Blog (at) Mreza.Info

Deploying a Worldwide Site Consolidation Solution for Exchange Server 2003 at Microsoft. Detailed discussion on how Microsoft IT used Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 and Microsoft Office System 2003 to enable a consolidation of Exchange sites from 75 to just seven worldwide.

Overview
Deploying a Worldwide Site Consolidation Solution for Exchange Server 2003 at Microsoft. Detailed discussion on how Microsoft IT used Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 and Microsoft Office System 2003 to enable a consolidation of Exchange sites from 75 to just seven worldwide. To accomplish this task, the IT Messaging team gathered and analyzed detailed wide area network (WAN)-level network measurements on a site-by-site basis to determine if consolidation was viable. It then consolidated its mailbox server infrastructure on Windows server clusters using storage area network (SAN) storage enclosures. Follow-up network measurements were taken after each group of sites was migrated to ensure latency and performance requirements were met.

Files:

E23SiteConsolTWPPpt.ppt

Ex2003SiteConsolTWP.doc

Overview
Microsoft® Exchange Server 2003 and Microsoft Exchange 2000 Server support using a server architecture that distributes server tasks among front-end and back-end servers. In this architecture, a front-end server accepts requests from clients and proxies them to the appropriate back-end server for processing. This guide discusses how Exchange Server 2003 and Exchange 2000 Server support the front-end and back-end server architecture. This guide also describes several front-end and back-end scenarios and provides recommendations for configuration.

Download guide here...

Overview
This guide explains how features work in the Exchange Server architecture, and how to configure and manage these features for optimal results. This content ranges from configuring global settings at an organizational level, to managing individual servers, to managing Exchange clusters. After reading this guide, you will have a solid understanding of what it takes to configure and manage your Exchange Server 2003 organization.

Download guide here...

Overview
This guide provides information about working with Microsoft® Exchange Server 2003 and client access. It describes the new features for Exchange Server 2003 and Microsoft Office Outlook® 2003, in addition to improvements in Outlook Web Access 2003. It contains configuration information, such as how to secure your messaging environment, deploy the server architecture, and configure Exchange servers for your supported client access methods. This guide also describes how to manage protocols, Exchange Virtual Server, Outlook Web Access, Exchange ActiveSync®, and Outlook Mobile Access.

Download guide here...

Overview
As e-mail messaging continues to grow in both volume and business importance, organizations are looking for new options to manage future demand in a reliable and cost-effective way. One option is to build a messaging strategy based on advanced technologies available in Microsoft® Windows Server™ 2003 and Microsoft Exchange Server 2003. This article discusses strategies for server consolidation using Exchange 2003.

Download article here...

Overview
The Microsoft® Exchange Server 2003 store is a storage platform that provides a single repository in which you can manage multiple types of unstructured information. A single Exchange topology may include store components (mailbox stores and public folder stores) that reside on multiple servers.
Because of the inherent complexity and flexibility of the store components, the store can be one of the most difficult parts of Exchange Server 2003 to administer. This guide provides in-depth information to make administration and troubleshooting tasks easier for you to perform.
This guide builds on the basic concepts presented in the Exchange Server 2003 Administration Guide. It examines several features of the store in depth, such as the way in which public folders replicate, how free/busy folders work, and how offline address books work. This information includes detailed explanations of how these features work, and guidance for using them effectively.

Download guide here...

More info here...

Dave Welsh wrote:

The blurring of distinctions between Open Source Software and Open Standards – be it inadvertent or intentional – is confusing a lot of people and can be deceptive. The difference is something architects and decision makers need to be sensitive about to avoid costly errors and deliver solutions that are on target with client needs.

Read more:

Distinguishing between Open Standards and Open Source -- Part I of III

Distinguishing between Open Standards and Open Source -- Part II of III

Distinguishing between Open Standards and Open Source -- Part III of III

Exchange Server 2003 Glossary
This glossary comprises important terms and definitions for the Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 product. In addition, the following terminology is in the glossary:

• Definitions of key components and processes within Exchange overall.
• Definitions of other processes and components from products that Exchange works with, such as Microsoft Active Directory directory service.

Download it here...

Exchange Server 2003 Transport and Routing Guide
Microsoft® Exchange servers use Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) to communicate with each other and to send messages. SMTP is part of the Microsoft Windows Server™ 2003 or Windows® 2000 Server operating system. This guide discusses basic components of transport and routing, explains how SMTP works in Exchange Server 2003, provides information on configuring a routing topology, discusses deployment scenarios, suggests ways to help secure your infrastructure, and offers troubleshooting tips.

Download it here...

Exchange Server 2003 Technical Reference Guide
This technical reference guide presents a system architect's view of Exchange Server 2003. It includes a general overview of Exchange Server 2003 messaging system design, together with more specific details, such as services dependencies, Active Directory® directory service integration, Exchange System Manager architecture, routing architecture, SMTP transport architecture, X.400 architecture, Exchange store architecture, and cluster architecture. This information will help you design, maintain, and troubleshoot an Exchange organization and also develop custom solutions for administrators.
This detailed reference guide is not for beginning administrators and does not show you how to implement or maintain Exchange Server 2003. Instead, this guide is for Microsoft Certified System Engineers (MSCEs) and Exchange Server experts who want to take their knowledge about Exchange Server 2003 to the next level.

Download it here...

Exchange Server 2003 Security Hardening Guide
This guide is designed to provide you with essential information about how to harden your Microsoft® Exchange Server 2003 environment. In addition to practical, hands-on configuration recommendations, this guide includes strategies for combating spam, viruses, and other external threats to your Exchange 2003 messaging system. While most server administrators can benefit from reading this guide, it is designed to produce maximum benefits for administrators responsible for Exchange messaging, both at the mailbox and architect levels.
This guide is a companion to the Windows Server 2003 Security Guide . Specifically, many of the procedures in this guide are related directly to security recommendations introduced in the Windows Server 2003 Security Guide. Therefore, before you perform the procedures presented in this guide, it is recommended that you first read the Windows Server 2003 Security Guide.

Download it here...