Introducing Server Roles in MS Exchange Server 2007

Exchange Server 2007 has a new architecture based on server roles. Server roles organize Exchange Server 2007 services and features into preset server configurations. While Exchange Server 2003 provided primitive server roles in the form of back-end servers and front-end servers, Exchange Server 2007 has more granular divisions.

There are five server roles in Exchange Server 2007:

• Mailbox: Hosts mailbox databases, which contain user mailboxes and public folders.


• Client Access: Allows browser-based, remote, and mobile clients to communicate with Exchange Server through Outlook Anywhere (RPC/HTTP), Outlook Web Access, ActiveSync, POP3, or IMAP4.


• Hub Transport: Provides message transport services within the organization. All messages flow through the hub transport, allowing organization-wide enforcement of policies.


• Unified Messaging: Provides telephony capabilities including voice mail, fax receiving, automated attendant, and Outlook Voice Access.


• Edge Transport: Serves as an e-mail gateway, helping to block spam and viruses at the network perimeter before they reach internal mail servers.