Any Exchange 2000 gurus here?

[Nlighten1]

I need a resource to help me install Exchange 2000 is a small business (25 users) environment on Windows 2000 server. I have looked at MS' website and all of their info is for large organizations.

[M155Y_A1CH]

1. This may help

You might look at this site for a brief method. They also have a book available, on the cheap for $5.00.

http://www.computerperformance.co.uk/ActiveDirectory/exchange_2000_install.htm

[RobertSeattle]

2. Critical is to read the pre-requisites

If you try to install Exchange 2000 without making sure the server or your network isn't ready, you can't get quite frustrated (been there...)

Make sure SMTP service in WWW is running, DNS is available, Active Directory is prepared propetly, etc. (Can't recall them all).

This is a RTFM requirement - you can't just doink in the Exchange 2000 CD and expect things to work out of the box. (MS did make it easier in Exchange 2003 though)

[Nlighten1]

3. Hrmm

Maybe we will go with 2003 then.

[RobertSeattle]

4. Perhaps

To really leverage Exchange 20003 you need Windows 2003, but I'm not 100% sure of that. I just know that from customer feedback (aka Venom!) the Exchange 2000 was "too hard" and error prone and they made it much easier in Exchange 2003. A smart high school geek could install Exchange 5.5, but you really need to bone-up to install Exchange 2000.

[Xithras]

5. Some sites I've found useful

YMMV, but I had these in my bookmark list

http://www.exchangeadmin.com/
http://www.slipstick.com/exs/index.htm
http://www.mvps.org/exchange/

You can probably google up some newer sites as well (I haven't admin'ed an exchange server in over a year, so those sites may be a bit dated).

I also highly recommend picking up a good book or two as well. The 24Seven books are very well written, but you may want to start with a beginners guide first.

[newyawker99]

6. Congrats Xithras!! 300 posts

:toast:

[Xithras]

7. Heh, if only you knew how long it's taken

:party:

[geniph]

8. Take a look at Small Business Server 2000

It has Exchange incorporated, along with many other services, and setup is a snap. I used to use SBS for all my small consulting clients. It has wizards that make it easy for a non-IT person in a small firm to do the simple tasks like account management.

http://www.microsoft.com/sbserver/

[Nlighten1]

9. They have an existing 2000 server.

So this isn't an option.

[DS1]

10. done it for a small business

just read the manual first, put the cd in the mail server's drive, and follow the prompts.

If you're connecting to the net and have a .com extension, you'll need to write something called an MX record. Look it up on the net or buy a decent TCP/IP book.

It's really easy. Just do it.