Hey Guys,

I am hoping you guys can help out here. Nothing is broken so at least there is that. I am trying to better understand these 2 terms:

1) Routing Boundary

2) Delivery group

I have already read through this https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa998825(v=exchg.150).aspx#RoutingDest but am still unclear.

I am not sure what is meant by routing boundary. does that mean "Destination, for messages to be delivered to, which can go no further and can follow the DAG or the ad Site" ?

Does delivery group mean, these servers will be used to deliver messages to this users mailbox?

I just need some clarification on the terms, all of the other documentation I have been able to locate regarding this is basically just the same as the documentation above.

Thanks,

Robert

That's pretty unclear to me too.  I'll post back if I can get a better explanation.

Thanks for the response!! I am glad i am not the only one who also thinks that the explanation from technet could be a little more clear. 

I appreciate your assistance

Robert

According to fellow MVP Brian Reid:

Any transport service in the routing boundary can receive and send messages on behalf of mailboxes in the same boundary (also defined as a delivery group*). A DAG is a routing boundary (as defined in the article) for mailbox servers in a DAG and an AD site for those in the site but not in a DAG. Any message for any mailbox in the routing boundary can be processed by any mailbox server in the boundary.

* Transport does not always deliver, it sometimes routes, so a delivery group and routing boundary are v. similar concepts. Safety Net and Shadow Redundancy also work exclusively in the delivery group.
 
I thought the same thing, but I didn't want to speculate until I had corroboration.

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Ed, 

Thanks for the response. I guess i am unclear on the difference between boundary and delivery group. My understanding is that a "boundary" is the area in which a message would be sent to be delivered. A "delivery group" would be the servers responsible for actually delivering the email to the mailbox database. 

Thanks, 

Robert 

I think that's accurate.