Distribution groups — more commonly known as distribution lists — are a powerful tool for managing communications. Users do not have to painstakingly compile a set of recipients for each email; they can simply select the appropriate distribution list. This approach doesn’t just save time; it also reduces the productivity risk of failing to include users who need the information in the email and the security risk of accidentally sending confidential information to people who should not see it.
However, reaping these benefits depend upon your distribution lists being managed carefully and kept up to date. Those tasks are up the owner of the distribution list. While you can make one or more individuals the owners of a distribution list, there are significant benefits to choosing a security group as the owner instead.
This article provides examples of situations in which it can make sense to choose a security group to be the owner of a distribution list, explains the key attributes of distribution lists, and offers a software solution that streamlines the management of both distribution lists and security groups.
When to Make a Security Group the Owner of a Distribution List
Making a security group the owner of a distribution list enables the members of the security group to manage the distribution list, including its membership and attributes. This strategy helps ensure that the distribution list always has the right owners: When someone changes roles in the organization or leaves, the security group will be updated. That action automatically updates the ownership of the distribution list; there’s no need to correct an explicit list of individual owners. As a result, organizations avoid the hassle of duplicate work while avoiding errors and inconsistencies.
Here are some examples of situations when it can be quite valuable to make a security group the owner of a distribution group:
- Making the security group for each project team the owner of all distribution lists for that team
- Making the Corporate Communications security group an owner of all distribution groups
- Making the HR Directors security group the owner of distribution lists for executive communications
- Making the SharePoint Managers security group the owner of distribution lists for SharePoint users
Common Attributes of Distribution Lists
IT admins and group owners can manage attributes of distribution lists through Active Directory, the Exchange Administration Center or the Exchange Management Shell.
The following are some of the most useful attributes for distribution list owners to set carefully:
- ManagedBy — Specifies the owner of the distribution list.
- AcceptMessagesOnlyFrom — Allows the distribution list to receive messages from only a specified set of users. By default, messages from all users are accepted.
- AcceptMessagesOnlyFromDLMembers — Allows the distribution list to receive messages only from members of the specified distribution lists and mail-enabled security groups. By default, messages from all groups are accepted.
- AcceptMessagesOnlyFromSendersOrMembers — Allows the distribution list to receive messages from only the specified groups and individuals. By default, messages from all senders are accepted.
- GrantSendOnBehalfTo — Specifies users or groups that can send emails on behalf of the distribution list. When a sender sends on behalf of a group, their name is clearly shown; however, the replies are not sent to the sender but the whole group. By default, no one has permission to send on behalf of the distribution list.
- RejectMessagesFrom — Prevents the distribution list from receiving messages from the specified users. By default, messages from all senders are accepted.
- RejectMessagesFromDLMembers — Prevents the distribution list from receiving messages from members of the specified groups. By default, messages from all groups are accepted.
- RejectMessagesFromSendersOrMembers — Prevents a distribution list from receiving?messages from the specified groups and individuals. By default, everyone?can send messages to a distribution group.
How Netwrix GroupID Can Help
Netwrix GroupID makes it quick and convenient to make a security group an owner of a distribution list. In addition, an owner of a distribution list can easily perform all of the following tasks:
- Control who can and cannot send messages to the distribution list.
- Specify who is notified when a message sent to the distribution list is not delivered. You can send the non-delivery report to the distribution list owner, the message originator or no one.
- Specify who can send email as the group or on behalf of the distribution list.
- View all the actions performed on the distribution list since its creation, along with comments. You can export the history data to an Excel, CSV or XML file.
Across all of these capabilities, an advanced search option makes it simple to search for the desired groups and users.
Conclusion
Making a security group the owner of related distribution lists helps organizations communicate more efficiently and securely. Netwrix GroupID makes it easy to use security groups to manage distribution lists. But that’s not all — it is a one-stop solution for managing your distribution lists and security groups, offering a host of powerful automation and delegation capabilities that can help your business flourish.
FAQ
Can you add a distribution group to a security group?
No, distribution groups cannot be directly nested within security groups.
Can you make a security group the owner of a distribution group?
Yes, you can make a security group the owner of a distribution group. This allows members of the security group to manage the distribution list, including its attributes and membership.
