How to add servers to administrative groups

Essendon · December 2008

Learning the ropes guys, so please go easy. I created a few new administrative groups, in Systems Manager. None of the groups have the Servers tab in them. Only the group named 'First Administrative Group' (this was there by itself) has server05 (my exchange server) listed in it. I know I cannot drag servers between administrative groups. So how do I add server05?

Also, when in an administrative group, I go into a routing group and try to create a connector, it gives me a message saying that you need to create atleast one SMTP VSI. I googled this and seems that I need to install Exchange into that admin group. True?

One more thing, can someone please tell a good book/reference for this exam and Exchange in general? I dont like this Sybex book at all, there isnt much information and I have to try things out myself and hope it works out. Very few exercise questions and the Q&A at the end of a chapter are too easy. Work reimburses everything so tell me what to buy. I will be getting the Nuggets for this on Monday.

blargoe · December 2008

When you install Exchange, you have to pick at that time that administrative group in which it will reside. Are you asking how would change the administrative group for your first server, server05? I'd just rename the group to whatever you wanted that server05's group to be named.

For the second question, I think installing exchange into that group would fix it. I haven't seen thart error, but sounds like it's just looking for a SMTP Virtual Server, and since an Exchange server doesn't exist in that group, it throws an error.

I can't really help with exam reference (I used MS Press which was pretty crappy) but Microsoft Technet is a pretty good general reference. Also msexhange.org is great.

Essendon · December 2008

Thanks for the info, blargoe. I am unable to rename any administrative groups, just doesnt let me do it.

Let me clarify what I was asking, simply put, if I create additional administrative groups, how do I add my exchange serve to them. By default, they dont get added, right? I am unable to drag the server tab from the 'First Administrative Group' to any other group.

Yeah, I have all but thrown that Sybelch book into a corner and am reading technet. Much better resource. And, msexchange.org is good too.

Edit: I might sound like a bum, but I am still running Exchange mixed mode, could that be why I cant rename admin groups or drag servers across? Additionally, I just discovered I forgot to raise my domain functional level

. It's still at mixed mode. If I did raise it now to 2003, would it have any impact on Exchange?

Essendon · December 2008

I think I answered my question. From technet:

If your Exchange organization is in native mode, where all servers are running Exchange 2000 Server or later, this division between administrative groups and routing groups enables you to create routing groups that span administrative groups and move servers between routing groups that exist in different administrative groups. This functionality also allows you to separate routing and administrative functions. For example, you can administer servers in two central administrative groups, placing servers from each administrative group in different routing groups, based on your network topology and usage requirements.

However, the functionality of routing groups in a mixed-mode environment, where some servers are running Exchange Server 2003 or Exchange 2000 Server while others are running Exchange Server 5.5, is different than in native mode. In mixed mode, you: 

Cannot have a routing group that spans multiple administrative groups.

Cannot move servers between routing groups that exist in different administrative groups.

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb123812(EXCHG.65).aspx

How to add servers to administrative groups

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