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Sample chapters: Microsoft Exchange Server 2010 Administrator’s Pocket Consultant

Posted by Rubel Khan on December 23, 2009

9780735627123fHere are the outlines of the chapters:

Chapter 1 Microsoft Exchange Server 2010 Administration Overview
Exchange Server 2010 and Your Hardware
Microsoft Exchange Server 2010 Editions
Exchange Server and Windows
    Services for Exchange Server
    Exchange Server Authentication and Security
    Exchange Server Security Groups
Exchange Server and Active Directory
    Understanding How Exchange Stores Information
    Understanding How Exchange Routes Messages
Using the Graphical Administration Tools
Using the Command-Line Administration Tools

Chapter 6 Mailbox Administration
Creating Special-Purpose Mailboxes
    Using Room and Equipment Mailboxes
    Creating Room and Equipment Mailboxes
    Creating Linked Mailboxes
    Creating Forwarding Mailboxes
    Creating Archive Mailboxes
Managing Mailboxes: The Essentials
    Viewing Current Mailbox Size, Message Count, and Last Logon
    Setting Alternate Mailbox Display Names for Multilanguage Environments
    Hiding Mailboxes from Address Lists
    Defining Custom Mailbox Attributes for Address Lists
Moving Mailboxes
    Moving Mailboxes: The Essentials
    Performing Offline Mailbox Moves
    Performing Online Mailbox Moves
    Importing and Exporting Mailbox Data
Configuring Mailbox Delivery Restrictions, Permissions, and Storage Limits
    Setting Message Size Restrictions for Contacts
    Setting Message Size Restrictions on Delivery to and from Individual Mailboxes
    Setting Send and Receive Restrictions for Contacts
    Setting Message Send and Receive Restrictions on Individual Mailboxes
    Permitting Others to Access a Mailbox
    Forwarding E-mail to a New Address
    Setting Storage Restrictions on an Individual Mailbox
    Setting Deleted Item Retention Time on Individual Mailboxes

The sample chapters add up to 74 pages.  Download them as XPS.  Or download them as PDF.

Enjoy!

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Microsoft Exams released in October 2009

Posted by Rubel Khan on December 19, 2009

Exams released in October 2009 Preparation guide
Windows Server 2003, MCSA Security Specialization Skills Update (English) Exam 70-699
TS: Microsoft Exchange Server 2010, Configuring (English) Exam 70-662

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Posted in Certification, Exam, Exchange Server, MCSA, Microsoft, Windows Server | Tagged: , , , , | Leave a Comment »

New book: Microsoft Exchange Server 2010 Administrator’s Pocket Consultant

Posted by Rubel Khan on November 13, 2009

We’re pleased to announce that Microsoft Exchange Server 2010 Administrator’s Pocket Consultant, by William Stanek, is now available for purchase in bookstores (Microsoft Press, 2010; ISBN: 9780735627123; 688 pages)!

9780735627123f

Here’s the introduction from the author:

Introduction

Microsoft Exchange Server 2010 Administrator’s Pocket Consultant is designed to be a concise and compulsively usable resource for Exchange Server 2010 administrators. This is the readable resource guide that you’ll want on your desk at all times. The book covers everything you need to perform the core administrative tasks for Exchange Server 2010, whether your servers are running on Windows Server 2008 or Windows Server 2008 R2. Because the focus of this book is on giving you maximum value in a pocket-size guide, you don’t have to wade through hundreds of pages of extraneous information to find what you’re looking for. Instead, you’ll find exactly what you need to get the job done.

In short, this book is designed to be the one resource you turn to whenever you have questions regarding Exchange Server 2010 administration. To this end, the book zeroes in on daily administrative procedures, frequently performed tasks, documented examples, and options that are representative although not necessarily inclusive. One of the goals is to keep the content so concise that the book remains compact and easy to navigate while at the same time ensuring that the book is packed with as much information as possible—making it a valuable resource. Thus, instead of a hefty 1,000-page tome or a lightweight 100-page quick reference, you get a valuable resource guide that can help you quickly and easily perform common tasks, solve problems, and implement advanced Exchange Server 2010 technologies such as EdgeSync subscriptions, local continuous replication, Outlook Anywhere, SMTP connectors, and Active Directory site links.

Who Is This Book For?

Microsoft Exchange Server 2010 Administrator’s Pocket Consultant covers the Standard and Enterprise editions of Exchange Server 2010. The book is designed for the following readers:

· Current Exchange Server 2010 administrators

· Current Windows administrators who want to learn Exchange Server 2010

· Administrators upgrading to Exchange Server 2010 from Exchange 2007

· Administrators upgrading to Exchange Server 2010 from Exchange 2003

· Administrators transferring from other messaging servers

· Managers and supervisors who have been delegated authority to manage mailboxes or other aspects of Exchange Server 2010

To pack in as much information as possible, I had to assume that you have basic networking skills and a basic understanding of e-mail and messaging servers. With this in mind, I don’t devote entire chapters to explaining why e-mail systems are needed or how they work. I don’t devote entire chapters to installing Exchange Server 2010 either. I do, however, provide complete details on the components of Exchange organizations and how you can use these components to build a fully redundant and highly available messaging environment. You will also find complete details on all the essential Exchange administration tasks.

I also assume that you are fairly familiar with Windows Server. If you need help learning Windows Server, I highly recommend that you buy Windows Server 2008 Administrator’s Pocket Consultant or Windows Server 2008 Inside Out.

How Is This Book Organized?

Microsoft Exchange Server 2010 Administrator’s Pocket Consultant is designed to be used in the daily administration of Exchange Server 2010. As such, the book is organized by job-related tasks rather than by Exchange Server 2010 features. If you are reading this book, you should be aware of the relationship between Pocket Consultants and Administrator’s Companions. Both types of books are designed to be part of an administrator’s library. Pocket Consultants are the down-and-dirty, in-the-trenches books, while Administrator’s Companions are the comprehensive tutorials and references that cover every aspect of deploying a product or technology in the enterprise.

Speed and ease of reference are essential parts of this hands-on guide. The book has an expanded table of contents and an extensive index for finding answers to problems quickly. Many other quick reference features have been added as well. These features include quick step-by-step instructions, lists, tables with fast facts, and extensive cross-references.

The first two chapters provide an overview of Exchange servers and Exchange clients. Chapter 1 provides an overview of Exchange Server 2010 administration concepts, tools, and techniques. Chapter 2 discusses deploying Exchange Server.

Next I cover the fundamental tasks you need for Exchange Server administration. Chapter 3 details how Exchange environments are organized, how information is stored in Exchange Server, and how Exchange Server works. The chapter also explores Exchange message queues and Exchange Server service management. Chapter 4 discusses Windows PowerShell and the Exchange Management Shell, providing the essential background for using these powerful command-line environments for Exchange Server administration. Chapter 5 takes a look at creating and managing users and contacts. You’ll learn all about Exchange aliases, enabling and disabling exchange mail for individual users, forwarding mail offsite, and more. Chapter 6 discusses mailbox administration, including techniques for configuring special-purpose resource mailboxes, moving mailboxes, and configuring mailbox delivery restrictions. In Chapter 7, you’ll find a detailed discussion of how to use distribution groups and address lists. You’ll also learn how to manage these resources. Chapter 8 covers how to implement Exchange security.

In the next several chapters, I discuss advanced tasks for managing and maintaining Exchange organizations. Chapter 9 provides the essentials for managing database availability groups and using full-text indexing. Chapter 10 examines administration of mailbox and public folder databases. The chapter also covers how to recover disconnected mailboxes and deleted messaging items. Chapter 11 looks at how you can use public folders in the enterprise.

Chapter 12 provides a comprehensive discussion of deploying and managing Hub Transport servers and Edge Transport servers. The chapter examines SMTP connectors, Active Directory sites, Active Directory links, and connecting to Exchange 2003 routing groups. The chapter also examines configuring EdgeSync subscriptions, journal rules, transport rules, and anti-spam features. Chapter 13 provides a comprehensive discussion of deploying and managing Client Access servers. The chapter examines IIS Web servers, POP3, IMAP4, and Outlook Anywhere. The chapter also examines configuring Exchange Server features for mobile devices, including Autodiscover, Direct Push, Exchange ActiveSync Mailbox Policy, Remote Device Wipe, Password Recovery, Direct File Access, Remote File Access, and WebReady Document Viewing.

In Chapter 14, you’ll learn about troubleshooting essentials as well as Exchange maintenance, monitoring, and queuing. You’ll learn key techniques for using message tracking, protocol logging, and connectivity logging for troubleshooting. You’ll also learn techniques for automated monitoring and managing Exchange message queues—both of which can help ensure that your Exchange organization runs smoothly. Chapter 15 details how to back up and restore Exchange Server. You’ll learn key techniques that can help you reliably back up and, more important, recover Exchange Server in case of failure.

Chapter 16 covers Exchange client setup and management, and Chapter 17 extends the Exchange client discussion and looks at mobile Microsoft Office Outlook users as well as Exchange Active Sync, Outlook Web App, and Outlook Anywhere. With more and more users working on the road or from home, this chapter helps ensure that you can give these mobile users the best support possible.

Sample Chapters

To download sample chapters, as well as learning snacks and online clinics, be sure to visit the Microsoft Learning Exchange Server 2010 Training Portal.

http://www.microsoft.com/learning/en/us/training/exchange-server.aspx

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Learning Snacks: Microsoft Exchange Server 2010

Posted by Rubel Khan on November 9, 2009

If you want to learn more about Exchange Server 2010 but do not have much time, try Learning Snacks. Learning Snacks are short, interactive presentations on popular topics. Each Snack is created by Microsoft Learning experts and delivered by using innovative Microsoft Silverlight technology. Each Snack includes various media, such as animations and recorded demos. At the end of each presentation, you can view additional Snacks, learn more about the topic, or visit a related Web site.

High Availability and Storage in Microsoft Exchange Server 2010
Learn about the high mailbox availability in Exchange Server 2010 and find out how the improved database recovery and storage features help organizations better manage their messaging environment.

Unified Messaging in Microsoft Exchange Server 2010
Discover how unified messaging works and get an overview of its architecture. You also will learn about voice-mail integration in Exchange Server 2010.

Note To view Learning Snacks, you need to install Microsoft Silverlight and enable pop-up windows.

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Free Exchange Server 2010 E-Learning Clinics

Posted by Rubel Khan on October 26, 2009

Learn about the new unified messaging features, effective deployment scenarios, development platform options, and more. These clinics are free for a limited time.

Posted in E-Learning, Exchange Server | Tagged: | Leave a Comment »

Now available! 70-662: TS: Microsoft Exchange Server 2010, Configuring

Posted by Rubel Khan on October 23, 2009

Exam 70-662 is now available in Prometric testing centers. This is a Technical Specialist exam designed to assess candidates’ hands-on skills configuring Microsoft Exchange Server 2010.

The typical candidate for this exam is a Messaging Generalist responsible for the maintenance and administration of the Exchange servers in an enterprise environment. Day to day, the candidate typically installs and manages Exchange Server 2010 and manages users, mailboxes, security, servers, and databases. The candidate might also monitor and troubleshoot Exchange Server 2010.

This exam covers the following topics:

  • Installing and Configuring Exchange Servers
  • Configuring Exchange Recipients and Public Folders
  • Configuring Client Access
  • Configuring Message Transport
  • Monitoring and Reporting
  • Implementing High Availability and Recovery
  • Configuring Message Compliance and Security

For a more detailed list of the skills measured on this exam, check out the prep guide. To schedule your exam, visit Prometric’s Web site.

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Want to Be an Expert on Microsoft Exchange Server 2010?

Posted by Rubel Khan on October 15, 2009

You can get a head start on becoming a messaging expert. Get free training on Exchange Server 2010. Learning Snacks provide quick insights on unified messaging, as well as high availability and storage, while no-cost E-Learning clinics cover the basics in more depth and help you prepare for exams. Also, download a preview of the upcoming Exchange Server 2010 Administrator’s Pocket Consultant from Microsoft Press.

Posted in E-Book, E-Learning, Exchange Server, Learning Snacks | Tagged: | Leave a Comment »

FREE Exchange 2010/Unified Messaging content!

Posted by Rubel Khan on October 12, 2009

Get a head start and become the go-to messaging person within your organization. Microsoft Learning has developed some great, free resources on Exchange Server 2010, including Silverlight Learning Snacks on Unified Messaging, High Availability and Storage, eLearning Clinics highlighting the new features in Exchange 2010, and finally, a PrePress preview of the upcoming MS Press Administrator’s Companion Book.

Here are the links to all of this free content:

Free Silverlight Learning Snacks:

- Unified Messaging in Exchange 2010

- High Availability and Storage in Exchange 2010

Free PrePress Chapter Downloads:

- Free Chapters from Exchange 2010 Administrator’s Pocket Consultant

o Chapter 1: Exchange Server Administration Overview AND Chapter 6: Mailbox Administration

Free eLearning Clinics:

- Collection 6899: Exploring Features in Exchange 2010 (2-hours)

- Collection 6900: Introduction to Exchange 2010 (1-hour)

- Collection 6901: Exchange Server 2010 in an Enterprise (1-hour)

Microsoft’s Exchange Server 2010 Learning Portal:

- www.microsoft.com/learning/exchange

Source: http://borntolearn.mslearn.net/2009/10/free-exchange-2010unified-messaging-content

Posted in E-Learning, Exchange Server, Free Training, Learning Snacks, Unified Communications | Tagged: , | Leave a Comment »

Microsoft prePress Chapters (MS Exchange Server 2010 Administrator’s Pocket Consultant by William R. Stanek)

Posted by Rubel Khan on September 16, 2009

Microsoft prePress is early content, straight from the source. What makes it “prePress”? Each draft chapter comes fresh from the minds and laptops of our respected authors, before we have edited and debugged the content. Microsoft prePress chapters are a great way to get cutting-edge information right now, just when you need it.

Download prePress chapters from Microsoft Exchange Server 2010 Administrator’s Pocket Consultant by William R. Stanek. Two chapters are now available:

Chapter 1: Exchange Server Administration Overview
Chapter 6: Mailbox Administration

Download this free Microsoft prePress chapter offerto get an introduction to Exchange Server 2010 administration. These chapters can help you get up to speed quickly, and they are an excellent reference to have on hand as you work.

Download the chapters

Posted in E-Book, Exchange Server | Tagged: | 1 Comment »

Exchange 2007 Service Pack 2 has been released!

Posted by Rubel Khan on August 26, 2009

Service Pack 2 for Exchange 2007 has been released. It is available here:

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?displaylang=en&FamilyID=4c4bd2a3-5e50-42b0-8bbb-2cc9afe3216a

Features include:

Enhanced Auditing – New Exchange auditing events and audit log repository enable Exchange administrators to more easily audit the activities occurring on their Exchange servers. It allows the right balance of granularity, performance, and easy access to audited events via a dedicated audit log repository. This simplifies the auditing process and makes review of audited events easier by segregating audited events in a dedicated location.

Exchange Volume Snapshot Backup Functionality – A new backup plug-in has been added to the product that will enable customers to create Exchange backups when a backup is invoked through the Windows Server 2008 Backup tool. Exchange Server 2007 didn’t have this capability on Windows Server 2008 and additional solutions were required to perform this task.

Dynamic Active Directory Schema Update and Validation – The dynamic AD schema update and validation feature allows for future schema updates to be dynamic deployed as well as proactively preventing conflicts whenever a new property is added to the AD schema. Once this capability is deployed it will enable easier management of future schema updates and will prevent support issues when adding properties that don’t exist in the AD schema.

Schema Changes - Adds new Active Directory schema classes and attributes and modifies new ones.

Public Folder Quota Management – SP2 enables a consistent way to manage quotas by improving the current PowerShell cmdlets to perform quota management tasks.

Centralized Organizational Settings – SP2 introduces new PowerShell option that enable centralized management of many of the Exchange organization settings.

Named Properties cmdlets – SP2 enables Exchange administrators to monitor their named property usage per database.

New User Interface for Managing Diagnostic Logging – SP2 enables Exchange administrators to easily configure and manage diagnostic logging from within the Exchange Management Console.

What’s New in Exchange 2007 SP2: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ee221150.aspx

Exchange 2007 SP2 Release Notes: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=ee7829a3-0ae8-44de-822c-908cd1034523&displaylang=en

Exchange 2007 SP2 Schema Changes: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ee221142.aspx

Notes:

SP2 will upgrade the active directory schema.

Windows Installer version 4.5 is required to install Exchange 2007 SP2. This is a requirement for upgrade scenarios as well as for new installations of Exchange 2007 SP2.

To address this issue, install the latest version of Windows Installer before you install Exchange 2007 SP2. When you install Windows Installer 4.5, you may have to restart the computer. To install this software, see Windows Installer 4.5.

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