Applies to: Exchange Server 2007 SP3, Exchange Server
2007 SP2, Exchange Server 2007 SP1, Exchange Server 2007
Topic Last Modified: 2008-01-09
Distribution groups are mail-enabled Active Directory directory service group objects that are created to expedite the mass sending of e-mail messages and other information within an Exchange organization.
Exchange 2007 supports the following types of distribution groups:
- Mail-enabled universal distribution
groups These are
Active Directory distribution group objects that are
mail-enabled. They can be used only to distribute messages to a
group of recipients.
- Mail-enabled universal security
groups These are
Active Directory security group objects that are
mail-enabled. They can be used to grant access permissions to
resources in Active Directory and can also be used to
distribute messages.
- Mail-enabled non-universal groups These
are Active Directory global or local group objects that
are mail-enabled. In Exchange 2007, you can create or
mail-enable only universal distribution groups. 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.
- Dynamic distribution groups These are
distribution groups for which membership is based on specific
recipient filters rather than a defined set of recipients. Dynamic
distribution groups were called query-based distribution groups in
Exchange 2003.
To learn more about distribution groups, see Understanding Recipients.
This topic lists the management tasks that you can perform for distribution groups and includes links to topics that will help you complete the tasks. Unless otherwise noted, these tasks can be performed by using the Exchange Management Console or the Exchange Management Shell.
- How to
Create a New Distribution Group
This task creates a new group object in Active Directory, and then mail enables the group.
If you use the Exchange Management Console for this task, the New Distribution Group wizard will guide you through the process of creating a new distribution group. If you use the Exchange Management Shell, you will use the New-DistributionGroup cmdlet.
- How to
Create a New Security Group
This task creates a new security group object in Active Directory, and then mail enables the security group.
If you use the Exchange Management Console for this task, the New Distribution Group wizard will guide you through the process of creating a new security group. If you use the Exchange Management Shell, you will use the New-DistributionGroup cmdlet.
- How to
Mail-Enable a Distribution Group
This task mail enables an existing group in Active Directory.
If you use the Exchange Management Console for this task, the New Distribution Group wizard will guide you through the process of mail enabling a new distribution group. If you use the Exchange Management Shell, you will use the Enable-DistributionGroup cmdlet.
- How to
Mail-Enable a Security Group
This task mail-enables an existing security group in Active Directory.
If you use the Exchange Management Console for this task, the New Distribution Group wizard will guide you through the process of mail-enabling a new security group. If you use the Exchange Management Shell, you will use the Enable-DistributionGroup cmdlet.
- How to
Remove a Distribution Group
This task removes an existing mail-enabled distribution or security group from Active Directory.
If you use the Exchange Management Console for this task, you will need to select the distribution group from the Recipient Configuration node, and then click Remove in the action pane. If you use the Exchange Management Shell, you will use the Remove-DistributionGroup cmdlet.
Important:When you remove a distribution group, not only is the Exchange-related configuration deleted, but the associated group object in Active Directory is deleted as well. - How to Add a
Distribution Group Member
This task adds a recipient to the distribution group.
If you use the Exchange Management Console for this task, you will use the Members tab of the distribution group properties. If you use the Exchange Management Shell, you will use the Add-DistributionGroupMember cmdlet.
- How to
Remove a Distribution Group Member
This task removes an existing recipient from the distribution group.
If you use the Exchange Management Console for this task, you will use the Members tab of the distribution group properties. If you use the Exchange Management Shell, you will use the Remove-DistributionGroupMember cmdlet.
- How to
Create a New Dynamic Distribution Group
This task creates a new dynamic distribution group.
If you use the Exchange Management Console for this task, the New Dynamic Distribution Group wizard will guide you through the process of creating a new dynamic distribution group. If you use the Exchange Management Shell, you will use the New-DynamicDistributionGroup cmdlet.
- How to View
Members of a Dynamic Distribution Group
This task shows you how to preview the list of recipients that would receive a message that is sent to a dynamic distribution group.
If you use the Exchange Management Console for this task, you will use the Conditions tab of the dynamic distribution properties. If you use the Exchange Management Shell, you will use the Get-DynamicDistributionGroup and Get-Recipient cmdlets.
Note:Filter and condition settings for dynamic distribution groups that have custom recipient filters can be managed only by using the Exchange Management Shell. For the same reason, you can use only the Exchange Management Shell to preview the list of recipients for these dynamic distribution groups. - How to
Delegate Management of Distribution Group Membership to a
User
This task shows you how to delegate the management of distribution group membership to a user.
You cannot use the Exchange Management Console to complete this task. You must use the Add-ADPermission cmdlet in the Exchange Management Shell.
For More Information
- To learn more about distribution groups, see Understanding
Recipients.
- For more information about using the Exchange Management
Console, see Using the Exchange
Management Console.
- For more information about using the Exchange Management Shell,
see Using the
Exchange Management Shell.