• Exchange Server 5.5 is an example of a Client/Server messaging system

• Exchange Server interoperates with many different mail protocols through the MAPI subsystem running on the client. Exchange provides access for MAPI-compliant clients like Outlook.

• Mail systems that interact with Exchange include:

• Exchange Server Reliability Factors on Exam

• Exchange Server hierarchical Model

• Exchange Message Infrastructure

1. 1. Directory Service – maintains information on all objects created (users, DL’s, etc)
   2. Message Transfer Agent – provides routing functions, expands DL’s
   3. Information Store – private and public (PRIV.EDB, PUB.EDB), public folders
   4. System Attendant – service and link monitoring, creation of e-mail addresses, routing tables, other support functions.

1. 1. Internet Mail Service – use with Exchange and SMTP system
   2. Internet News Service – replicate USENET newsgroups to Exchange public folder
   3. Outlook Web Access –clients can access e-mail, address book etc using standard browser
   4. Microsoft Mail Connector –communication between Microsoft Mail 3.x system and Exchange
   5. Directory synchronization – synchronize directories beween Exchange and Microsoft mail system using Microsoft Mail 3.x DirSync protocol.
   6. Connector for Lotus cc:Mail – for message transfer and directory synchronization between Exchange server and Lotus cc:Mail postoffice
   7. Connector for Lotus Notes – for message transfer and directory synchronization between Exchange server and Lotus Notes Domino server.

• Exchange 5.5 Features for Exam

Exchange Server Management

Administrator Program on Exchange Server

Be familiar with the Views in Administrator program:

• Organization is the root of the directory hierarchy
• Address Book Views (sort recipients by attributes)
• Folders (public folder hierarchy)
• Global Address List (all recipients in organization)
• Site (contains Configuration containers, Servers in a Site, Recipients containers)
• Configuration (objects for site-level configuration)
• Servers (configure server-level objects)

Administrator program shows 2 views: Container pane on left and Contents pane on the right.

Objects created are either Containers or objects (container is like directory and object is like a file)

Permission and Contexts:

• Permissions are rights granted to a user or group to access an object in the organization
• Context is a boundary of permissions, there are 3 context levels:
• • Organization
  • Site ..permissions apply to public folder, Address book views, etc.
  • Configuration
• Permissions don’t flow between these contexts!

Rights and roles:

• there are 10 different rights that can be assigned to a user or group
• • Add Child – can create objects
  • Modify user attribute – e.g. can modify members of a DL
  • Modify Admin attributes – e.g. can modify display name for a user
  • Delete
  • Send As – can send messages with the sender’s return address
  • Log on Right – give access to the directory; services need this right
  • Replication – replicate directory information with other servers
  • Modify Permissions – e.g. modify access permission on existing mailbox
  • Mailbox Owner – read and delete messages in a mailbox
  • Search
• there are 7 different default roles or predefined sets of rights
• • Admin – has all rights except Modify permission, replication, mailbox owner, and Send As
  • Permissions Admin – all rights except Replication, mailbox owner, and Send As
  • Service Account Admin – has all rights
  • View Only Admin – Only has Log On rights!
  • User – only has modify user attribute, mailbox owner and send as Rights
  • Send As Role – has send as Right
  • Search – can search

Exchange Administrator tools:

Exchange is integrated with NT, so we can user NT Server tools to administer Exchange!

• Control panel Services – check status of Exchange services
• Event Viewer – most components write diagnostic information to Windows
• NT Event Log (application log).
• Server manager – use to manage services on local and remote servers
• Performance Monitor – use special counters to track statistical data
• Task manager – use to monitor programs and processes running on your computer
• • Note: the names in Task manager for your Exchange services are different than the Control panel Services: Remember the following…
    directory service in Task Manager = DSAMAIN.EXE
    Message Transfer Agent = EMSMTA.EXE
    Information Store = STORE.EXE
    System Attendant =MAD.exe
    Internet mail service =MSEXCIMC.exe
    Event Service = EVENTS.exe
    Directory Synchronization =DXA.exe
• Registry Editor – to modify server-specific settings like protocol binding order
• User manger for domains – allows connectivity to the Administrator program to create a mailbox in Exchange and a Windows NT account for a user simultaneously.

Recipient Configuration

Types of Recipients:

• Mailboxes
• Custom Recipients – points to foreign address like Internet recipient with SMTP address
• Public Folders
• Distribution Lists – can contain multiple DL’s as recipients
• Agents – similar to mailbox, but contains an active process that reads and acts on messages. Example: Microsoft Schedule+ Free/Busy agent which communicates with Schedule+ Free/Busy

Rule: All recipient objects must be placed inside a "Recipients" container!

Ways to create a mailbox:

• use Exchange Administrator Program
• use Windows NT User Manager for Domains program
• use the Administrator Extract and Import utilities
• use the Migration Wizard to migrate users from existing mail systems, like Microsoft Mail for PC Networks, Lotus cc:Mail, and Lotus Notes (if you use SP1 with Exchange 5.5)

Setting permissions with Exchange Administrator:

The default is to show "permissions" tab on container objects only. You have to modify this setting in Exchange Administrator by:

Configuring E-Mail Addresses

• Every recipient has an "E-Mail Addresses" tab to create their e-mail address
• If you change a user’s ALIAS name, the e-mail address is not updated!
• E-mail addresses are called PROXY ADDRESSES.
• To globally change an address for all FUTURE recipients created, use the Site Addressing Object in the Configuration Container and select Site Addressing
• Use "Delivery Options" page to specify who has "Send on Behalf of permissions" (also do this directly in Client program)
• Use "Delivery Options" to specify alternate recipient to receive your incoming mail
• Use "Protocols" tab to enable or disable all protocols, except LDAP, on a per-user basis.
• Use "Limits" tab to configure Deleted Item retention time for message storage, also configure server to keep deleted messages until the IS has been backed up here.
• Use "Advanced" tab to set trust levels, home servers, and outlook web access server name.

Configuring Distribution Lists for the Exam:

• You need to specify an "expansion server" to expand the members of a DL
• Default is "any server in a site" can do this, but pick a high-processor machine for large DL’s
• Always specify an owner who can modify members – they don’t need administrative rights
• Configure the "Advanced" tab to send notification reports and hide from the address book

Additional Recipient Information on the Exam

• Moving mailboxes within a Site
• Use the "move mailbox" option on the Tools menu to move to a different server

  Alternate method: "Rehome" a mailbox on the "Advanced" option of the mailbox object

• Moving mailboxes BETWEEN Sites
• Cannot do this in Administrator!!!. Steps are:
  • Download all private folders in IS to a local .PST file
  • Create new mailbox in new site, then DELETE THE OLD MAILBOX!
  • Log on to new server, and copy .PST file from the old IS to new server
    
    
• Cleaning a Mailbox
• Does not delete the mailbox, only deletes messages in a mailbox!
  Select Tools, then "Clean Mailbox"
  Use "Mailbox Cleanup Agent" from Resource Kit to maintain consistent database size
  
  
• Address Book Views
• Why? To organize recipients into "logical groupings"
  • displayed in the Outlook Address Book
  • users can move between address book view containers dynamically
  • address book view containers are created automatically
  • must specify DIRECTORY and DISPLAY NAME and ATTRIBUTES

SITE CONFIGURATION

Object Description

IMPORTANT SITE OBJECT PROPERTIES FOR THE EXAM…

• DS Site Configuration Object
• • General Page –
  • • Tombstone Lifetime = how long you want directory to keep an object before permanently removing it from the directory. Default = 30 days.
    • Garbage collection Interval = after 12 hours, objects with EXPIRED TOMBSTONES are permanently deleted!
    • Anonymous Directory Account = specify an account for anonymous acces to the Directory
• Information Store Site Configuration
• • General Page – Use to enable message tracking, not enabled by default
  • Top-Level Folder Creation – specify which users have permission to create top-level public folder using Outlook
  • Storage Warnings – to schedule notifications when users have exceeded their storage limits
  • Public Folder Affinity – allow users to make connections to replicas of public folders that exist in other sites
• MTA Site Configuration
• • Messaging Defaults page – very important for exam
  • • RTS values:
    • • Checkpoint size (default 30K): 30K of data is sent before a checkpoint is inserted.
      • Recovery timeout: The MTA waits 60 seconds (default) after an error occurs for a reconnection before DELETING CHECKPOINT INFORMATION and restarting data transfer from beginning.
      • Window size: how many checkpoints go UNACKNOWLEDGED before data transfer is SUSPENDED. Default is 5 (specify only if Checkpoint size > 0)
    • Connection Retry values:
    • • Max open retries: maximum times that system tries to open a connection before a Non-Delivery Report (NDR) is sent. Default is 144.
      • Max transfer retries: maximum number of times the system tries to transfer a message across an already open connection. Default is 2 times.
      • Open interval: System waits 600 seconds before trying to reopen a connection AFTER AN ERROR.
      • Transfer interval: system waits 120 sec before resending a message across an already open connection AFTER PREVIOUS ATTEMPT FAILED.
    • Association parameters
    • • Association is a pathway or gateway to another system. Can have multiple associations within one CONNECTION .
      • Lifetime: Keep an association open to remote system for 300 sec (default) after you send a message.
      • Disconnect: Wait 120 seconds after sending a Disconnect request before you terminate the connection.
      • Threshold: There will be 50 maximum queued messages by default at one time to a remote system. After 50, the MTA opens another association!
    • Transfer Timeout values
    • • What is the acceptable amount of time it takes to transmit a message
      • time is measured in sec/K, or how long a message can take to be transmitted across open association!
      • the higher the sec/K, THE LONGER THE WAIT!
      • URGENT: Wait 1000 sec/K before sending an NDR for urgent messages
      • NORMAL: Wait 2000 sec/K before sending NDR for normal messages
      • NON-URGENT: Wait 3000 sec/K before sending NDR for non-urgent message.
• Site Addressing Values
• • General Page – choose "routing calculation server" and "share address space with other X.400 systems"
  • Site Addressing page – Exchange Enterprise Edition creates addresses for:
  • • Lotus cc:Mail
    • MS Mail (PC)
    • SMTP (Internet)
    • X.400
  • Routing Calculation Schedule
  • • Recalculate routing after routing change is made
    • Schedule can be Never, Always, or Selected Times
  • Routing Tab
  • • view and recalculate the routing table, e.g. add a new connector to the site
• Server Configuration objects (Server Container on Left Side)
• • Server Properties include:
  • 1. Defining Server location
    2. Configuring services to monitor with Server Monitors
    3. Installing Locales for displays in foreign languages
    4. Changing database paths to common files
    5. Configuring Information Store maintenance Schedule
    6. Enabling circular logging
    7. Making adjustments for Directory Service and IS inconsistencies
  • Private Information Store container properties
  • 1. Specifying item retention time limits
    2. Set storage limits for all mailboxes residing on a server
    3. Selecting a home server for public folders
    4. Viewing logged on information for current users
    5. Viewing mailbox information and usage statistics
  • Configuring Protocols container for a Server
  • 1. Configure server to use site defaults
    2. Configuring IMAP4, LDAP, NNTP, POP3
    3. HTTP not configured here, only configured at SITE or USER LEVEL!!
    4. Configure Authentication option and Anonymous Access
    5. Determine MIME types used
  • Configuring Public Information Store container for a Server
  • 1. Specify item retention time period and storage limits
    2. Set age limits for messages in a public folder – can set for all public folders in Public Information Store or a REPLICA of a public folder in Public Information Store
    3. Configure Public folder replication – 4 tabs involved here:
    4. 1. Instances – configure servers which hold a replica
       2. Replication Schedule – configure default replication schedule for all public folders
       3. Folder Replication Status – current synchronization status of all public folders
       4. Server Replication Status – current replication status based on server
  • Directory Service object for a Server
  • 1. By default, servers within a site are updated every 5 minutes.
    2. Can manually force an update on General Tab, click "Update Now" (need more than one server in the site for this)
    3. Use Knowledge Consistency Checker to discover new sites and servers added to your organization (by default, it checks every 3 hours). Click "Check Now" on General tab.
  • Configure Message Transfer Agent object for a Server
  • 1. override the default MTA name and/or password
    2. specify message size limits
    3. configure your Distribution List expansion
    4. configure "least-cost" routing between sites
    5. view and/or manage your message queues (very important)
  • Configure the system attendant object for a Server
  • 1. define how long message tracking logs will be kept on General tab
    2. logs are kept in \EXCHSRVR\TRACKING.LOG folder

PUBLIC FOLDER REVIEW

Created Two Ways:

Exchange Administrator: Use Directory Import option (cant create public folders directly!)
Outlook client: File – folder – Create Subfolder

Components of public folders:

Public Folder Hierarchy: the "tree-like" structure shown in Administrator that is replicated to all Public Information Store in an Organization (it’s "constant" between servers)

Public Folder contents: a series of Message Headers, message bodies, and attachments contained within a public folder hierarchy. CONTENTS CAN BE DIFFERENT BETWEEN SERVERS!

Rules for public folders:

1. public folders in the Public Information Store is a recipient in the directory
2. by default, public folders are hidden recipients, can only be viewed in Administrator
3. by default, public folders don’t appear in the Global Address List!
4. if you want to "balance the load" in your organization, then replicate your public folder to another server in the site or another site.
5. you can schedule public folder replication.
6. you can create dedicated public folder servers:
7. 1. Create a PUBLIC SERVER – one with a Public information store but no private information store.
   2. Create a PRIVATE SERVER – one with a Private information store but no public information store
8. by default, all users can create public folders at the root or top level
9. create public folder FAVORITES or shortcuts to a folder to give quick access to a specific location in a large folder hierarchy. Note: USERS CAN ACCESS A PREVIOUSLY CREATED FAVORITE TO BYPASS ANY SECURITY THAT IS SET ON A HIGHER-LEVEL FOLDER!
10. you can configure PUBLIC FOLDER SITE AFFINITY to make connections to intersite public folder servers. Default: there is no public folder site affinities. You assign a "cost value" per site similar to Site Connector cost values. You only set affinity values AT THE SITE LEVEL, NOT SERVER LEVEL!
11. AFFINITY VALUES ARE ONE-WAY, AND THE LOWEST AFFINITY VALUE WINS!!
12. you can configure public folders at both the SITE and SERVER levels using Exchange Administrator.

Monitoring and Maintaining Exchange Organization

• Know Database Types and Procedures for Maintenance Purposes
• • Exchange Server 5.5 uses Fault-tolerant Transaction based database for message information
  • Transaction log files can reconstruct data in cases of power outages or system failures
  • Databases based on 32-bit Joint Engine Technology or JET format
  • Maximum size of database for Exchange Standard Edition is 16 GB
  • Enterprise Edition size is theoretically unlimited, limited only by hardware used
  • Types of Files used in Exchange Server 5.5
    Primary Transaction Log File: Hold transactions before they’re written to the DS or the IS, only 1 current transaction log per service!
    Previous Log File: Keeps older transactions, not currently being used
    Reserved Log File Two Log files, RES1.log, RES2.log, reserved for low disk space events
    Checkpoint Files :A "pointer file" – keeps track of transaction logs oncethey are committed to a database
    Patch File: Temporary file – stores transactions during backup, used with ISINTEG utility for the Information Store
• UTILITIES Used to maintain Exchange Servers
• • Performance Optimizer – analyzes hard disks, run after SETUP

1. 1. 1. Analyzes hard disks
      2. puts components on different hard drives based on certain performance criteria
      3. modifies Registry parameters to improve server performance
      4. File name is PERFWIZ.EXE – will affect behavior of DS, IS, MTA
      5. Recommended drive configuration: 1 disk for software, OS, and paging file; 1 disk for transaction log files; 1 disk for database files using stripe set with multiple drives
      6. Run this AFTER INITIAL SETUP OR ANY MAJOR CHANGE TO HARDWARE!!
      7. Results are stored in \%winntroot%\SYSTEM32\PERFOPT.LOG

• • ESEUTIL – previously called EDBUTIL in Exchange 5.0 and earlier!

1. 1. 1. checks consistency of IS and DS at JET engine level
      2. repairs any inconsistencies
      3. located in \windir\System32
      4. defragments and compacts the IS and DS
      5. use only with assistance from Microsoft (or risk data loss!)

• • ISINTEG – checks consistency of IS database

1. 1. 1. use ISINTEG –FIX to correct any detected errors, need to specify one or more tests
      2. ISINTEG – FIX –PRI –TEST alltests will fix all inconsistencies with Private IS
      3. use this utility only with assistance of MS Tech Support!

• • MTACHECK – checks data stored by MTA in data files (.dat)

1. 1. 1. allows for "soft" recovery of corrupt MTA database, e.g. C:\Exchsrvr\Bin>mtacheck.exe
      2. use when MTA service doesn’t start (run only when MTA service has stopped!!)
      3. defective objects put in \Exchsrvr\MTA\Data\MTACheck.out for later review
      4. will rebuild MTA queue so MTA can start again

• • SCANPST.EXE – Inbox Repair Tool

1. 1. 1. can be used on Personal Stores (.PST) or Offline Stores (.OST) files
      2. will search for "orphan" folders and messages

• • RPC Ping

1. 1. 1. Included on Exchange CD, has a ‘server side’ and ‘client side’
      2. verifies RPC connectivity over a given transport
      3. Three versions of the RPC Ping Client:

1. 1. 1. Rpingc16.exe – to use with Microsoft Windows 3.x
      2. Rpingc32.exe – to use with Microsoft Windows 95/98 and NT
      3. Rpingdos.exe – to use with Microsoft MS-DOS

• • Forcing Directory Replication
  • • Within a site – you PULL information to your server, can’t broadcast this.
    • • Go to Directory Service object, General Tab, click "UPDATE NOW"
    • Between Sites – go to Site Connector, Sites Tab, click "REQUEST NOW"
    • • Also…go to Directory Service object, General Tab, click "CHECK NOW"
  • Performance Monitor in NT – provides real-time monitoring of Exchange servers, objects include:

• Built-in Performance Charts in Performance Monitor
• 1. Server Health – tracks percentage of processor time utilized by the core components, and Total percentage of processing time.
  2. Server History – tracks number of people who have a connection to server and the number of messages in the queue that are not yet processed.
  3. IMS Queues – tracks number of Internet messages queued inbound to server and outbound from the server. Updated every second.
  4. IMS Statistics – tracks total Internet messages sent inbound to server and outbound from the server since the IMS service was started.
  5. IMS Traffic – track messages as they move between MTS-IN and MTS-OUT queues, also the number of SMTP sessions both inbound and outbound.
  6. Server Load – tracks load on the server by client activity (number of messages delivered, etc). Updated every 10 seconds.
  7. Server Queues – tracks how many messages stored in server queues that are waiting to be processed or transmitted. Tracks latency issues, updated every 10 seconds.
  8. Server Users – tracks how many users have a connection to the server.

MIGRATING TO EXCHANGE AND CLIENT ISSUES REVIEW

• Exchange supports migration from:
• • Microsoft Mail for PC networks Version 3.x
  • Microsoft Mail for AppleTalk Networks (Quarterdeck Mail) Version 3.x
  • Lotus cc:Mail –database version DB6 and DB8
  • IBM Professional Office system (PROFS)
  • Digital ALL-IN-1 versions 2.3 up
  • Novell GroupWise versions 4.1 and 4.1a
  • collabra share version 1.x and 2.x
  • Lotus Notes Release 3.x, 4.0, 4.1
  • Lotus domino server release 4.5, 4.6
• Types of migration
• • Single-phase – move all users in one small time frame
  • • use when you have little or no existing data
    • use if all hardware and software needed is already in place
    • avoid lot of coexistence issues and problems
  • Multi-phase – move groups of users in PHASES SPREAD OUT OVER MANY DAYS
  • • use for a large base of users
    • use if not all departments can upgrade at the same time
    • use if needed hardware is not in place for the upgrade
• Migration Process – using the Migration Wizard
• • One-step migration – DON’T CONFUSE WITH SINGLE-PHASE MIGRATION!!!
  • • data migrated using the Wizard, no changes made to addressing schema
  • Two-step migration – DON’T CONFUSE WITH MULTI-PHASE MIGRATION!!!
  • • data is first exported to migration files , then edited and imported using the Wizard.
    • use if changes are being made to addressing scheme
  • MUST KNOW THE MIGRATION FILES FOR EXAM!
  • • Packing List Files – list primary and secondary migration files and CODE PAGE!
    • Primary Intermediate file – contains directory changes, message headers, pointers, etc.
    • Secondary Intermediate File – contains message bodies and attachments!
    • • packing list file is KEY TRACKING FILE
      • primary intermediate files can be edited using Notepad, BEFORE YOU IMPORT!
      • don’t normally edit secondary intermediate files!
• Client Issues
• • Exchange supports Outlook 98, Outlook 97, Outlook for Windows 3.x, Outlook for macintosh,
  • Outlook Express, Outlook Web Access also clients
  • Outlook 97 only support POP3 and SMTP protocols
  • Outlook for macintosh supports S/MIME protocol
  • Installation Issues
  • • The Exchange Client for MS-DOS needs 2MB min/3MB max disk space, 1MB RAM
    • Outlook 98 client needs 22MB min / 81 MB max disk space, 8 MB RAM
    • If using TCP/IP for Macintosh, use MacTCP version 2.06 or up
    • Latest version of Outlook Web Access requires Exchange 5.5 with SP1 and IIS 4.0. Also need Web browser supporting frames, java applets, and MS Jscript on client!
    • Outlook 98 can be installed in Corporate/Workgroup Mode or Internet Only Mode!
• Installing the Clients
• • use Network client installation point – install the client to a local hard disk
  • use Shared client installation point – run Outlook from a server
  • • Outlook 98 doesn’t support shared installations!
• Creating Profiles for clients
• • Outlook 98 requires a windows messaging profile listing the information services that are used
  • users can have multiple profiles with unique information services
  • use the Outlook Setup Wizard to create profiles
  • use NEWPROF.EXE to create a profile
  • • it uses the OUTLOOK.PRF file in the Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office folder
    • OUTLOOK.PRF can be customized in two ways:
    • • modify the Registry: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Office\8.0\Outlook\Setup\PRF
      • or, use EXCHANGE.PRF found in the Office 97 Resource Kit
• Creating Profiles for Roving Users
• • use the PROFGEN.EXE utility – Microsoft Exchange Roving User Profile Generation Program
  • works with NEWPROF.EXE to create a profile from account information for the currently logged on user
• Configuring the Outlook client
• • preferences tab – e-mail options, calendar options, tasks options, journal options, note options
  • mail services – prompt for profile, enable offline access
  • mail format tab – message formats, fonts, creating signatures for outgoing mail
  • spelling tab – self-explanatory
  • security tab – creating digital Ids, encryption settings
  • other tab – emptying deleted items folder, autoarchiving settings, preview pane
  • delegates tab – to configure "send on behalf of" access, or "send as" access for another user
• RPC Transport Issues on the Client
• • RPC can use any of the following protocols:
  • • Local RPC or LRPC
    • TCP/IP
    • SPX
    • NAMED PIPES
    • NETBIOS
    • VINES IP
• Client connection Order depends on operating system!!!

• Modify client connection order before or after Setup:
• • BEFORE SETUP; EDIT THE OUTLOOK.STF FILE WITH NOTEPAD!
  • AFTER SETUP;
  • • outlook 98 – modify HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE_\Software\Microsoft\Exchange\Exchange provider and edit Rpc_Binding_Order value!
    • outlook 97 – modify your OUTLOOK.STF file or modify the same Registry key as above!
    • outlook for Windows 3.x – modify EXCHNG.STF file before setup or edit Rpc_Binding_Order in Exchng.ini file AFTER SETUP!
    • MS-DOS based client – edit the MLSETUP.INI file before setup or edit the RPC_BINDING_ORDER_ environment variable in AUTOEXEC.BAT FILE after setup!

• Create Personal Folder Stores for Clients
• • to back up folders and messages
  • to move messages and folders to a portable computer if working away from office
  • to archive old messages and create space in Information Store
  • .PST files have 2 GB limit or 64,000 entries!!
  • users can protect their .PST files with password but THIS IS ONLY KNOWN TO THE USER AND CANT BE VIEWED OR CHANGED BY AN ADMINISTRATOR!!!!
• Use the ODK or Outlook 98 Deployment Kit to create custom installations
• • replaces Office 97 Network Installation wizard
  • replaces manual editing of profile or .PRF file and setup or .STF files!
  • includes MS IEAK customization features
  • uses Active Setup technology and is installed from the ODK CD-ROM
  • need to install IE 4.0 or later, and works with Windows 98/95, NT Server 4.0 SP3 and NT Workstation 4.0 SP 3