Chapter 1: Introducing Microsoft Exchange Server

Chapter 1: Introducing Microsoft Exchange Server

The Exchange program

When it was launched in 1996, Microsoft Exchange Server represented a new departure for Microsoft messaging products. Instead of a situation where it is enough to be able to send electronic messages to other users connected to a common system, Microsoft promised an "Information Exchange", the ability for people to share and manage information they need with anyone, anywhere, anytime. Of course, you need to be connected into the program before you can do all this, and, in one way, that's what this book is all about.

"Exchange" is often applied as a general catch-all title for the integrated suite of client and server electronic mail products released by Microsoft. It's important to differentiate between the clients and server because each can be operated independently of the other. A strong link is forged between Microsoft clients and servers through a common application programming interface (MAPI, Microsoft's Messaging Application Programming Interface). You don't have to use clients created by Microsoft with Exchange, and you can connect Microsoft clients to other servers. In these instances the API used to connect the client to the server varies from POP3 through IMAP4 to HTTP/HTML, as we'll see in chapter 2 .

Exchange is viewed as a very strategic and successful product within Microsoft. Developing a high-capacity robust mail server with client and gateway connections is not an easy task. Providing good migration facilities to accommodate the needs of a large installed base (in this case,...

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Microsoft Exchange Server 5.5: Planning, Design, and Implementation

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Chapter 1: Introducing Microsoft Exchange Server

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