Q. How can I configure Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 administrators so that they can access all users' mailboxes?

A. Unlike Exchange Server 5.5, in Exchange 2003 administrators don't have Send As or Receive As permissions--in fact, such permissions are explicitly denied to administrators by default. To grant Send As and Receive As permissions to administrators (and other users), perform the following steps:

1. Open the Microsoft Management Console (MMC) Active Directory Users and Computers snap-in, create a security group called MailBoxAccess, and to this group add users to whom you want to grant Send As and Receive As permissions.
2. Start the Exchange System Manager (ESM) utility (click Start, Programs, Microsoft Exchange, System Manager).
3. Navigate to the database to which you want to grant access (e.g., <org>, <Administrative Groups>, <admin group>, Servers, <Server name>, <storage group>, <database>).
4. Right-click the database and select Properties.
5. Select the Security tab.
6. Click Add.
7. Enter the MailBoxAccess group and click OK.
8. Check to verify that the group has Send As and Receive As permissions and click OK.

Users in the MailBoxAccess group will now have access to all mailboxes. Remember that Exchange administrators are explicitly denied access by default. However, we've explicitly granted access at the actual mailbox database level, which overrides the inherited permission (i.e., the Send As and Receive as permissions that are explicitly denied to administrators).