7.1 Introduction

In this final chapter, I want to share with you some actual server configurations and give a real-world context for the elements of theory that were covered earlier in this book.

There is no doubt that technology will continue to evolve, some components at the rate of Moore's law (e.g., CPU and RAM) and others probably at a slower pace (e.g., disks, WAN bandwidth). In the meantime, Microsoft continuously improves its product and technology offerings, bridging a smaller and smaller gap between what the products can offer off the shelf and the solution that customers actually need. As the technology increases on the application, hardware, and operating system fronts, server design best practices may evolve. Consequently, you should make use of the suggestions offered here with an understanding of how they are formulated. That way, you can better judge whether they apply in your environment as technology moves forward, hopefully, for the better.

Within our consulting organization, we have developed a fair number of best practices. They are considered "best" because they result from the mental work involved in designing the most complex Exchange messaging solutions imaginable.

In this chapter, we review the configuration guidelines for Windows 2000, bearing in mind that much will depend on your own implementation guidelines and Windows server deployment policies. These are hints; you are not necessarily forced to adhere or to agree with the approach, but I hope that they can properly serve your environment and your current and future Exchange networks.