Applies to: Exchange Server 2007 SP3, Exchange Server 2007 SP2, Exchange Server 2007 SP1
Topic Last Modified: 2006-09-22

Use the New Distribution Group wizard to create a new distribution group in your Exchange organization or mail-enable an existing group in the Active Directory directory service.

Note:
You can also use the Exchange Management Shell to create a distribution group. For more information, see New-DistributionGroup. 

There are two types of distribution groups: mail-enabled universal distribution groups and mail-enabled universal security groups. Mail-enabled universal distribution groups can be used only to distribute messages. Mail-enabled universal security groups can be used to grant access permissions to resources in Active Directory, and they can also be used to distribute messages.

Note:
In Microsoft Exchange Server 2007, you can create or mail-enable only universal distribution groups. To convert a domain-local or a global group to a universal group, you can use the Set-Group cmdlet in the Exchange Management Shell. For more information, see Set-Group. You may have mail-enabled groups that were migrated from previous versions of Exchange that are not universal groups. These groups can still be managed by using the Exchange Management Console or the Exchange Management Shell.
Important:
It is important to note the terminology differences between Active Directory and Exchange 2007. In Active Directory, a distribution group refers to any group that does not have a security context, whether it is mail-enabled or not. In contrast, in Exchange 2007, all mail-enabled groups are referred to as distribution groups, whether they have a security context or not.

Use the Introduction page to select whether to create a new distribution group or to mail-enable an existing group in Active Directory.

New Group
  • Click this button to create a new distribution group. This will allow you to provision the Active Directory group and mail-enable it in a single operation.

  • If you click this button, you will need to provide the required group information on the Group Information page of this wizard.

Existing Group
  • Click this button to mail-enable an existing group. When you click this button, the Browse button will be enabled.

  • Click Browse to open the Select Group dialog box. This dialog box will display a list of universal groups in the forest that are not mail-enabled. Select the group you want, and then click OK to return to the wizard.

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