Mailbox Policies

Mailbox Policies

Unified Messaging Active Directory mailbox policies are required when you enable users for Exchange Server 2007 Unified Messaging. They are useful for applying and standardizing Unified Messaging configuration settings for Unified Messaging-enabled users.

You create Unified Messaging mailbox policies to apply a common set of policies or security settings to a collection of Unified Messaging-enabled mailboxes. You use Unified Messaging mailbox policies to set Unified Messaging settings for Unified Messaging-enabled users, such as PIN policies, dialing restrictions, and other general Unified Messaging mailbox policy properties.

For example, you can create a Unified Messaging mailbox policy to increase the level of PIN security by reducing the maximum number of logon failures for a specific group of Unified Messaging-enabled users, such as executives.

Unified Messaging mailbox policies are created in the Configuration container in the Active Directory directory service, either by using the Exchange Management Shell or the Exchange Management Console. A single, default Unified Messaging mailbox policy is created after the first Unified Messaging dial plan is created, but additional Unified Messaging mailbox policies can be created based on the needs of your organization. Although a single Unified Messaging mailbox policy is required for enabling users for Unified Messaging, you can create additional Unified Messaging mailbox policies and apply a common set of mailbox policy settings for other groups of users.

Each Unified Messaging-enabled user's mailbox must be linked to single Unified Messaging mailbox policy. After you create a Unified Messaging mailbox policy, you link one or more Unified Messaging-enabled mailboxes to the Unified Messaging mailbox policy. This lets you control PIN security settings such as the minimum number of digits in a PIN or the maximum number of logon attempts for the Unified Messaging-enabled users who are associated with the Unified Messaging mailbox policy. If you prefer, you can also control message text settings or dialing restrictions for the same or a different group of Unified Messaging-enabled mailboxes.

Multiple Unified Messaging-enabled users can be linked to a single Unified Messaging mailbox policy. However, a single user can be associated with only one Unified Messaging mailbox policy. When a user is enabled for Unified Messaging, you must specify an existing Unified Messaging mailbox policy to be linked to the Unified Messaging-enabled user's mailbox. After you create a new Unified Messaging mailbox policy and link it to a Unified Messaging dial plan, the Unified Messaging mailbox policy settings that are defined are then applied to the Unified Messaging-enabled users. The settings defined on a Unified Messaging mailbox policy apply only to Unified Messaging-enabled users to which the Unified Messaging dial plan is linked and the Unified Messaging mailbox policy is associated.