchange Server 2007 roles. The Hub Transport server receives messages
from and sends messages to servers running the Mailbox server role. Every message sent and received
by an Exchange mailbox must pass through the Hub Transport server, hence ...