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Understanding Exchange 2013 Server Roles in the Simplest way

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Exchange 2013 Server Roles

Exchange 2013 has three Roles:

  1. Mailbox Server Role
  2. Client Access Server Role
  3. Edge Server Role

Each organization requires minimum one Mailbox Server Role and Client Access Server Role. The Edge Server Role is optional and is placed in the perimeter network.

Mailbox Server Role Includes:

  1. Client Access Protocols
  2. Transport Service
  3. Mailbox Databases
  4. Unified Messaging (Except SIP Redirection)
  5. Handles all activities for active Mailboxes on that Server

Client Access Server Role Includes:

  1. Authentication
  2. Redirection (limited)
  3. Proxy Services for HTTP, POP, IMAP and SMTP
  4. Thin and Stateless Server
  5. Does not do any data rendering
  6. Nothing is queued or stored here (except diagnostic logging)

Edge Server Role includes:

  1. Transport Service
  2. Address Rewriting
  3. Anti-Spam and Anti-Malware filtering
  4. Attachment filtering