Frequently Asked Questions

What is this course about? Exchange Server 2003 represents a major upgrade from Exchange 2000. The host operating systems, either Windows Server 2003 or Windows 2000, provide a highly integrated platform for Exchange Server 2003. A new administrative interface, built using the Microsoft Management Console, offers dramatically enhanced functionality and control for Exchange Server 2003. In this course you learn how to install and configure Exchange Server 2003 on a Windows Server 2003 network. You gain the knowledge of all key aspects of the product, and the confidence and skills needed to build an Exchange Server 2003 infrastructure. You define console settings suitable for your own Exchange server. You learn about the upgrade paths from Exchange 2000 and Exchange 5.5. The course offers an in-depth look at various strategies for use during this transitional phase, with particular emphasis on minimal downtime scenarios. Aspects that relate to new features are highlighted, with particular attention to the integration of Exchange into Windows Server 2003. The course also covers related DNS design and Internet connectivity, which is reflected in Microsoft's move to SMTP as the primary messaging protocol. Finally, you learn basic troubleshooting and maintenance techniques. Who will benefit from this course? This course targets all technology professionals involved with Exchange networks or other e-mail systems, including: Anyone looking to upgrade to Exchange Server 2003 or proposing to install a new Exchange Server or network of servers Messaging administrators who wish to quickly gain skills that reflect real-life scenarios for Exchange upgrades and initial installation Project managers and team members who are embarking on an Exchange Server 2003 installation project Network designers who need to understand the impact of Exchange 2003 on the Windows Server 2003 or Windows 2000 infrastructure What background do I need? Due to the close integration of Exchange Server 2003 with the Active Directory, a sound working knowledge of Windows 2000 or Windows Server 2003 helps you understand how Exchange Server 2003 operates. Course 595, Windows Server® 2003: A Comprehensive Hands-On Introduction, gives you the background knowledge required for this course. Experience with LAN-based enterprise messaging systems is very beneficial. This could include experience with previous versions of Exchange or alternative systems such as Lotus Notes. How much time is spent on each topic? Content Hours Installation of Exchange Server 2003 3.5 Managing Mail Objects 4.0 Exchange Server 2003 clients 2.5 Management of Exchange Server 2003 5.5 Enterprise and Internet messaging 4.5 Upgrading to Exchange Server 2003 2.0 Exchange Server 2003 management and connectivity 2.5 Sharing data with public folders 2.0 Exchange Server 2003 monitoring and tools 2.5 Times, including the workshops, are estimates; exact times may vary according to the needs of each class. How do the hands-on exercises relate to the course material? The exercises are designed to illustrate the concepts described in class. From a base network of Windows 2003 servers, you build a completely integrated messaging infrastructure. This includes installing Exchange Server 2003 and its management tools. Each exercise builds on the previous one, so that by the end of the week, the class has built a complete messaging network with up to twenty Exchange Server 2003 servers. Does the course cover Exchange Server 2003 clients? Yes. The client software is a very important aspect of an Exchange Server 2003 network. This course focuses on Outlook 11 as the primary client for an Exchange Server 2003 network. With the release of Outlook 11, Microsoft has re-defined the mechanisms by which Outlook 11 communicates with the Exchange Server, including the new RPC over HTTPS. The second major client is Outlook Web Access, which is designed to provide secure, remote access to e-mail via the Internet. Outlook Web Access will be discussed and tested as an alternative client to Outlook 11. My organisation is proposing to move to Exchange for our e-mail system. Will this course help me plan our implementation? Yes. The course identifies the key issues related to implementing an Exchange Server 2003 network. It takes you through the entire process, illustrating concepts and issues using hands-on exercises. The course is based on real-world experience. At completion of the course, you clearly understand the major issues involved in Exchange implementation. Why should I take this course instead of one offered by Microsoft? Learning Tree is dedicated to helping accelerate the careers of our clients by providing them with world-class technology and management training. Our independence from Microsoft (and every other vendor) allows us to give an unbiased view of what works and what does not. This course takes a highly objective approach, having been developed independently from Microsoft by industry experts who bring their real-world experience to the classroom. How does this course relate to other Learning Tree courses? 595, Windows Server® 2003: A Comprehensive Hands-On Introduction is an important prerequisite for this course, as Exchange Server 2003 is dependent on a fully functional Windows Server 2003 Active Directory. 539, Deploying Clusters on Windows Server® 2003: Hands-On provides the practical knowledge and skills necessary to plan, implement, configure and test a Windows Server 2003 cluster.