The Messaging Server

image The Messaging Server is the third server installed as part of a core Windows Essential Business Server 2008 deployment. Its duties include messaging and collaboration for the Windows Essential Business Server 2008 solution. For network infrastructure redundancy, the Messaging Server also acts as an additional domain controller for the domain. It also acts as a second DNS server.

Our customers told us over and over again that email is king.  Here you see an isolated mail environment and it's supporting services.

Primary Messaging Server Services

· Active Directory Domain Services – Provides central authentication and authorization services. The Messaging Server is a secondary domain controller within the Windows Essential Business Server 2008 domain;

· Domain Name Services (DNS) – Provides the foundation for Active Directory Domain Services and translates host names to IP address for network access. The Messaging Server acts as a secondary DNS server on your Windows Essential Business Server 2008 network;

· Exchange Server 2007 Client Access Role – Handles all client connections whether they come from an application, such as a Mobile Device, Web Browser, Outlook 2003 or 2007, or any other MAPI, POP3, or IMAP4 client;

· Exchange Server 2007 Hub Transport Role – Responsible for all internal Exchange Server 2007 mail flow. Forwards external e-mail to the Security Server’s Edge Transport role for processing;

· Exchange Server 2007 Mailbox Role – Primarily responsible for maintaining all Exchange Server 2007 databases;

· Forefront Security for Exchange Server – Helps provide comprehensive layered protection against viruses, worms, and spam for the Exchange Server messaging environment;

· Network Policy and Access Services – Defines and enforce policies for network access authentication, authorization, and client health;

· Terminal Services Gateway – Allows authorized remote users to connect to resources on an internal corporate or private network from virtually any Internet-connected device; and

Web Services (Internet Information Services) – Web server providing services for Outlook Web Access, Outlook Anywhere, Remote Web Workplace, and Unified Messaging.

As previously mentioned on the Security Server is the Exchange Edge role and Forefront Threat Management Gateway which perform the staging of the mail environment to provide a more secure messaging infrastructure.

Also it's worth mentioning how all of these services are managed as part of the Unified Administration of Essential Business Server.  Watch this space as we're planning to dive into much more detail on this soon.