Chapter 16 -- Message Routing Administration

Chapter 16

About This Chapter

Messaging systems are fascinating network applications. You only need to launch Microsoft Outlook 2000, compose a new message, specify a valid e-mail address in the To line, type I don't care how you get it, but I know you will in the Subject line, and click Send. Minutes or hours later, the message will have made it into the specified recipient's mailbox. Most likely, the recipient will think, "I don't care either" and delete the message right away. Who cares how messages are delivered?

Microsoft Exchange 2000 Server cares about it. Install as many Exchange 2000 servers in your local area network (LAN) as you like, add all servers to the same routing group, place mailboxes on them, and your users will be able to send each other messages in an instant. Could it be any simpler than that? Sometimes, however, it is not that easy. In those cases, you have to care about the routing of e-mail messages.

This chapter discusses the design of routing topologies in Exchange 2000 organizations. It explains how multiple routing groups are managed to optimize message transfer. It also covers how routing and link state information are propagated between servers.

Before You Begin

To complete this chapter:

• Prepare your test environment according to the descriptions given in the "Getting Started" section of "About This Book." If you have successfully completed the exercises in previous chapters, you do not need to reinstall your test environment.
• Be familiar with the administration of Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) virtual servers, as explained in Chapter 15, "SMTP Transport Configuration."