Configure Exchange 2000 for multiple domains

There are many web servers that serve pages for multiple web sites. These are all hosted on the same server with the same IP address, but under different domain names. In the same way, it's possible to configure one Exchange 2000 server to handle emails for multiple domain names. Here's how.

1. Configure your organization's MX records in DNS to point to the Exchange server in question. If you don't host the DNS for your domain name's resolution, contact your ISP for details on how to do this.

2. Launch the Exchange System Manager and open Recipients | Recipient Policies.

3. Right-click on Default Recipient Policy, select Properties and look in the Email Addresses (Policy) tab. You should see an SMTP Address field that contains the default domain name for your server. If this isn't set, set it now by clicking Edit.

4. Click OK and then click on the New button in the Email Addresses (Policy) tab.

5. Select SMTP Address from the list of email address types.

6. In the SMTP Address Properties window that comes up, supply the other domain name you wish to use with this server. Check the box labeled "This Exchange Organization is responsible for all mail delivery to this address."

7. Click OK. Repeat steps 3-5 for as many times as needed if you have other SMTP domains you want to host on this server.

8. The original SMTP domain set up on this server will be selected as the primary SMTP domain. This means that all emails that originate from this server will be listed as coming from that domain name in the message headers. If you want to change this to another domain name, select that domain from the list and click "Set as Primary."

9. Click OK when done, and say Yes to any questions asking you to apply the new policy. This will have all existing users use the new address. If you click No, only newly-created users will use this address. If you want to have only specific existing users with this address, you will need to manually add the new address for each user.

10. Stop and restart Exchange.

Serdar Yegulalp is the editor of the Windows 2000 Power Users Newsletter.