XADM: Mail-Enabled and Mailbox-Enabled Objects in Microsoft Exchange 2000 Server (233207)

SUMMARY

There is a major shift in the conceptual definition of the user and the task of user management between Microsoft Exchange 2000 Server and earlier versions of Exchange because Exchange 2000 user management is tightly integrated with the Windows 2000 Active Directory user management. Consequently, certain key terms need to be redefined.

Exchange 2000 makes a distinction between a mail-enabled object and mailbox-enabled object. For an object to be mailbox-enabled, it must also be mail-enabled. However, a mail-enabled object does not need to have a mailbox associated with it.

MORE INFORMATION

A mail-enabled object is a Windows 2000 Active Directory object that has at least one e-mail address defined. An Exchange 2000 Contact is an example of a mail-enabled object because it has an e-mail address defined.

A mailbox-enabled object is a Windows 2000 Active Directory object that has one or more Exchange mailboxes associated with it. In Exchange 2000, only a User object can have a mailbox. Thus, to be mailbox-enabled, an object has to be a Windows 2000 Active Directory security principal (that is, the object can log on).

A User is a Windows 2000 Active Directory security principal who may optionally have Exchange e-mail addresses or an Exchange mailbox or both. Thus, a user can be either mail-enabled or mailbox-enabled.