Key Management Server

If you plan to use the advanced security features of Microsoft Exchange Server, configure only one server in your organization to store and manage the advanced security database. This server is known as the Key Management (KM) server.

When configuring the KM server, consider the following:

• The KM server should be in the domain where you plan to centralize administration.
• The KM server must be physically secure and backed up regularly.
• The KM server must use the Windows NT Server file system (NTFS) format.

For maximum security, configure your KM server as a dedicated server in a separate site. The load on the KM server is negligible because the server is primarily used for generating keys, which is done infrequently.