Windows Server Cookbook

Chapter 17. Exchange Server 2003

Introduction

Exchange Server 2003 is Microsoft’s messaging and collaboration server application. It enables you to send and receive email and other interactive messages through computer networks. Exchange is designed to integrate directly with Microsoft Outlook and has a rich application programming interface (API) that can be utilized to integrate custom applications, making it a very flexible framework for business collaboration.

Although Windows Server 2003 has built-in SMTP and POP3 support, it isn’t enough for serious corporate needs. If you like analogies, SMTP/POP3 services are to Exchange what the Model-T is to the modern automobile. You can certainly recognize the basic pieces, but there have been notable extensions to those pieces to make the product more flexible and powerful for today’s needs. Some additional features in the product are IMAP, Web Email Support via Outlook Web Access (OWA), a robust calendaring system, advanced message routing, distribution lists, public folders, configurable spam filtering, and considerable functionality for controlling message flow and client experience.

Exchange was one of the first Active Directory-enabled applications. This is an unsurprising fact as Active Directory is based in great part on the directory technology “borrowed” from Exchange. It is probably also unsurprising that Exchange is a heavy consumer of Active Directory, for the same reason, and extremely dependent upon Active Directory functioning ...