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Welcome to our Exchange server section.
This section is maintained by Exchange MVP, Simon Butler (blog)
Microsoft Exchange Consultancy - http://www.sembee.co.uk/
Get Simon to install, maintain or upgrade your Exchange server. More Information (UK only)
Exchange Resources List
We also maintain a list of Microsoft Exchange resources, including the links to the Exchange Best Practises Analyzer. http://exbpa.com/
About this section
Most of this information is based around the feature set and operation of Exchange 2003 or 2007. Many of the techniques will also apply to Exchange 2000, and to a lesser extent Exchange 5.5. Please review our compatibility chart on each page.
Major Exchange Sections
Many of our Exchange articles have been grouped together as they are about working with a particular function of Exchange server.
RPC over HTTP | Distribution Lists |
Multiple Email Domains | SMTP |
Outlook Web Access |
Outlook |
| PDAs and Mobile Working Exchange 2003 introduced features for accessing email with a PDA and Smart Phone. This section covers that, including Exchange Active Sync and OMA. |
Public Folders Despite Microsoft's best efforts, they refuse to go away. This section provides information on managing public folders and using them as part of your email management practises. |
Doing More with Exchange and Configuring Exchange Features
Hardware Configuration for a new Exchange 2003 server (blog - opens in new window)
This blog posting by the site author gives a guideline on hardware configuration for Exchange 2003. In many respects it would also apply to an Exchange 2007 server.
Post Installation Configuration
What you should do with your Exchange server as soon as installation is completed.
Exchange 2007 and SMTP Banner Tests (blog - opens in new window)
A change in the behaviour of Exchange 2007, means that the SMTP banner tests you find on the internet do not work. This blog posting explains what is happening.
Configuring an SMTP Connector
To ensure delivery when you are blocked for various reasons
Creating a Company Wide Contact List
How to use a public folder to create a companywide contact list.
Intelligent Message Filter
Enabling, updating and generally using the built in spam filter.
Sharing User Folders from the Server
How to share a folder in every user's Outlook without having to visit their machine
Installing Exchange Tools on a Another Machine
Prerequisites for a successful install
Exchange 2007 Toolbox Shortcuts (blog - opens in new window)
The Exchange 2007 Toolbox tools can be given their own shortcuts. This blog posting explains how.
Making the Outlook Web Access Login the Default Page on a Web Site
http://example.com instead of http://example.com/exchange
Using Mail Enabled Contacts to Give Contractors an Email Address on Your System
Even if it means email going to their own account
Using Exchange with a Dynamic IP Address
DSL, Cable Modem customers etc
Two Sites, One Domain
How to share a single domain with two separate Exchange servers
Dealing with a user who changes their name
How to ensure the old name is not displayed, but email using the old name continues to be delivered
Why You Shouldn't Enable the POP3 Server (blog - opens in new window)
While Exchange provides a POP3 Server, this blog posting explains why you shouldn't use it.
Exchange Database Limits (blog - opens in new window)
A brief blog article that explains the various limits on the different versions of Exchange.
Migration to Exchange or to a New Exchange Server
Swing Migration to a new Server
How to migrate to a new server by doing a swing migration.
Changing from POP3 to SMTP Delivery
If your email currently comes in to your server or your clients from a POP3 account at the ISP, how to manage the move to SMTP delivery direct to Exchange while minimising the risk of email loss.
Working with SMTP Email - More SMTP Related Articles
Sharing a Single IP Address with another SMTP Server
If you have another SMTP server on your network, how to use Exchange to relay email to it over the single connection.
Using Exchange to Provide a Backup MX Server for Another Domain
How to configure Exchange to queue email when another server is down.
The Problem with Backup MX Services and an Alternative (blog - opens in new window)
A common request is for Backup MX Services, which your ISP may offer. This blog posting explains why they are not a good idea and an alternative.
DNS Configuration
How you should configure DNS, MX records, reverse DNS and what the server announces itself as to ensure that your email has the best chance of being delivered and not rejected by anti-spam measures.
Basic Gateway Server
Build an email gateway server to put in your DMZ, that works just like Edge Services on Exchange 2007, but for any version of Exchange. Cheaper too.
Why you shouldn't use a POP3 Connector (blog - opens in new window)
This blog article provides resolutions to the main arguments for using a POP3 connector, rather than native SMTP Delivery.
Securing Exchange
Securing Users When Relaying Email
How to tighten the security when you are allowing users to relay through your server, and trying to avoid "Authenticated User" relaying.
Restrict Users from Sending and Receiving Internet Email
A quick guide on allowing users to send and receive email internally, but unable to send or receive email to the Internet.
Out of Office to the Internet (blog - opens in new window)
The blog posting discusses whether you should allow Out of the Offices messages to the internet.
Permissions Best Practices
Some tips on how to use permissions and groups to ease the administration of your Exchange server
Email Black Hole
Use a black hole to get rid of email forever
Managing email for Ex-Staff
The options available to you for dealing with email belonging to a former staff member
Recovering Deleted Items
How you or your users can recover deleted items, particularly Public Folder content
Mailbox Access Account
How to setup a special account to access all mailboxes, for example to use exmerge.
Why You Shouldn't Put Exchange 2003 in a DMZ (blog - opens in new window)
This blog posting by the site author explains why it is a bad idea to put Exchange in to a DMZ.
Spam Cleanup etc
Are you an Open Relay?
How to check whether your Exchange server is an open relay, and what to change to secure it.
Cleaning up after an NDR attack or open relay
How to clear the queues caused by attempts to use your server to send spam
One morning you find that there is spam in the queues, your server has been blacklisted etc... (blog - opens in new window)
This blog posting explains what is likely to have happened if your Exchange server has lots of messages in the queues, or your server has been blacklisted. Once you know what has happened, you can deal with it.
Did the Spam Originate Inside Your Network? (blog - opens in new window)
This blog posting will help you identify whether the spam messages that you see in the queues originated inside your network, or not.
Usernames Tried During Authenticated User Attack (blog - opens in new window)
This blog posting outlines some of the usernames that were tried during an authenticated user attack.
Filter Out Mail to Non-Existent Users
How to stop receiving email for addresses that don't exist on your network
SSL Certificates
Exchange 2007 and a Single Name SSL Certificate
If you are unable to use a SAN/UC Certificate then it is possible to configure Exchange 2007 to use a single name certificate.
Why you shouldn't use a self generated certificate (blog - opens in new window)
This blog posting gives good reasons why a self generated certificate shouldn't be used. While written for Exchange 2003, it applies equally to Exchange 2007.
Exchange 2007 and SSL Certificates (blog - opens in new window)
This blog posting goes through the full process of getting a commercial SAN/UC certificate on to your Exchange 2007 Server
Unified Messaging Requires the Server Name in the SSL Certificate (blog - opens in new window)
Diagnosing Problems with Exchange
Telnet Test
How to carry out a manual telnet test to verify that SMTP is working correctly
Enabling and Using Message Tracking
Use the built in tool to track what Exchange has done with a message.
Microsoft Test Site - https://testexchangeconnectivity.com/
Microsoft have an online site for testing many of the Exchange features that can be accessed from the internet, including RPC over HTTPS/Outlook Anywhere, Exchange ActiveSync and Autodiscover.
SMTP Diagnostics
Use tools available in Windows and on the Internet to see why your email is not being delivered.
Resolving Specific Issues with Exchange
Stop Exchange Services with a Script
A script for stopping the Exchange services gracefully - particularly useful if your Exchange server is installed on a domain controller.
Offline Address Book and Outlook 2003 Cached Mode
How to resolve errors when using Outlook 2003 in cached mode
Account Does Not Exist Error When Appointment Sent to Another User (blog - opens in new window)
A common issue seen by Exchange administrators is when users get an error from someone else completely when they arrange a meeting.
Eradicating Errors 1022 and 9548 when you disable an account.
Clean up your event logs
Event ID 1221 - Clearing up the confusion
What does "...SERVER has 3.4 megabytes of free space after online defragmentation has terminated" actually mean?
What has used the disk space?
Identify where all of your disk space has gone on the Exchange server.
As some of the techniques on this web site are not compatible with all versions of Exchange, we have included a compatibility table. An example and definitions are shown below.
Note that "No" means it is not compatible or doesn't apply to that version (feature doesn't exist)
| Exchange Server Compatibility Information |
Meaning? | ||
| Exchange Server Version Compatibility |
5.5 | No* | Compatible or not with Exchange 5.5 |
| 2000 | No* | Compatible or not with Exchange 2000 | |
| 2003 | Yes | Compatible or not with Exchange 2003 | |
| 2007 | Yes | Compatible or not with Exchange 2007 | |
| * May Adapt (More Information) | The technique shown was written using higher version of Exchange | ||
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