Introduction

Overview

Welcome to Microsoft Exchange Server 2003! Whether you are an experienced Exchange administrator or just learning this product, you are going to be impressed with its new features, increased flexibility, and expanded information management capabilities. The development team at Microsoft has done an outstanding job of continuing the Exchange tradition of offering superior messaging services—Exchange Server 2003 really is the best ever!

Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 is designed to meet the messaging and collaboration needs of businesses of all sizes. Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 Administrator’s Companion is designed to not only bring you up to speed in setting up the various features of Exchange Server 2003, but also to show you how these features work and why you might want to use them. We also offer advice from first-hand experience in the real world of Exchange networks.

It’s impossible to cover every element of Exchange Server 2003 in detail in one book. However, this Administrator’s Companion is a great place to start as you consider implementing Exchange Server 2003 in your Windows organization. This book can be used in several different ways. You can read it as a

• Guide to planning and deployment

• Ready reference for day-to-day questions

• Source of information needed to make decisions about the network

• Thorough introduction to the particulars of Exchange Server 2003

We assume that the reader has a fundamental understanding of networking concepts and of Microsoft Windows Server 2003. We have attempted to provide background at appropriate points as well as references to additional resources.