tying to keep it simple

Setting up a an Win2k Server for Exchange Server 2003; It's going into a
small LAN using workgroups (workgroup name of Splash) and I'll be setting
it up on my LAN (uses workgroup NW) for testing . As this is the 2nd time
I've set up an active directory I'm......worried.



For "Full DNS name for new domain" can I keep it simple ? will "Splash"
do ?



All this ES will do is allow the sharing of outlook email among 10 users
; that's it.

 

NW? NetWare?

Don't use workgroups if you have a domain. You need AD/domain for Exchange -
join all workstations to the domain and have all users log into the domain,
not local accounts. Trust me on this one. Even if you have Win9x clients,
make the workgroup name the same as the domain's name and have them log into
the domain.

You can't use a single label DNS name or you will run into beaucoup
problems - use mycompany.local or mycompany.lan or something.

Have you looked into SBS2003? Much more affordable, supports up to 75 users,
and has wizards galore to help you with the setup. Although you do need to
understand the fundamental concepts anyway....and make sure you get good
Exchange-aware antivirus software and understand how to do proper online
backups of Exchange (to tape, removable USB hard drive, etc).

 

Exchange 2000 requires AD which means you are NOT
going to use a workgroup but rather a Domain.

No. Use at LEAST a two-tag name, splash.com or splash.local,
or splash.wave.local etc.

You will NOT like your domain if you use one tag.

If it is publicly valid name then be sure to register it
so no one else can use it -- even if you don't plan to
use it now.

If you will ever send mail publicly you are going to need
a registered name/zone too -- you might not decide to name
the same thing but you will need the public name for
advertising on the Internet.

Exchange can accept public email for domains with names
different than the AD domain so that is fine too.
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