Installing exchange 2003 on windows 2003 server 1

[Mclarry76]

Hey guys,
I will be installing exchange 2003 for the first time. However, I will be installing active directory on the windows 2003 server. This will promote it to a DC. There has been said to be many disadvantages of installing exchange on a DC. However, I have only one server in the company......

 

[AndyPeck]

Your right, given a perfect world you would install the exchange server on another box, but that said; MS produce SBS which is nearly every server product installed on one box and that's a pretty sound product now.

If you only have one basket, you have little choice where to put your eggs

Be aware that rebooting you server once it's a DC and email server could be a little slow (like forever)

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;555025.

Also make sure you have thought about disk space before installing exchange, it has a habit of eating the lot if you've not put any planning into it first

 

[Mclarry76]

So I guess I will live. Now will this have any other operational imapct on the users besides the points that Microsoft has mentioned? Also, on the Windows 2003 server, is it best to give it a Static IP address issued by a router/firewall or request a Private IP from the ISP and user the router/firewall to be the DHCP server?

 

[AndyPeck]

You are correct, you should only use a static IP for your server.

However the IP issued by your router/firewall is not static, "issued" being the give away,

find out how to change the DHCP scope not to serve up the server IP, then manually add it to your server.

 

[Mclarry76]

Hey Andy, one more question. I think I will go ahead and purchase the Microsoft Small Business Server 2003 and download it once we receive the server. What do u think? Will the SBS be the Domain Controller?

 

[AndyPeck]

Yes, The server will be a DC.

I think it's a good product, with some good features for small companies with few/no tech guys on site.

Note, Buy lot's of disk, I've have seen the problem of disk space on SBS many times, which normally results in a rebuild to new hardware.....

Check out, for "How To"'s from of them are SBS focused

http://www.msexchange.org/

http://www.isaserver.org/