Understand what a Microsoft Exchange server is, how to configure it and how to work with it. This is a service for sending emails. There is support for client protocols like POP3, SMTP, MAPI and IMAP. Integrates with Outlook. This program is used if you need to provide access to mail to multiple users at once. It is indispensable in organizations with a large number of employees. But in small firms it is useful.

About Exchange server

The server allows you to work together with contacts, tasks and other mail services. You can create mail with your own domain.

The Exchange server (ES) has many versions that are released at different times. In each of them, Microsoft added new features. Or deleted. For example, developers have removed support for instant messaging from the 2003 program. Further, this utility will be considered. Setting up other versions of it is functionally no different. Yes, and you can learn how to raise the scheme of Exchange 2003 to the current.

The program is available to work with voice mail, fax, mobile devices. You can access the mail server from any computer if you have an internet connection. Supports HTTP, POP3, SMTP, LDAP, IMAP 4, MAPI.

ES can interact with other Microsoft utilities: ActiveSync, Windows Mail and Outlook. The operation of the utility is closely related to the Active Directory (AD) component.

For a computer to work normally with this program, it must have suitable characteristics. They depend on what kind of load it has and what type of connection it is planned to use. Here are the system requirements for small businesses:

• 64-bit architecture.
• 10 gigabytes of ram. Add 20 megabytes for each new user.
• 30 GB of free space in the hard drive.
• 200 MB of memory on the system disk.

Suitable specifications for different Exchange server are listed on the official Microsoft website. In large organizations, the mail server has other requirements. There need a few computers.

Installation

To install and configure the utility, you first need to download a number of components and services.

• WWW Publishing.
• NET.
• SMTP and NNTP.
• NET Framework
• Windows 2003 Support Tools (numbers depend on the ES version).
• Administration Tools.

If you have a disk or other drive with the Exchange server, run the installation from it. Or find a program on the site microsoft.com.

Microsoft official website

1. Enter the query in the search bar (it is on the top right).
2. Go to the "Downloads" section.
3. Open the page with the version you need.
4. Click the Download button.
5. Open the downloaded file. The data will be retrieved.

Before installing the ES server, you need to prepare AD. Active Directory contains most of the information related to Exchange server 2003: contacts, accounts, configurations, attributes.

If you do not have a group that manages a directory, and you do not plan to do a large deployment, you can immediately go to the installer. He can configure everything automatically. To work with AD, you need administrator rights.

• In the unpacked folder with ES, find the file setup.exe.
• Open a Windows command prompt.
• Enter the command "[Setup Path] / PrepareSchema / IAcceptExchangeServerLicenseTerms".

• Wait for the directory to apply the necessary parameters.
• Next, you must specify the name of the organization for Microsoft Exchange server 2003. Type "[Path to the Setup] / PrepareAD / OrganizationName:" Organization Name "/ IAcceptExchangeServerLicenseTerms". In the name of the company can only be Latin characters, numbers, dashes. It cannot be changed after installation.

• Wait again.

Now prepare the domains.

1. Enter the command “[Path to setup] / PrepareAllDomains / IAcceptExchangeServerLicenseTerms”.
2. To select a domain - "[Path to setup] / PrepareDomain: [FQDN domain] / IAcceptExchangeServerLicenseTerms"

The installer does all this automatically.

To see the result of the work, go to the AD Service Interfaces editor. Find the “Schema”. Select the "rangeUpper" property. In "ms-Ex-Verision-Pt", the value for the Microsoft Exchange server should be written (this is not the version of the program 2003; the values ​​can be found on the official Microsoft website).

Domain creation

In order for ES to accept and send emails via POP3, SMTP, IMAP, add users and work, you need to create a domain.

1. Go to the program console.
2. Go to the "Organization Configuration".
3. Open the "Hub Transport Server".
4. The "Accepted Domains" section.
5. Create Domain button.
6. In the window that opens, write the name. This may be your company name, line of business. Or all together in any combination.
7. Check the “Authorized Domain” option.
8. Open the Address Policies tab.
9. Click Create Policy (in the Actions list).
10. Write its name.
11. Add the “Users” container. To do this, click on the "Browse" button and specify the path to it.
12. Click "Next" until a window appears with the setting of rules for mail addresses.
13. Check "Select Accepted Domain".
14. Browse button.
15. Specify the domain you just made.
16. Confirm.

Now Exchange server 2003 can work with internal e-mail correspondence. That is, this type of resource allows employees to send letters to each other. To set reception and sending of e-mails using IMAP, POP3 and SMTP protocols:

1. Go to the "Hub Transport Server".
2. "Send connectors".
3. In the "Actions" section, select "New Connector".
4. Write the name of the connector.
5. Enter your domain name.
6. Click "Next".
7. In the next menu you need to specify which addresses will be sent mail. If you need Microsoft server 2003 to work with all domains, write in the “Address space” field a “*” (asterisk).
8. Again “Next.”
9. Select the option "Use MX DNS records for automatic routing."
10. A few more times, click "Next." And click "Create."

Then you need to configure the reception of electronic correspondence from external sources:

1. Go to the "Server Settings".
2. Open "Transport Hub".
3. There are only two connectors: “Default” (“Default”) and “Client” (“Client”). The first is used to work with almost all domains, the second - for Outlook users. It is blocked from receiving messages from sources that are not authenticated. And this is almost all the resources on the network.
4. Double click the connector name. The properties menu opens.
5. In the "General" section write the current domain name.
6. Go to the tab “Permission Groups”.
7. Check the box for “Anonymous Users”.
8. Authentication section.
9. Remove the checkmark from the "Authenticate" option.

The program is configured and can work.

Customization

Now you can figure out how to choose the type of account Exchange (POP3, IMAP 4). Both protocols are connected to Client Access. In version 2003 - to IIS. Separate services are responsible for them.

Find one of them in the console list.

1. Open its properties.
2. In the "Startup option", select "Automatic".
3. Click "Run."
4. Go to Local - Server Settings - Client Access.
5. In the “Protocol name” list, there will be “POP3” and “IMAP 4”. Open the properties of one of them.
6. You can specify the port numbers through which the program can connect the domain.
7. On the "Authentication" tab, set the security settings. They depend on the parameters that can be set on the user's computer.

In new versions of Microsoft server (from 2013 and higher) settings are placed through ECP (Administration Center).

These protocols can accept electronic correspondence. The difference between them:

• In IMAP 4, emails are on the server. To access them you need internet.
• POP3 stores messages on the recipient side (computer, mobile device), but removes them from the domain. If you download them to your PC once, they will disappear from the domain. This protocol has its advantages. But users usually prefer IMAP.

Mailbox Creation

To add users and mailboxes you need domain administrator rights.

1. Launch the management console.
2. Expand Mailbox Configuration in Recipient.
3. "Create a box."
4. Open the "Introduction" section.
5. Click "Mailbox".
6. In the item “User Type” select “New”.
7. A page will open with the information you need to enter: Name of the employee; login (login name); password.
8. In the next window, you must fill in the "Alias" (usually coincides with the login).
9. Download the mailbox database and its policy.
10. Confirm and click Create.

In ES 2016, this is done like this:

1. Open the Administration Center (ECP).
2. Click on the "Recipients" button (it is on the upper left).
3. Click on "Mailboxes".
4. Expand the list with the same name. To do this, click on the arrow next to the symbol "+" (Plus)
5. Option "User Box".
6. Open the Create page.
7. "New user".
8. Fill in the account owner information.
9. Save the changes.

After that, the box can be connected to Outlook or another email program.

Admin rights

Raising a regular user to the administrator is quite simple. But the list of actions depends on the version of the utility.

In 2003:

1. Right click on "My Computer".
2. Item "Management".
3. "Local Users".
4. Click on "Groups".
5. Double click on "Administrators".
6. "Add".
7. Select "Search."
8. Find the right user.

IN 2007:

1. Go to the console.
2. "Configuration".
3. Click "Add Administrator".
4. Click on “Browse”.
5. Select a user and give him a role.
6. Confirm.

In 2010:

1. In the console, expand the "Toolkit".
2. Find the Job page.
3. Open the Access Control Editor.
4. Select a user (the ability to change user data must be unlocked).
5. Button "Registration".
6. "Administrator roles."
7. Find Recipient Management. Open Details.
8. In the "Members" section, click "Add."
9. Select a user and save.

IN 2013:

1. In the Administration Center, go to Mail - Options - Manage.
2. Click on “Roles and Audit”.
3. Double click on "Manage Recipients".
4. Button "Add".
5. Select a user.
6. Click "OK".

Outlook connection

1. Here's how to connect Outlook to the Exchange server:
2. Go to the control panel.
3. Open the "Mail" menu in the "Accounts and Security" section.
4. Button "Accounts".
5. Click Create.
6. Select a service and click "Next."
7. Option "Manual Settings".
8. Check the box to ES.
9. In the “Server” field, enter exchange [version]. [Domain].
10. In the "Username" write a login.
11. Check "Use caching" if you are going to access mail from mobile devices.
12. In the window that opens, put a dot in the "Automatically detect the state."
13. Click the "Connection" tab.
14. Put a label "via HTTP".
15. Click the "Proxy Server" button.
16. In the field “URL address” write exchange [version]. [Domain].
17. In the Authentication Method list, select NTLM Verification.
18. Click "OK".

Creating a connection is not possible if Outlook is running. Before setting it is necessary to close this program and complete the processes associated with it.

Circuit enhancement

Within the same network, only one organization is available. You cannot use different ES in parallel. If you have already installed a mail resource, you can figure out how to enhance the scheme of Exchange 2003 to 2007, 2010, 2013 or 2016. This is a rather complicated process, in which a large number of factors must be taken into account. Starting from the installed programs, ending with the settings of each user. To migrate an ES program, you need to understand it well.

1. Download all updates for ES.
2. Deploy the utility to which you are going to go. This should be done in the following order: Client Access, Transport Hub, Message System, Mailboxes.
3. Bring the old utility to the fore. In place of client access, put the desired version.
4. Configure the transport hub and messaging system.
5. Move the boxes to the new server.
6. Upgrade all AD services.

Another way. On technet.microsoft.com there is an interactive assistant for working with ES. Go to this site, enter the query in the search box and open the desired page. To bring up the scheme, click "Local Deployment". Select the version you want to upgrade to. There is an update of the environment.

Without Microsoft Exchange server it is impossible to imagine a big company. Own mail domain will increase the efficiency of the company. But in a small enterprise, the server is also indispensable. The program is very easy to make receiving and sending messages for all protocols. It can be connected to Outlook.