Exchange 2010: Changes to New User Setup Process

Before, with Exchange 2003, adding new users with email addresses could be done completely from within Active Directory Users and Computers (ADUC).  You could even do this from, let's say, an XP workstation.  You just needed to have the adminpak installed for ADUC and the Exchange System Management tools from the Exchange 2003 installation media.  That process has now changed with Exchange 2010.

Now you can use ADUC to add a new user, but you can't add the mailbox for the user.  You have to use the Exchange Management Center (EMC) to do that.  Of course, since Exchange 2010 only comes in a 64-bit flavor, there is no EMC for 32-bit platforms.  So if your usual workstation doesn't have a 64-bit version of Windows above the XP version (XP won't work with Exchange 2010 EMC), then you are out of luck.  You'll have to remote into your Exchange server to manage the mailboxes for your organization.

You could start by using EMC to add a new user instead of using ADUC.  It will create the user and the mailbox.  However, it won't let you do things like modify group memberships, so you'll end up having to use ADUC anyway.

Maybe it's just me, but this seems like a step in the wrong direction.