Chapter 2. Exchange Server 2007 Administration

The changes to the new management interface are the most noticeable change to Exchange Server 2007. After all, we use the administrative interface on a daily basis, and we use it to train our administrators and help desk. Any significant change to the interface results in confusion on our part and retraining for the people that use it. More than a few times during my first months with Exchange Server 2007, I found myself wondering, "How do I do this in the new user interface?"

In early deployments of Exchange Server 2007, frustration with the new interface was pretty high. In some cases, I think a little frustration is warranted, but in others, I think administrators are just not approaching the changes from the right perspective. The first piece of advice I give to people learning Exchange 2007 is to give the new interface a chance. It is different, but the changes and improvements are long overdue.

In this chapter, I want to give you a bit of a review about why the administrative interface changed and help you make the transition from an organization that manages with Exchange System Manager and Active Directory Users and Computers to a new Exchange 2007 organization. The following topics are included in this chapter:

  • Defining the interface to Exchange

  • Introducing the new management interface to Exchange 2007

  • Understanding administrative permissions and delegation in Exchange 2007

  • Managing a "mixed" mode Exchange organization

Interfaces! ...

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