Creating a dynamic distribution group in Exchange 2007 is a little bit different from creating a new distribution group due to the additional conditions that individuals have to meet. Users are added or removed from the dynamic distribution group as they meet or fail to meet those conditions.

To create a new distribution group, start the new dynamic distribution group wizard by clicking on “New Dynamic Distribution Group…” option from the Action pane. This brings up the wizard where it prompts for the information such as the filter, which can be limited to organizational units or other pertinent containers. Alternatively, select “All recipient types” to include all recipient types.

The next step would be to define the conditions for inclusion, which can be based on specifics such as the state or province that an individual is from, the department that they’re in, the company that they’re part of, or even custom attributes as defined by the administrator. For the purpose of this training, type in “TeamLeader” under the custom attribute and click on “OK .”

When users have “Custom Attribute 1” equaling “TeamLeader,” that individual will automatically become part of the dynamic distribution group. To tag a user as a “TeamLeader,” go back to the Exchange Management Console and select “User Two.” On the general tab, there’s the option “Custom Attributes…” Select that for Custom Attribute 1 and type in “Team Leader,” which should be repeated for all team leaders. Clicking “Preview” for the new dynamic distribution group will show “User Two” due to the custom attribute for User Two.

It’s best that administrators do not over complicate the conditions that are established to prevent instances where every user is filtered out of a dynamic distribution group in Exchange 2007. Remember to keep this simple.

Article By: Eva Ciganova (90 Posts)