16.1 Quick Word about Exchange Server 2003

Exchange Server 2003, the next major release of Exchange, is currently due out in the summer of 2003. While there are many new features planned for that release, the way it integrates with Active Directory largely remains the same. This chapter focuses on Exchange 2000, but the concepts and procedures we describe map very closely to Exchange Server 2003 as well.

Here are a few key points to note about Exchange Server 2003 and Windows Server 2003:

• Exchange 2000 can only run on Windows 2000.

• Exchange Server 2003 can run on Windows 2000 and Windows Server 2003.

• Exchange 2000 can run in a Windows Server 2003 or Windows 2000 Active Directory forest.

• Exchange Server 2003 can run in a Windows Server 2003 or Windows 2000 Active Directory forest.

• Exchange 5.5 can interoperate with Exchange Server 2003 and Windows Server 2003 just as it could with Exchange 2000 and Windows 2000.

• The Outlook 2003 mail client allows cross-forest authentication with Windows Server 2003 forests.