Exchange 2007 Interview Questions and Answers
1.0
Q: What is Exchange Server 2007?
A: Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 is the next version of Microsoft Exchange. Microsoft Exchange is the industry’s leading e-mail, calendaring, and unified messaging server. The release of Exchange Server 2007 is closely aligned with the 2007Microsoft Office release. Together, these products deliver a best-in-class enterprise messaging and collaboration solution.
2.0
Q: What’s new in Exchange Server 2007?
A: Exchange 2007 provides built-in protection to keep the e-mail system up and running and protected from outside threats and lets employees work more productively from wherever they are by using a variety of clients. These clients include Microsoft Office Outlook 2007, Microsoft Office Outlook Web Access, and mobile devices. Exchange Server 2007 makes it easier for IT departments to deliver these new capabilities to their organizations by making the messaging environment easier to manage and more cost-efficient. For more information about Exchange Server 2007, see
The following is not a comprehensive list of all the new features in Exchange 2007. It is intended to help you start testing and running Exchange 2007. For a complete list of all the new and improved features, see Features of Exchange Server 2007.- Exchange Management Console The Exchange Management Console is one of two new administrative interfaces for Exchange 2007 and is based on Microsoft Management Console (MMC) 3.0. The Exchange Management Console is required to install and manage Exchange 2007. The Exchange Management Console combines all management tasks into one user interface. By using the Exchange Management Console, you can manage all Exchange servers, recipients, and organizational components in your Exchange 2007 organization.
- Exchange Management Shell The Exchange Management Shell is a new task-based command line shell and scripting language for system administration. You can use the Exchange Management Shell to perform every task that the Exchange Management Console can perform and additional tasks that cannot be performed in the Exchange Management Console.
- Unified Messaging Exchange 2007 includes support for Unified Messaging (UM). Unified Messaging combines multiple messaging infrastructures into a single messaging infrastructure. Therefore, Exchange 2007 users who are enabled for Unified Messaging can receive all voice mail, e-mail, and fax messages in their Exchange 2007 mailboxes and can access their mailboxes from a variety of devices. These devices include mobile devices and cellular, analog, or digital telephones.
- Performance improvements Exchange 2007 supports deployment on a 64-bit architecture for improved performance and capacity. Because of the move from a 32-bit architecture to a 64-bit architecture, the Enterprise Edition of Exchange Server 2007 now supports a larger number of storage groups and databases per server. Exchange 2007 lets you create as many as 50 storage groups per server. Although a storage group can contain as many as 5 databases, there is a limit of 50 databases per server.
- Availability When multiple Exchange 2007 computers that are running the Hub Transport server role are deployed in a site, mail flow between Hub Transport servers and Mailbox servers is automatically load balanced and does not require any additional configuration by the administrator. If a Hub Transport server (formerly known as a bridgehead server) is unavailable because of a failure or regularly scheduled maintenance, failover to the other Hub Transport servers is automatic.
- High availability for Mailbox servers Exchange 2007 includes three built-in features that provide high availability for Mailbox servers: Local continuous replication (LCR), cluster continuous replication (CCR), and single copy clusters (SCC). The continuous replication features use log shipping to create a second copy of a production storage group. In an LCR environment, the second copy is located on the same server as the production storage group. In a CCR environment, the second copy is located on the passive node in the cluster.
- Messaging Policy and Compliance Features Exchange 2007 includes many new messaging compliance features. You can use the policy and compliance features of Exchange 2007 to apply rules to messages that are sent and to enforce retention requirements for stored data. The new Messaging Records Management (MRM) feature in Exchange 2007 helps users and organizations retain the messages that they need for business or legal reasons.
- Security and Protection Exchange 2007 includes several improvements to the suite of anti-spam and antivirus features that were introduced in Microsoft Exchange Server 2003. In Exchange 2007, the anti-spam and antivirus features provide services to block viruses and spam, also known as unsolicited commercial e-mail, at the network perimeter.
- Autodiscover To optimize bandwidth, when a remote user connects to an Exchange 2007 computer that has the Client Access server role installed, the Client Access server that accepts the initial request locates the user's mailbox. After the user's Mailbox server is located, the client request is redirected to the Client Access server that is nearest to the user's Mailbox server.
- Extensibility and Programmability Exchange 2007 includes a new set of services, known as Exchange Web Services, which enable developers to interact with Exchange mailboxes and contents by using standard HTTP. Exchange Web Services provides access to the mailboxes of authenticated users and the items in their mailboxes.
3.0
Q: How does Exchange Server 2007 integrate with Microsoft Office Outlook 2007?
A: Outlook 2007 provides the most complete e-mail, calendaring, contacts, and tasks functionality available in an e-mail clientthat is compatible with Exchange. When Outlook 2007 is used with Exchange Server 2007, users benefit from the newScheduling Assistant that automates time-consuming meeting and resource scheduling, the ability to plan and customize out-of-office communications, and managed e-mail folders that facilitate compliance with internal and regulatory policies.Outlook 2007 and Exchange Server 2007 also combine to enhance security by offering features that are easy to use and letusers confidently send and receive sensitive business communications through e-mail. By enabling the Autodiscover service,you can reduce the complexity of client configuration and reduce administrative costs that are associated with troubleshootingconnectivity issues for users.
4.0
Q: Where can I find Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 product documentation?
Web site,on the Start menu, or by clicking F1 within the product after it has been installed. You can also access product documentationfrom the
Web site or the
Web site for additional product information, common issues, and troubleshooting assistance.
5.0
Q: What are the Exchange Server 2007 licensing options?
A: Customers can purchase the Exchange Enterprise Client Access License (CAL) or the Exchange Standard CAL. TheExchange Enterprise CAL is sold as an add-on to the Exchange Standard CAL. Two server editions will continue to be offered:Exchange Server Enterprise Edition and Exchange Server Standard Edition. You can run either CAL together with either server edition. For more information about Exchange Server 2007 editions and Client Access Licenses, see
.
6.0
Q: What do I get with the Exchange Enterprise CAL vs. the Exchange Standard CAL?
A: In addition to the improvements and new capabilities that are available with the Exchange Standard CAL, the ExchangeEnterprise CAL includes Unified Messaging, advanced compliance capabilities, and on-premises and hosted antivirus and anti-spam protection. For more information about Exchange Server 2007 editions and Client Access Licenses, see
7.0
Q: What are the different editions of Exchange Server 2007?
A: Exchange Server 2007 is offered in two server editions: Standard Edition and Enterprise Edition. Exchange Server 2007Standard Edition is designed to meet the messaging and collaboration needs of small and medium organizations. It may alsobe appropriate for specific server roles or branch offices. Exchange Server 2007 Enterprise Edition, designed for largeenterprise organizations, enables the creation of multiple storage groups and databases. For more information about ExchangeServer 2007 editions and Client Access Licenses, see
.Hardware and Software Requirements
8.0
Q: Will I have to buy new hardware to run Exchange Server 2007?
A: If you are running 64-bit hardware in your current messaging environment, you may not have to buy additional hardware.However, Exchange 2007 does require hardware and an operating system that are 64-bit. 64-bit hardware provides the system architecture that is required to support the increased memory, storage, and enhanced security requirements in a more cost-effective manner. For more information about how to select the hardware for Exchange 2007, see
How to choose serverhardware for Exchange Server 2003 that can be effectively re-used for Exchange 2007
.
9.0
Q: Which 64-bit processors are supported by Exchange Server 2007?
A: Exchange Server 2007 supports servers that have "x64" processors. Most new servers include processors from Intel andAMD that provide this x64 support. The Intel processors are called Intel Extended Memory 64 Technology (EM64T), and theAMD processors are called AMD64. Exchange Server 2007 does not support Itanium (IA-64) processors.
10.0
Q: Should servers that are running Active Directory domain controllers and the global catalog beupgraded to 64-bit?
A: For the best performance, when an Active Directory organization contains more than 20,000 objects, you should upgrade to64-bit. Upgrading servers that run Active Directory domain controllers and the global catalog to 64-bit improves the overallperformance and scalability of your Exchange Server 2007 environment. However, 32-bit domain controllers are still supported.Lookup and response times between the Exchange 2007 categorizer and the Active Directory directory service will improvewith the use of 64-bit. The size of the Extensible Storage Engine (ESE) database that holds Active Directory can frequently belarger than 3.0 gigabytes (GB). This prevents caching of the contents of the whole database, and therefore increases lookupand response times. By using 64-bit, the available RAM for caching can be increased beyond 4.0 GB. This is large enough tocache the whole ESE database, even for large Active Directory organizations, and will improve Exchange 2007 lookup andresponse times.
11.0
Q: Will I need the 64-bit version of Windows Server 2003 to run Exchange Server 2007?
A: You will need the 64-bit version of Windows Server 2003 or Windows Server 2003 R2 to deploy Exchange 2007. Volumelicensing customers can exchange their 32-bit version of Windows Server 2003 for the 64-bit version any time by using their media kits.
12.0
Q: How can I upgrade my current Exchange 2000 Server or Exchange Server 2003 environment?
A: When you upgrade to Exchange Server 2007, you cannot perform an in-place server upgrade on an existing Exchangeserver. Instead, you must install a new Exchange 2007 server into the existing organization, and then move the required data tothe new Exchange server. Exchange Server 2007 supports mixed environments that includeExchange 2000 Server, Exchange Server 2003, or both. This allows for an easier and more gradual transition. For moreinformation about how to plan and deploy Exchange Server 2007, see the
13.0
Q: Should I map my current routing groups to my current Active Directory sites?
A: Yes. Exchange 2007 is based on Active Directory sites. If your current Microsoft Exchange environment maps as closely aspossible to Active Directory sites, your interoperability and migration story will be easier. Additionally, the recommendedupgrade path is to upgrade all the Exchange 2000 Server or Exchange Server 2003 servers in a single routing group beforeyou upgrade the next routing group. This lets you fully decommission a routing group as you upgrade and reduces thecomplexity of your current routing topology. Mapping the Exchange 2000 Server or Exchange Server 2003 routing groups to theExchange 2007 physical topology also makes it easier to plan for an upgrade to Exchange 2007 because the two environmentsare similarly organized and generally correlate to Active Directory sites.
14.0
Q: Should I create a dedicated Active Directory site for Exchange Server 2007?
A: You can deploy Exchange Server 2007 directly into your organization’s existing Active Directory topology. For manyorganizations, deploying directly into the existing Active Directory topology greatly simplifies the overall management of the Exchange 2007 deployment. However, given the extensive access to domain controllers and global catalog servers that isrequired by Exchange 2007, you may decide to create dedicated sites for your organization. You might want a dedicated site if other applications in your organization must access Active Directory domain controllers and the global catalog server.
15.0
Q: Why do I have to disable link state routing?
A: Link state routing must be disabled whenever two or more routing groups are configured to send or receive mail from anExchange 2007 computer that has the Hub Transport server role installed. (The Hub Transport server was formerly known as a
bridgehead server). This is because Exchange 2007 uses Active Directory to determine routing topology. The Exchange 2007servers do not propagate link state updates. If link state routing is enabled and there is more than one routing group configuredto send mail to or from an Exchange 2007 Hub Transport server, routing loops might occur.
16.0
Q: Why are routing groups not used in Exchange Server 2007?
A: Exchange 2007 uses Active Directory sites to replace routing groups. Using Active Directory is more efficient because itallows for site awareness and eliminates the requirement to create and maintain a routing topology that is separate from anorganization’s physical topology.Exchange 2007 Server Roles
17.0
Q: Can the Exchange 2007 server roles be deployed and configured on the same physical hardware?
A: Because Exchange 2007 is role-based, you can deploy all Exchange Server 2007 server roles, except the Edge Transportserver role on a single physical server. If you are clustering, you cannot deploy the Mailbox server role on the same server asthe Client Access, Unified Messaging, Hub Transport, or Edge Transport server roles. When the server roles are installed onthe same or shared hardware, they function as separate entities.
18.0
Q: Why must I deploy an Exchange 2007 server that has the Client Access server role installed in everyActive Directory site that contains user mailboxes?
A: Installing the Client Access server role in every Active Directory site that contains user mailboxes reduces the use of corporate bandwidth by redirecting the connection to the Client Access server that is in the same Active Directory site in whichthe user's mailbox is contained.
19.0
Q: What if the Client Access server role is not available from the Internet?
A: You can disable redirection for the Client Access server. The Internet-accessible Client Access server will act as an HTTPproxy to the Client Access server that is located in the same site as the user’s mailbox.
20.0
Q: Why must I deploy an Exchange 2007 server that has the Hub Transport server role installed in thesame Active Directory site in which I deployed an Exchange 2007 server that has the Unified Messaging(UM) server role installed?
A: Unified Messaging servers submit voice mail and fax messages to a Hub Transport server by using SMTP. This can occur only if they are deployed in the same Active Directory site.
21.0
Q: Why must I deploy an Exchange 2007 server that has the Client Access server role installed in thesame Active Directory site in which I deployed an Exchange 2007 server that has the Unified Messagingserver role installed?
A: Unified Messaging Web services that run on the Client Access server enable full client functionality for UM-enabled users.Additionally, installing and configuring a Client Access server in the same site as the Unified Messaging servers reduces thebandwidth that is required if they are deployed in separate Active Directory sites.
22.0
Q: What is the Autodiscover service?
A: The Autodiscover service gathers the required configuration information in Active Directory to enable Outlook 2007,Office Outlook Web Access, and mobile e-mail clients to efficiently locate and connect to the appropriateExchange 2007 Mailbox server that contains the user's mailbox. The Autodiscover service is also used to make configuringOutlook 2007 clients easier and to provision mobile devices that are used to connect to Exchange 2007. By default, theAutodiscover service is enabled.Exchange 2007 Management
23.0
Q: Can I manage Exchange Server 2003 or Exchange 2000 Server by using Exchange Server 2007management interfaces?
A: No. All administration of Exchange Server 2007 must be done by using the Exchange Management Console or theExchange Management Shell. All administration of Exchange 2000 Server or Exchange Server 2003 must be done by usingtheir respective administrative interfaces. The one exception to this rule is that you can use Exchange System Manager foundin Exchange Server 2003 to perform most Exchange Server 2007 public folder administrative tasks.
24.0
Q: What is happening with public folders?
