How to Open the Exchange Management Console

The Exchange Management Console is an administrative tool designed to manage the Microsoft Exchange Server. The Exchange Management Console was replaced by the similar Exchange Admin Center in 2016. Opening both programs requires the same simple protocol. Once the console is launched, you can customize the exchange servers and manage all email accounts and protocols for those accounts. Accessing the server is straightforward, but it's important to be careful and document changes made to track and correct unintentional mistakes. The exchange server settings are specific and require advanced coding experience and knowledge of the protocols within the Exchange Management Console or the Exchange Admin Console. In many cases, a specialized technical support service or internal employee or department is tasked with managing email servers and exchange server settings.

To access the Exchange Management Console, you'll simply access your computer's control panel. Select "All Programs" and search for the Microsoft Exchange Server. Select the application to view the Exchange Server suite of applications installed on the computer (you must have admin permissions to do this). Select the "Exchange Management Console" or "Admin Center," depending on the version installed. This will launch the application and grant access to view and modify the server configurations. You can also open the Exchange Management Console through a virtual directory on the front end of the Mailbox server. The virtual directory is named ECP. To access using this method, use the internal URL format – https:///ecp. You can do this through a web browser. If you want to access the Exchange Management Console and you're already on the Exchange server, use the simple https://localhost/ecp to call the console from the server directly.

An individual or business doesn't necessarily require custom exchange servers to manage email accounts, but the exchange servers have a ton of value in some cases. Managing custom exchange servers requires technical experience, and it makes it possible to completely customize calendars and email settings. This is especially important when employees are passing sensitive information and the email settings require custom views and advanced security settings and firewalls to protect that information. Managing the servers makes it possible to do this across the entire business while making specific setting customization for individual email accounts as well. Government agencies, security companies and financial companies all protect their email servers and customize to create a specialized experience.