What's the BORK?

A. The Microsoft BackOffice 4.5 Resource Kit (BORK) is about one-half of a cubic foot of extremely detailed documentation that covers the major products in the BackOffice suite: Systems Management Server (SMS) 1.2, Exchange Server 5.5, and SNA Server. Don't confuse the BORK with the Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0 Resource Kit, the Microsoft Windows Internet Information Server Resource Kit, or even the Microsoft Windows 98 Resource Kit.

In addition to the BORK’s documentation (which is good reading, although you can get much of the same information from most good Exchange books), you also get a CD-ROM with a bunch of useful tools. Microsoft doesn’t officially support the tools, but some of them, such as the Interorg Synchronization Tool (for synching public folders between different Exchange organizations) and the PFADMIN/PFINFO tools, are invaluable. The CD-ROM is also part of the expensive TechNet subscription.

BORK has a suggested retail price of $249.99, but it's available for less from several online book retailers, including Fatbrain.