Storage limits and additional features of Exchange 2007

Storage difference between Exchange 2003 and Exchange 2007 and other additional features in Exchange 2007:

I have listed the  Storage Limits on different Exchange versions below :

Exchange Server 2003 Standard Edition:

• One storage group can be created on a server
• Up to four more public folder store databases that are accessible only programmatically
• Maximum 16-gigabyte (GB) database limit per database (75 GB with Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 Service Pack 2)

Exchange Server 2003 Enterprise Edition:

Exchange 2003 Enterprise Edition is designed for large enterprise corporations. With Exchange 2003 Enterprise Edition, you can create multiple storage groups and multiple databases.

• Four storage groups
• Five databases per storage group
• 16 terabyte database limit, limited only by hardware.

Exchange Server 2007 Standard Edition:

• Five storage groups.
• Five databases on the server.

Exchange Server 2007 Enterprise Edition:

• Fifty storage groups.
• Fifty databases on the server.

Additional Features in Exchange 2007:

• Roles : The concept of Front end and backend servers has been eliminated in Exchange 2007 with the introduction of 5 distinct roles. Each role performs distinct operations.

•  Permissions : Exchange 2007 server came up with both global and server level permissions to delegate users at server level and at the organization level.

o   Note: Please refer my Permissions Model in Exchange 2003 and Exchange 2007 page.

• Autodiscover: A web service integrated with Exchange 2007 that facilitates clients accessing their mailboxes. It is used to automatically setup accounts in outlook profiles. It is also used to determine which CAS that a remote client should use. 

•  Availability: Automatic load balancing of inbound and outbound connections between Hub Transport Servers within an Active directory Site.

•  Exchange management Console: This is a replacement tool for System manger in Exchange 2003. This is a graphical user tool for managing Exchange objects such as mailbox, connectors, distribution lists, address book etc.

• Exchange management Shell: This is a command line interface built on PowerShell technology. All the administrative tasks on exchange can be done through this tool. The task that cannot be performed by EMC can be performed using the shell.

•  High Availability: Full High availability features are enabled in Exchange 2007.  Transaction log shipping is now available for mailbox server in Local Continuous Replication (LCR) and Cluster Continuous Replication (CCR). 

•  Unified Messaging: This feature enables exchange to integrated voice messaging, faxing and email.

•  Built on Active Directory : The routing topology for Exchange 2007 servers is based on the Active Directory Site topology and hence no longer requires the creation of routing groups to control mail flow (routing groups used in Exchange 2003 for routing mails).