Using Exchange Server as a List Server

Microsoft has made Exchange Server a robust messaging engine. However, Exchange Server's groupware capabilities don't always meet users' needs for collaboration. Although you can use public folders as a repository for documents and other information, public folders are static, forcing users to consult the folders frequently to keep up-to-date with their contents. Sometimes users need a more dynamic method of information gathering and dissemination—a method with the functionality of an Internet list server. You can use commercial products to add this functionality to Exchange Server, but in some ways, the standard Exchange Server product can get the job done without extra cost. This article discusses how you can use a combination of a public folder, a distribution list (DL), and the Network News Transfer Protocol (NNTP) to share information.

Internet List Servers
The Internet is a vast ocean of information waiting for you to explore. Much of the information is in lists, which are typically dedicated to a specific subject, such as the Exchange Server list at msexchange@insite.co.uk (the archives for this list are at http://www.msexchange.org). . . .