How to Find Exchange Server Name in Exchange Admin Center?

When working with Microsoft Exchange, whether you’re managing email flow, troubleshooting issues, or configuring new clients, one of the most basic yet essential details you’ll need is the Exchange server name. This is especially true for Exchange administrators and IT support professionals. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll walk you through how to find the Exchange server name using the Exchange Admin Center (EAC), and also explore alternative methods for different Exchange versions and scenarios.

Why Knowing Your Exchange Server Name is Important

Before diving into the “how,” let’s first understand the “why.” Here’s why knowing your Exchange server name is crucial:

• Email Client Configuration: To manually configure email clients like Microsoft Outlook or Thunderbird, you may need the Exchange server name.
• Troubleshooting: Many connectivity issues stem from incorrect or unknown server addresses.
• Migration Planning: During Exchange migrations or Office 365 hybrid setups, the server name is a key data point.
• Security and Monitoring: Understanding which server handles which functions (mailbox, CAS, transport) is important for logs and alerts.

With Exchange moving more into hybrid and cloud environments, this small piece of information plays a big role in seamless administration.

What Is the Exchange Admin Center (EAC)?

The Exchange Admin Center (EAC) is a web-based management console introduced in Exchange Server 2013 and continues to be available in later versions and Microsoft 365. It provides a user-friendly interface to manage mailbox features, organization settings, and server configuration.

The EAC replaced the older Exchange Management Console (EMC) used in Exchange 2007/2010 and is now the go-to tool for managing Exchange environments.

How to Access Exchange Admin Center

Before you can find the Exchange server name, you need to log into the EAC.

Steps to Access EAC:

1. Open a web browser on a machine within the same network/domain.
2. Enter the URL for your EAC instance:
   • For Exchange 2013/2016/2019:
     https:///ecp
   • For Microsoft 365 Exchange Online:
     https://admin.exchange.microsoft.com
     
     Note: Replace with the actual Fully Qualified Domain Name of your Exchange server (e.g., mail.company.com).
3. Log in using administrator credentials.
   Once inside, you’ll have access to all the Exchange administrative features.

How to Find the Exchange Server Name in EAC

Now to the core of our guide—how to find the Exchange server name within the Exchange Admin Center.

Method 1: View Server Name via the “Servers” Tab

This is the most direct method and works in Exchange Server 2013/2016/2019.

Steps:

1. Log into the EAC.
2. On the left-hand navigation pane, click Servers.
3. Click on Servers again from the top tab (if not already selected).
4. You’ll see a list of all Exchange servers in your environment.
5. Locate the Name column — this is the Exchange server name.
6. Click on any server for more details like roles (Mailbox, Client Access), version, and FQDN.

Screenshot View:

(You may optionally insert screenshots for visual aid showing the “Servers” list.)

Pro Tip: If you’re working in a larger organization, there may be multiple servers listed. Make sure to identify the one relevant to your task—especially if working with mailbox location or client connectivity.

Understanding Exchange Server Roles

When you click on a server in the EAC list, you’ll notice assigned roles. Knowing these can help you understand the function of each server.

Common Server Roles:

• Mailbox Role: Hosts mailbox databases and handles email storage.
• Client Access (CAS) Role: Manages client connections to Exchange services (e.g., Outlook, OWA).
• Edge Transport Role (often external): Handles all internet-facing mail flow.

Knowing the role can help identify if this server is relevant for your connection or configuration needs.

How to Find Exchange Server Name for Outlook Configuration

Sometimes, users or IT support are trying to find the server name used by Outlook or another mail client. While EAC helps identify the backend server, here’s a tip to connect that with Outlook.

For On-Premise Exchange (Outlook):

1. Open Outlook on a client machine.
2. Hold down Ctrl & right-click the Outlook icon in system tray.
3. Choose Connection Status.
4. You’ll see the Server Name in the first column.
   • This is typically the FQDN of the mailbox or CAS server (e.g., mail.exchange.local or exchange01.domain.com).

This is the actual server your Outlook client connects to.

Alternative Methods to Find the Exchange Server Name

While EAC is preferred for a GUI approach, here are a few alternative methods depending on your setup and permissions.

1. Using PowerShell (Exchange Management Shell)

If you’re more comfortable with PowerShell or need to script it:

powershell   Copy   Edit
Get-ExchangeServer

This returns all servers in your organization along with roles and version.

To get the name of a specific server hosting mailboxes:

powershell   Copy   Edit
Get-Mailbox -Identity "UserName" | Format-List ServerName

Or, to find out which server a database is hosted on:

powershell   Copy   Edit
Get-MailboxDatabase | Format-Table Name,Server

2. Using Active Directory

Since Exchange is tightly integrated with AD, you can also find server names by:

• Going into Active Directory Sites and Services.
• Expanding Servers under your site.
• Looking for Exchange server names (especially useful for verifying replication settings).

3. Using the Registry (Local Server)

If you’re logged into the actual Exchange server:

1. Open Registry Editor (regedit).
2. Navigate to:
   sql Copy Edit
   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\MSExchangeIS\ParametersSystem
3. Look for Server Name entry.

Be cautious when navigating the registry. Do not edit anything unless necessary.

Exchange Online / Microsoft 365 Users

If you’re using Exchange Online, there are no traditional on-prem servers, but you may still want the “server name” for configurations or IMAP/POP/SMTP settings.

Here’s how:

1. Go to https://admin.exchange.microsoft.com/.
2. Under Mail Flow > Connectors or Settings, look for your domain’s service configuration.
3. Microsoft 365 typically uses generic endpoint addresses like:
   • Outlook Web: outlook.office365.com
   • SMTP: smtp.office365.com
   • IMAP: imap.office365.com

These aren’t “Exchange server names” in the traditional sense, but they serve the same purpose for cloud services.

Summary: Best Methods at a Glance

Tips and Tricks

• Always verify FQDN and IP addresses when mapping or documenting Exchange servers.
• Use aliases or autodiscover for flexible client configurations.
• If you’re planning a migration, export server details using PowerShell to CSV for documentation.
• Exchange Hybrid environments often have both on-prem and cloud servers — be sure to differentiate between them.

Final Thoughts

Finding the Exchange server name may seem like a small step, but it’s a foundational part of managing, supporting, and scaling your email infrastructure. Whether you’re doing day-to-day troubleshooting, onboarding a new employee, or configuring mobile devices, knowing exactly where to locate this information can save you time and headaches.

The Exchange Admin Center (EAC) provides a clean, accessible interface to locate server names and much more. When combined with other tools like PowerShell and Outlook diagnostics, it gives administrators full visibility into their Exchange environment.

So next time you’re setting up a new mailbox, performing a migration, or simply need to double-check where your mailboxes live, just remember — the answer is often just a few clicks away in the EAC.