Exchange over a WAN

[jamesjames1]

Hi,

I built an exchange server and added it to the current site using thie Exchange 2003 install, very easy. From here I transported the server to a secondary site which is linked to the domain where it was built. In other words I have a VPN which is Site to Site and each site has an Exchange server both of which live in the Same Exchange site...

When the VPN is connected the Exchange server everyone connects using Outlook looses connections to the clients.

This is pretty bad considering the business is running a database over RDP....with e-mail functionality!!!

Does anyone know why this might be happening? The error in Outlook is " Exchange Server Unavailable" If retry is selected the mailbox can be accessed.

When I disabled the VPN the Outlook clients can connect fine.


regards,

James

 

[cbayles]

We're experiencing similar problems. We have a 10 location VPN and our remote Outlook 2003 clients lose connectivity with Exchange 2003 approx. every 24-36 hours. (No error messages in the event logs) I have to reboot the Exchange server to restore connectivity to our remote users.

I can still ping the ip address and hostname of the Exchange server from the clients when they lose connectivity in Outlook 2003.

None of the Outlook clients at the host site are affected when the remote clients report the connectivity problems. All of our VPN connections test clean.


I'm stumped.

Chris B.

Windows Server 2003 SP1
Exchange Server 2003 Ent.
Watchguard X1000 Firewall (Host)
Watchguard SOHO 6tc's (Remotes)

 

[jamesjames1]

Chris,

Nice to hear you have the same problem. I can give you a detailed breakdown of what my situation is and what I have tried...

Currently the VPN is disconnected and everything is fine, the remote site is simply a mirror site which is as of yet not operational...
I am using the Windows RRAS stuff for VPN which was simple enought to set up.

I have 2 different subnets one in each site and all clients at site B can ping everything in site A et Visa versa...

My DNS is Primary and secondary Active directory integrated. The remote site is replicating with site A and its all fine, Active directory Users and computers replicates every 15 mins and is working fine aswell.

All this considered makes me wonder if its something to do with the Exchange servers, I have been looking at routing groups ( Exchange 2003 ) but as both clients are in the same site ( Active Dir + Exchange ) they are not needed.

Where did you build the remote Exchange server.? I built mine in site A then drove it down to site B, plugged it in and it worked.

One intersting issue is that this problem s not effecting Outlook 2003 users just pre 2003 so there is a work round there in that the upgrade seems to mask any issues!!

Do you have a remote Domain controller??? Do they replicate?? I do! Microsoft pointed me in the direction that my DC couldn't speak to the Global Catalogue server hence the outlook connection problems but all DNS is set up and each site has a DC. I am hoping its an Exchange config issu rather than Active Directory, its one of the 2 either way.

Let me know if you get anywhere.

james

 

[jamesjames1]

some simple stuf to try!!

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;155048

 

[lmwills]

James - I will be implementing a similar thing very soon and I had an Exchange consultant come in to give me some feedback before I take the plunge.

I too use RRAS but I have never had a really solid VPN connection (demand dial) to the other office through it - I could not route properly.

The consultant said that RRAS was more trouble than it's worth and that I should go with a hardware point to point tunnel through a Pix or some other router.

I will be implementing that solution. So just another thought to throw at you - it could be RRAS.

 

[cbayles]

I think I found the solution to this.. MTU problem with Windows 2003 Server with SP1

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;898060

 

[xmsre]

898060 will be it. I've seen this multiple times since SP1 released. Same issue if you have not applied SP1 to the server but have applied MS05-019 to the clients. In either case the solution is 898060 on the server.

 

[cbayles]

That was it. I looked back in the system event log to see when I installed SP1. Sure enough, our connectivity problems started not long after that.
Our Exchange server has been up for 3 days now!

 

[jamesjames1]

Great news! Since I logged this I have descovered I need a different plan. I have removed the 2nd Exchange server on the remote site from the Exchange site so there is now only 1 Exchange server in aour environment. I have created a new domain in the remote site so now have 2 exchange site and 2 domains, linked by VPN.
Reason being I need a failover environment where users have the same logon name and mailbox name - it is a bit complex and I am sure there is an easy way to do this but as of yet I can't seem to find one. I believe Exchange clustering is the option but it sounds costly and difficult to set up.

Any ideas would be greate.

thanks

James