Installing Exchange 2007 SP1 for SCR 1

[PC0]

Hi,

I need to set up a replication environment for the current Exchange 2007 SP1 implementation. The current setup is as follows:

Multiple domain controllers each with a global catalog
1 Exchange 2007 SP1 (email environment was upgraded from Exchange 2000)
Another stand alone machine (to be located in a different physical site, hence will be on a separte subnet) --> designated as target machine.

(All servers are a mix of Windows Server 2003 Enterprise and Standard)

Please help me with the install procedure (from setting up the Exchange server application to setting up SCR).

All help is sincerely appreciated.

Thanks,

Paul

 

[58sniper]

You mean you transitioned from one server running Exchange 2000 to a new server running Exchange 2007, right? There is no in-place upgrading of Exchange 2000 to 2007.

As for SCR,

http://www.letmegooglethatforyou.com/?q=how+to+setup+exchange+2007+scr

Pat Richard MVP
Plan for performance, and capacity takes care of itself. Plan for capacity, and suffer poor performance.

http://www.ucblogs.net/blogs/exchange/

 

[Zelandakh]

SCR will mean a lot of downtime. Do you plan to buy another licence for Exchange? If so, use CCR instead.

Other than that comment..."What he said".

 

[PC0]

Hello,

Thanks for all the help.

My setup will be comprised of one exchange server at the corporate office, which is the primary server and another exchange server at the colocation. The current exchange server was transitioned from Exchange 2000 to a new server running Exchange 2007.

As for the seeding, I think I will have to disable exchange backup till the logs are copied over to the remote site.

I have one question: What roles do I absolutely need to install on the second exchange server? The current exchange server has all roles (hub, cas, mailbox) and we do not have an edge transport server. So, can I get away with installing only the mailbox and cas role on the second server?

Once again, thank you for all your help.

 

[Zelandakh]

seeding...disable backup? Don't disable backups or you won't commit transactions and recovery will be longer. Copying logs to the remote site is best done by enabling the replication straight after a backup to minimise shipping.

Second Exchange Server? Mailbox role will allow databases to come up but without a CAS you won't get client connectivity. Without an HT you won't get delivery. You don't need edge unless you have a specific need for it.

 

[PC0]

Hi,

Will the second server (running a second instance of Exchange)need to be configured for a hub role, or is it something I can configure at a later date?

If I do set up the hub role on the new server, are there any steps to ensure that delivery of email still happens at the primary server in the corporate office?

I do apologize for asking these questions over and over, it's just I am not too confident in Exchange 2007 and want to reassure myself that the steps I take won't be crashing the mail environment.

Regards,

Paul

 

[Zelandakh]

You can add roles later. Delivery will happen if you have a hub somewhere.

You need the 3 key roles.
Mailbox - store email.
Hub - deliver email.
CAS - let people access email.

Without other roles, each one can operate in isolation but obviously you won't be working perfectly!

 

[PC0]

Hi,

Thank you for the information. I think I have finally been able to comprehend the steps for replication.

So, just to make sure that I understand the process correctly:

1. Perform custom Exchange installation - install HUB, CAS and Mailbox roles
2. Install Exchange SP1
3. Start replication (preferably right after a backup)

My initial concern that installing a second HUB role would cause complications is unfounded as the MX record at our web hosting provider points to the primary exchange server's ip, so delivery still occurs at the corporate office(primary exchange server) rather than at the remote site(location of the second exchange server). Is my understanding correct or am I partially correct?

Once again, thank you for all the help.

Paul

 

[Zelandakh]

Not sure how your corpnet is configured but MX records showing delivery of email to primary Exchange server will be unaffected by a hub transport server.

 

[PC0]

Hi,

I finished setting up the second Exchange server (created the same folder structure/Volume Label), installed Exchange and SP1.

The issue now is that when I enter the webmail URL, the URL points to the new server. Is this a known issue?

Note: I have not run the replication commands yet.

Thanks,

Paul

 

[58sniper]

Sounds like you did the install first, then SP1 instead of a combined install. Also make sure you install rollup 5 on all Exchange 2007 servers.

Where a URL points is a DNS issue. Outlook Web Access is a CAS feature, and should point to the primary holder of that role.

Pat Richard MVP
Plan for performance, and capacity takes care of itself. Plan for capacity, and suffer poor performance.

http://www.ucblogs.net/blogs/exchange/

 

[Zelandakh]

Any update on this issue?

 

[PC0]

I did install Exchange 2007 and then SP1. As for the issue, it's not DNS and all settings seem to be in place. I will be looking at all settings once more and if everything is in place, I might just continue with the replication.

Any thoughts?

Thanks.