Groups and Distribution Lists

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Groups and Distribution Lists

Microsoft Mail (PC) supports groups in two ways:

Groups with only local members
Groups that span postoffices

Groups that are composed of local users can be included in directory synchronization. The Migration Wizard doesn't migrate these groups. Any time after directory synchronization is configured between the organization and the Microsoft Mail PC postoffices, it is possible for you to move the groups. During migration, move these groups when one of the users in the group is migrated. Once users in this group are migrated, the group spans postoffices.

Groups that span postoffices have three limitations. First, all members of the group that do not belong to the postoffice must have their address added to the postoffice address list. Second, mail sent from one postoffice to a mixed-member group on another postoffice is delivered only to the local members of the group. For this reason, groups that span postoffices must either be created on all postoffices or must not be visible to users at other postoffices. Third, groups that span postoffices are not included in directory synchronization. It is assumed that if your organization has groups that span postoffices, you have created each of them on every postoffice.

Microsoft Exchange Server distribution lists do not have any of the limitations of Microsoft Mail (PC) groups. For this reason, groups that span postoffices should be replaced with Microsoft Exchange Server distribution lists as soon as possible. The following are some of the advantages Microsoft Exchange Server distribution lists have over Microsoft Mail (PC) groups.

Issue Microsoft Exchange Server DL Microsoft Mail (PC) group

Finding group membership You can view a group, custom recipient, or mailbox and see their members or membership in groups respectively. You can do this with directory export once from any server in any site as well. You can view a group to find its members. You can also print a group list from every postoffice and search for group membership.

Maintenance during migration Maintenance is automatic if custom recipients are replaced with mailboxes. Otherwise, you can remove custom recipients and add mailboxes with the Administrator program or in a batch method with the Directory Import command. You must add the migrated mailbox to the postoffice address list and modify each group the user belongs to on every postoffice. This cannot be done in a batch method.

Day-to-day maintenance You can add or remove mailboxes as needed from the mailbox or distribution list property pages or in a batch method with the Directory Import command. You must add users to the postoffice list and to the group on every postoffice or add them to a local group. This cannot be done in a batch method.

Delivery If the message is sent from Microsoft Exchange Server, the distribution list is expanded to its membership and delivered. If the message is sent from Microsoft Mail (PC), it must be moved to a Microsoft Exchange Server The distribution list is expanded, and the message is redirected to Microsoft Mail (PC). If the message is sent from Microsoft Mail (PC), the group is expanded to its members and delivered. The group is not included in directory synchronization. The group can be added to Microsoft Exchange Server as a custom recipient with the Administrator program or directory import. If so added, a message sent from Microsoft Exchange Server must be delivered to the postoffice of the group. It will then be delivered only to local members of that group.

Details in directory All users in Microsoft Exchange Server can see the group membership. Microsoft Mail (PC) users cannot see group members. All users on the postoffice where the group is created can see the group membership, as long as it does not contain local groups from other postoffices. Microsoft Exchange Server users cannot see details.

Nested groups Microsoft Exchange Server supports
multilayer nested groups. Microsoft Mail (PC) can support local groups of other postoffices only.

Issue	Microsoft Exchange Server DL	Microsoft Mail (PC) group
Finding group membership	You can view a group, custom recipient, or mailbox and see their members or membership in groups respectively. You can do this with directory export once from any server in any site as well.	You can view a group to find its members. You can also print a group list from every postoffice and search for group membership.
Maintenance during migration	Maintenance is automatic if custom recipients are replaced with mailboxes. Otherwise, you can remove custom recipients and add mailboxes with the Administrator program or in a batch method with the Directory Import command.	You must add the migrated mailbox to the postoffice address list and modify each group the user belongs to on every postoffice. This cannot be done in a batch method.
Day-to-day maintenance	You can add or remove mailboxes as needed from the mailbox or distribution list property pages or in a batch method with the Directory Import command.	You must add users to the postoffice list and to the group on every postoffice or add them to a local group. This cannot be done in a batch method.
Delivery	If the message is sent from Microsoft Exchange Server, the distribution list is expanded to its membership and delivered. If the message is sent from Microsoft Mail (PC), it must be moved to a Microsoft Exchange Server The distribution list is expanded, and the message is redirected to Microsoft Mail (PC).	If the message is sent from Microsoft Mail (PC), the group is expanded to its members and delivered. The group is not included in directory synchronization. The group can be added to Microsoft Exchange Server as a custom recipient with the Administrator program or directory import. If so added, a message sent from Microsoft Exchange Server must be delivered to the postoffice of the group. It will then be delivered only to local members of that group.
Details in directory	All users in Microsoft Exchange Server can see the group membership. Microsoft Mail (PC) users cannot see group members.	All users on the postoffice where the group is created can see the group membership, as long as it does not contain local groups from other postoffices. Microsoft Exchange Server users cannot see details.
Nested groups	Microsoft Exchange Server supports multilayer nested groups.	Microsoft Mail (PC) can support local groups of other postoffices only.

The group information in an MS Mail postoffice can be printed by choosing Local-Admin:Group:Print in the Administrator program. This produces a file with display names, which may or may not be the same as the real display names if the user is on another postoffice. This file can be converted to directory import format. An alternative is to remove groups on the postoffices before migration begins and create distribution lists in Microsoft Exchange Server after migration is complete.