About the Resource Guide

This guide includes the following chapters:

Chapter 1, "Microsoft Exchange Server Architecture," explains the architecture of Microsoft Exchange Server, including the information store, directory services, the message transfer agent (MTA), and the system attendant.

Chapter 2, "Planning and Setup," describes the Microsoft Exchange Server setup process, including unattended setup using custom batch files. It also describes how to customize server installations to accommodate various languages and character sets.

Chapter 3, "Setting Permissions," explains how to use permissions for directory objects and public folders to restrict or grant access. It also describes the permissions that are required to install and administer Microsoft Exchange Server.

Chapter 4, "Maintaining Microsoft Exchange Server," describes how to plan maintenance to minimize down time, how to back up servers, and how to plan disaster recovery strategies. Discussions include information on monitoring performance, defragmenting and compacting databases, managing log files, procedures for moving and recovering single mailboxes, and procedures for moving Microsoft Exchange Server to another computer.

Chapter 5, "Addressing and Routing," describes how Microsoft Exchange Server messages are addressed and routed. It includes information about native originator/recipient (O/R) addressing and addressing in an X.400 environment. The discussion on routing includes how routing tables are used, how routes and connectors are chosen, and how distribution lists are handled.

Chapter 6, "Public Folders," describes how to plan, set up, and replicate public folders. It includes information on developing a public folder strategy, access control, replication strategies, backfilling, and re-homing folders.

Chapter 7, "Security," describes how advanced security works, how to change permissions on shared directories, how to choose any method of encryption, how to use encrypted remote procedure calls (RPCs) and fire walls, and how to back up a Key Management server (KM server).

Chapter 8, "Monitoring," describes how to monitor servers and disk space for optimal performance and to configure the system to warn of potential problems. It includes information about Microsoft Windows NT Performance Monitor counters and chart views, server and link monitors, the alerter service, and log files.

Chapter 9, "Collaboration," provides an overview of collaboration applications and the supporting platform. Examples of various collaboration are provided. It also describes Microsoft Outlook development tools, Microsoft Active Server and Microsoft Active Desktop™ components.

Chapter 10, "Optimizing Performance," discusses how to avoid bottlenecks and optimize performance with good topology design and how to improve the performance of Microsoft Exchange Server by load balancing and adjusting software settings.

Chapter 11, "Troubleshooting," provides symptoms of and solutions to many problems encountered with Microsoft Exchange Server. It also includes a detailed discussion of the ISINTEG tool.

Chapter 12, "Disaster Recovery," describes disaster prevention and recovery plans, recovery procedures, backups, and fire drills. It also includes a section on frequently asked questions and their solutions.

Chapter 13, "Microsoft Exchange Connector for Lotus cc:Mail," discusses guidelines and recommendations for deploying the Microsoft Exchange Connector for Lotus cc:Mail in you organization.

Chapter 14, "Setting Up a Successful Messaging Operations System," presents guidelines for establishing a messaging operations group within an organization that are based on experiences with Microsoft’s own internal messaging operations group.

Chapter 15, "Microsoft Exchange Server Directory and Directory Replication," describes how changes to directory objects are replicated within a site and between sites.

Appendix A, "Creating an .Ini File for Microsoft Exchange Server Batch Setup," describes the format of an .ini file that you can run with Microsoft Exchange Server Setup in batch mode (Setup /q).

Appendix B, "System Management Checklist," provides checklists for daily, weekly, monthly, and periodic maintenance tasks to ensure that your Microsoft Exchange Server computers are operating efficiently.

Appendix C, "Performance Monitor Chart Views," describes the preconfigured Windows NT Performance Monitor chart views that are included with Microsoft Exchange Server.

Appendix D, "Microsoft Exchange Client," provides information about the Microsoft Exchange Client, which was shipped with earlier versions of Microsoft Exchange Server. This appendix provides information about the Microsoft Exchange Client that might not be available elsewhere.

Appendix E, "Exchange Forms Designer," describes the development of custom forms for use with Microsoft Exchange Client. These can range from modifying existing sample applications to using high-end development tools to create more complex groupware applications.

Glossary describes terms used in this manual that might be unfamiliar to some readers.