You can use a fax server to configure fax devices to enable the users in your network to send and receive faxes. To create a fax server and install Fax Service Manager, the fax printer, and the Fax service, you must install the Fax Server role on a computer running on a computer running Windows Server 2008 or Windows Server 2008 R2. The Fax Server role is available from Server Manager.

Once you have created a fax server, you can use Fax Service Manager to do the following:

  • Configure fax devices.

  • Manage users.

  • Set up routing policies for incoming faxes.

  • Set up rules for outbound faxes to specific device groups.

  • Set up archiving of faxes that have been previously sent or received.

  • Configure logging to track the use of fax resources.

  • Configure delivery receipts.

  • Stop or start the Fax service and block the Fax service from accepting any outbound or inbound faxes.

Fax users can then send, receive, and manage their faxes by using a fax device managed by the fax server.

Fax components

Key fax-related components include:

  • Fax Server role. To create a fax server, you must install the Fax Server role from Server Manager. This installs Fax Service Manager, Windows Fax and Scan, the Fax printer, and the Fax service. For instructions, see Install the Fax Server Role.

    Once you install the Fax Server role, you can access a role page in Server Manager that provides a single point from which you can view fax events, view status information for the Fax service, and access resources and additional information for fax servers. To access this page, in Server Manager, click Roles, and then click Fax Server. The role page appears in the right pane.

  • Fax service. After you install the Fax Server role, the Fax service appears in the Services snap-in and you can start or stop the service directly from there or from the Fax Server role page in Server Manager.

  • Fax Service Manager. Fax Service Manager, a Microsoft Management Console (MMC) snap-in, provides a central administration point for configuring and managing your fax resources. Once you install the Fax Server role, you can access Fax Service Manager from Server Manager by clicking Roles, clicking Fax Server, and then clicking Fax. You can also access this tool by adding it to an MMC console.

  • Windows Fax and Scan. After you install the Fax Server role, you can access Windows Fax and Scan by clicking Start, and then clicking All Programs. On a fax server, you can use Windows Fax and Scan to send faxes, add accounts, and to monitor the incoming fax queue, the inbox, and the outbox. Users who are using computers running Windows Vista Business, Windows Vista Enterprise, Windows Vista Ultimate, and certain versions of Windows 7 can use this feature to send faxes and configure fax receipts.

    Note

    Users who are using computers running versions of Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 can send a fax using Fax Console. For more information about how to use Fax Console and manage fax servers in earlier versions of Windows, see https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=90750.

    For more information about using Windows Fax and Scan to send and receive faxes, see Windows Fax and Scan on the Windows Help and How-to site (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=90751). For more information about using this feature to view fax activity, see Managing Incoming Faxes and Managing Outgoing Faxes.

Hardware and software considerations

The Fax Server role is available in all editions of Windows Server 2008 and Windows Server 2008 R2, except for Windows Web Server 2008 R2 and Windows Server 2008 R2 for Itanium-Based Systems. However, the Fax Service Manager snap-in is not available for the Server Core installation option of Windows Server 2008 R2.

When you upgrade a fax server from Windows Server 2003 to Windows Server 2008 or Windows Server 2008 R2, the Fax Server role will be automatically installed as part of the upgrade. However, only certain settings will be maintained during the upgrade. For example, you must reconfigure fax sharing. In addition, any settings on the Security tab in the Properties dialog box of Fax Service Manager will revert to the default settings. Also, fax user accounts will not be created—you must create them manually. For more information, see the Fax Service Manager Help (at Run, type: HH faxcons.chm).

Important

If you are using a computer running Windows Server 2008 R2 with Hyper-V installed, you cannot use the Fax Server role within the virtualized environment. The Fax Server role requires access to at least one physical modem device, and Hyper-V does not provide physical access to COM ports. For more information about Hyper-V, see the Windows Server 2008 Technical Library (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=140505).

Additional resources

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