- Topics Mentioned
- Software:
- Exchange Server 2007
Last week I showed you how to install Exchange Server 2007; today we’ll cover the steps on how to add and remove Server Roles in Exchange Server 2007.
The term “Server Role” is new to Exchange 2007 and it represents a concept of organizing features and services across servers. By allocating Exchange features and services to separate Server Roles you are:
- improving hardware utilization and scalability
- reducing maintenance down time and end user impact
- getting more flexibility to fit your unique business needs
There are five server roles in Exchange Server 2007:
- Mailbox Role – hosts mailbox and public folder data and provides MAPI access for Outlook clients
- Client Access Role – enables the use of Internet browsers (OWA), 3rd party mail clients (POP3/IMAP4) and mobile devices (ActiveSync) to access mailboxes
- Edge Transport Role – provides mail quarantine and SMTP service to enhance security
- Hub Transport Role – handles mails by routing them to next hop
- Unified Messaging Role – enables access to mailboxes, address books, and calendars using the telephone and voice
All of the above server roles, except the Edge Transport, can be assigned to a single physical server or be divided up and put on multiple servers. The Edge Transport server role however, must be installed on its own physical server and cannot be installed in combination with the other server roles.
You have the option to assign specific server roles during the Exchange Server installation. But what happens if you made the wrong selection? What if you didn’t select the Hub Transport role and now your boss wants you to add it? And what if you did add it and now you need to remove it?
Don’t worry! Server roles can be added on or removed even after the Exchange Server has been installed. And I will show you step-by-step how to do it!
Adding a Server Role in Exchange 2007
1. To add a server role, you need to start the Exchange Setup by right clicking on the CD drive and selecting Auto-Play.
2. You will not get the original setup/install screen, instead you will be taken to the Exchange Maintenance Mode window. Go ahead and click Next.
3. In the next window you will be able to add a server role. In my example below, the only role I have available is the Unified Messaging Role. If I check this role and click on Next, I will be taken to the readiness check for that role first and then I will be able to install it.
4. Notice that you don’t have the option to remove a role in this window. All the checkboxes are grayed out and the only thing you can do is to add the Unified Messaging Role.
Removing a Server Role in Exchange 2007
1. In order remove a role, you need to get out of the Exchange Server 2007 Setup window and open up Add or Remove Programs in the Control Panel.
2. Select the Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 and click on the Remove button.
3. Notice that this is the exact same window you got after running the Exchange Setup in the Adding a Server Role steps above. This time however, you will be able to remove the server roles. To continue, click Next.
4. In the Server Role Selection window you can remove the roles you do not want. When you’re done click Next. It will take a couple of minutes to complete the removal, but this is it. You are done!
For more information on Server Roles in Exchange Server 2007 see this article from Microsoft: New Server Roles in Exchange Server 2007.
Please, I have been waiting for the exchange 2007 to be released for months now. Any idea when you will release?
Hi Brian,
Our Exchange Server 2007 training will not be available until mid January. The tentative release date is currently set for January 15th, but this might get pushed to the following week. The course is turning out to be a lot longer than we initially anticipated.
If you want to be notified of the release, sign up for our Train Signal Newsletter, and you will get an email as soon as the training is available for purchase. And you’ll get our discount offers too!
Here’s the link to the newsletter sign-up: http://www.trainsignal.com/index.asp?PageAction=Custom&ID=43
Let me know if you have any other questions.
- Gosia
It is Q4 and I was also wondering when you’d be putting out the training videos. I finally got funding, for the first time, to purchase your training video. I’d prefer you put out a great product instead of rushing to meet demands and put out a mediocre product but this kind of little snippet makes it harder to wait for the training videos.
Anthony,
I know how you feel. Coming Soon! doesn’t really say much and you’re right, we’re close to the end of Q4 and our Exchange Server 2007 training is still not out.
So here’s what’s going on.
Exchange 2007 training has been in production since September, and at that time we estimated that four months would be plenty of time to wrap up the whole thing. We haven’t run into any major problems, but as I mentioned in the comment to Brian, the training is going to be much more detailed and therefore, much longer than we expected (at least 5 hours longer).
I hope this helps. Feel free to leave me another comment if you have more questions.
Gosia
Hello,
Do you guys planning on working unified communication training Videos in the future?
Hi Ola,
At this point we don’t have any training on unified communications being developed, but thank you for suggesting it! We’ll keep this in mind for the new year.
Gosia
Hello
I am also expecting for Exchange server 2007 training video. your training products are very fantastic .
Thank you
sankar
Hello, I’m just asking about the Unified Message if it will be included in some details in your Training Videos OR just quick preaf as another Training Videos I saw and didnt satisfied with it.
Hope it come with some details from A to Z to know how to Configure UM, cuz its very important Role in the new Exchnage Server.
Regards,
Eng.Mahmoud Soliman
Technical & Consultant Trainer
Hi Mahmoud,
Sorry for taking so long to get back to you, but I wanted to make sure that I have the right information for you.
Unfortunately our new Exchange Server 2007 Training will not be covering Unified Messaging. A number of advanced topics will be included in the training, but UM is not one of them.
The reason for this is that the main goal of our training is to prepare you for your certification exam (in this case it is the MCTS 70-236), and since Unified Messaging is not one of the objectives, we decided not to include it in our training.
I was able to find an article on Unified Messaging configuration from Microsoft, which I hope will answer at least some of your questions: http://tinyurl.com/2l2q28
Please let me know if you have any other questions for me and good luck with your studies!
Gosia
Hello again Mahmoud,
I just wanted to make you aware of Wayne Card’s article here on Train Signal Training – which is : a guide on Unified Messaging in Exchange Server 2007.
Hope it’s helpful!
Gosia
These are the very same shortcuts we employ. I was wondering if we could use this for our internal documentation. Or would that be copyright infringement?
As long as you give us credit for the work, we’re ok with it!
Kasia
do i need to reinstall iis