Exchange / Web Sever

Freakish_05 · 5 Sep 2007 at 19:04

Evening all.

I'm planning on renting a Windows 2003 Server (standard edition) vps and installing exchange server 2003 on it to act as a hub, not only for my rather extended familly but for people that i work on a number of projects with.

I know everything there is to know about IIS6 so serving websites isn't a problem. My problems lie with administering the exchange mailboxes. As far as I can see the only way to administer them is by using active directory. Is this correct? Or is there a better way to do administer them bearing in mind that mailbox users wont be logging on anywhere except for the exchange mailboxs?

Also, there is a chance that I will need other vps's in the future, what is the best way to link them all together?

Thanks in advance,
Freakish_05

oddjob62 · 5 Sep 2007 at 19:09

Can't you just use RDP to admin the mailboxes?

Freakish_05 · 5 Sep 2007 at 20:12

Yeah I was going to use RDP to admin the server anyway.

I was just hoping there was a way to just create exchange mailboxes without having to mess around with active directory. Even with the small number of users that will be using the system, Active Directory is just overkill just to administer what are, essentially, Glorified IMAP mailboxes lol

mdjmcnally · 5 Sep 2007 at 20:39

Exchange is heavily linked into AD. If you don't want to get involved with AD then Windows/Exchange probably isn't the solution for you

oddjob62 · 5 Sep 2007 at 21:08

mdjmcnally said:
Exchange is heavily linked into AD. If you don't want to get involved with AD then Windows/Exchange probably isn't the solution for you

Exactly, there is no Exchange without AD.

Freakish_05 · 5 Sep 2007 at 21:30

Damn, thought that might be the case.

I'm fine with using AD, I just wondered if there was a less intensive way of managing mailboxes.

Thanks anyway guys,
Freakish_05