Chapter 3 - Assessing the Current Network Environment

Chapter 3

About This Chapter

Microsoft Exchange 2000 Server, unlike any other messaging system, is largely dependent on functionality provided by Microsoft Windows 2000 Server. In fact, several essential messaging components are actually part of the network operating system and do not ship with the product. The Active Directory service, for instance, holds the organization’s configuration information; the Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) service of Microsoft Windows 2000 accomplishes the message routing; and access permissions to mailboxes, public folders, and other Exchange 2000 resources are managed based on the Windows 2000 security architecture. Due to these dependencies, deployment of Exchange 2000 Server requires a careful review of the Windows 2000 network design.

It is impossible to design an Exchange 2000 organization without considering the existing network topology. You need to check available technical documents and inventory databases and interview system administrators to create comprehensive documentation of the current environment. This will help you decide where to place your Exchange 2000 servers to best satisfy your organization’s requirements for optimal system response times while maintaining a clear communications infrastructure. A review of the existing environment also allows you to determine areas of significant deployment risks and possibilities for optimization of essential network components and services.

This chapter tackles fundamental elements that Exchange 2000 Server depends on to unfold its messaging and collaboration services. Lesson 1 discusses dependencies on general networking components, such as the global network infrastructure and the communication protocols required for Exchange 2000. Lesson 2 then focuses on issues regarding the integration of Exchange 2000 Server with Active Directory. Lesson 3 addresses important security issues, and Lesson 4 concludes this chapter with a discussion of domain consolidation strategies to simplify complex environments prior to deployment of Exchange 2000 Server.

Before You Begin

To complete the lessons in this chapter, you need to:

• Be familiar with the concepts of administering PC-based computer networks that span local area networks (LANs), metropolitan area networks (MANs), and wide area networks (WANs)
• Have an understanding of important network protocols and services, such as the Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP), Domain Name System (DNS), and Active Directory
• Be aware of the technical features of Exchange 2000 Server, as explained in Chapter 1, "Introduction to Microsoft Exchange 2000 Server"