Using the GUI

There are certainly times when using the GUI makes sense. Any work to be performed on an individual Exchange 2010 object will most likely be more easily performed from Exchange Management Console, also known as EMC. Changing a property on a server or on a database or even on a single recipient is generally much easier from the GUI interface. EMC in Exchange 2010 is laid out very much like EMC in Exchange Server 2007. It has a hierarchical structure that matches the hierarchy of Exchange Server (that is, Organization - Server - Recipient). However, there are significant differences if you are using the EMC 2010 version. One of the differences deals with a new object called a Database Availability Group (or DAG). A second and very significant difference is the removal of storage groups in Exchange 2010. Both of these very visible changes will be discussed in much greater detail, but it is important to use the appropriate version of the console when working with EMC to obtain the desired results.

More importantly than when to use the GUI, is when not to use the GUI. You are quite honestly just unable to perform many tasks from EMC. Exchange Management Shell, or EMS, is required for these tasks. There is simply no other way to perform these tasks. Exchange 2010 SP1 has added more options to the GUI tools; however, you still will not be able to do everything from a GUI-based tool. As you progress through this book, many such tasks will be highlighted, alerting you to the fact that the highlighted task may only be performed from EMS and not from either of the graphical tools.