You can configure either Exchange Server 2003 Standard Edition or Exchange Server 2003 Enterprise Edition as a front-end server

Exchange Server 2003 is available in two different editions, Exchange Server 2003 Standard Edition and Exchange Server 2003 Enterprise Edition. You can configure either edition for use as a front-end server in a front-end and back-end server configuration.

You can configure both Exchange Server 2003 Standard Edition and Exchange Server 2003 Enterprise Edition as a front-end server in a front-end and back-end server configuration.

Note In the front-end and back-end configuration, the back-end server can run either Exchange Server 2003 Standard Edition or Exchange Server 2003 Enterprise Edition regardless of which edition of Exchange Server is run on the front-end server.

To configure a computer that is running either Exchange Server 2003 Standard Edition or Exchange Server 2003 Enterprise Edition as a front-end server:

1. Click Start, point to Programs, point to Microsoft Exchange, and then click System Manager.
2. In the console tree, expand Servers, right-click ServerName, and then click Properties.
3. Click the General tab.
4. Click to select the This is a front-end server check box, and then click OK.

A front-end server does not host the Exchange information store databases. Front-end servers accept requests from clients and forward the requests to the appropriate back-end server for processing.