The Microsoft Exchange Server directory contains information about mailboxes, distribution lists, servers, processes, and applications. It provides a unified, structured view of all users and resources within the Microsoft Exchange Server system.
All objects in the Microsoft Exchange Server directory are addressable. You can manage the directory using Microsoft Exchange Server directory access functions or the MAPI IAddrBook interface.
Directory access functions are specific to Microsoft Exchange Server. Applications that use Microsoft Exchange Server directory access functions run on Windows NT Server computers on which the Microsoft Exchange Server Administrator program is installed. These functions are not available to Microsoft Windows 95 clients. You can use directory access functions to create, manipulate, delete, export, and import directory objects.
Using directory access functions, you can write programs that export directory objects into an export file or into a data structure. A typical use for an export file is synchronizing directories between a Microsoft Exchange Server site and a directory of a different type (such as a foreign mail system or a database). You can also use these functions to move user information from Windows NT Server and Novell NetWare accounts into the Microsoft Exchange Server directory.
The directory access functions combine and automate several maintenance tasks. For example, with a single call, you can create a mailbox object, create and associate a Windows NT Server account and associate the mailbox object to it, add proxy addresses, assign user privileges, add the mailbox to distribution lists, and set its other attributes.
The Microsoft Exchange Server address book provider offers access to directory objects through the MAPI address book interface. Using MAPI, you can create and delete directory objects, as well as view and change their attributes. To manipulate directory objects through the Microsoft Exchange Server address book provider, you must generate MAPI entry identifiers for the objects.
The Microsoft Exchange Server directory can share its object addressing and configuration information with other mail systems. Several methods are available to transfer directory information between Microsoft Exchange Server organizations and foreign systems.
For more information about directory operations, see the Microsoft Exchange Server documentation in the "Database and Messaging Services" section of the Microsoft Platform SDK.