Has Anyone Seen My Mission-Critical Microsoft Exchange Server?

This chapter explains the meaning of mission critical and its various facets applied to an Exchange Server deployment. Evaluation of risk-assessment process for Exchange Server environment serves as a valuable precursor in determining the availability requirements for the Exchange Server deployment. The loss of a mission-critical system results in unacceptable operational, functional, or financial harm to the organization or project. However, the term mission critical need not apply specifically or solely to large systems or even large Exchange deployments. A mission-critical system running Exchange Server must stand on four key pillars: reliability, scalability, security, and manageability. Only through understanding and proactive planning, design, and implementation can a system, such as Exchange Server, achieve mission-critical capabilities. The goal for Mission-Critical Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 is also discussed in the chapter.