Exchange 2013 dag 1

[joblack23]

I don't have any experience with setting up dags. Anyone can point me to useful documentations how to property perform the configuration? Can I have my first exchange fully configured first? I am also doing 2010 to 2013 migration.

thanks

 

[ShackDaddy]

Yes, you can have your first Exchange server fully configured, but remember that whichever drive the database is on when you set up the DAG, the file path has to match on both servers, so if your first server keeps the database on a massive C: drive but your second server has a small C: partition and a big D: partition, that's not going to work.

Here's a great link:

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=setting+up+Exchange+2010+dag

Dave Shackelford
ThirdTier.net

 

[joblack23]

Hi Dave. thanks much for your post. I'll take a look at the link you sent. I will be using a SAN storage.
thanks

 

[ShackDaddy]

SAN storage shouldn't make a difference, but I would warn against having both DAG members write their data to the same SAN volumes, as that would sort of defeat the purpose of having DAGs in the first place. If it were me, I would have one server in the DAG not write data to the SAN at all.

Dave Shackelford
ThirdTier.net

 

[ntinlin]

As Dave says you can have a more or less standalone Exchange server then convert it to DAG membership BUT you must remember to install it on Windows Enterprise not Standard since it needs to make use of cluster services. Doesn't matter whether you are using Exchange Standard or Enterprise since both can do DAG's but you need the underlying Windows services.

Also you can't put the CAS role onto that server if you intend using Windows NLB (although who would nowadays) to provide a CAS array. Conflicts with the cluster.

Neill

 

[joblack23]

Thanks Neill,

Confused. Before I order my servers, spoke with Microsoft team to verify the version I need. They assured me that Standard is sufficient to create Exchange DAG. Which required services are you referring to? Can I link MBX directly to the load balancer? As I see it, CAS might not be required since I am not using proxy, pop, or um.

This is getting a bit interesting. Any chance I could find a good documentation on how to accomplish this? I've googled already believe you me, but most seem to go into a tangent.

thanks much.

 

[ShackDaddy]

The underlying services are the Cluster services which only exist on Windows 2008 R2 Enterprise, not on Windows 2008 R2 Standard. So it matters if you are on Windows 2008 R2.

BUT...if you are installing on Windows 2012, it's a non-issue, since even the Standard edition allows you to run cluster services and do a DAG:

http://exchangeserverpro.com/install-exchange-2013-pre-requisites-windows-server-2012/

So if you are using 2012 as the server OS, using Standard for both the OS and the Exchange version is fine.

http://exchangeserverpro.com/install-exchange-2013-pre-requisites-windows-server-2012/

Dave Shackelford
ThirdTier.net