Mailstore Move

[snootalope]

Hey guys

I'm working on a disaster recovery plan here and I'm kicking around the ideas on our Exchange 2003 sp2 box.

I'm trying to decide if it's better to have replication or just a server ready that can have the mailbox store from my current server restored to it.. if that's even possible. Any one know? I've tried googling, but all i'm finding is moving mailboxes. I'm talking about: I back my Exchange server on Monday, an astroid hits on Tuesday, and I need to have the server back up by Wednesday. (wow, that would really suck if that actually happend)

Anyway, just wondering if restoring a mail store to a server that differs in name and subnet is possible.

Thanks for any help!
-nooter

 

[58sniper]

Read the MS Disaster Recovery whitepaper.

You'd rebuild the server and restore the data to it. Least amount of grief.

Pat Richard, MCSE(2) MCSA:Messaging, CNA(2)

 

[crashuk]

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...f6-bee5-4b35-866a-557e25fe2ba1&displaylang=en

 

[crashuk]

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/exchange/2003/library/disrecopgde.mspx

 

[MiniOrganMorgan]

That should be possible, as long as the downed server will never come back, you can alter the LegacyDN attribute and ensure the name of the store on the recovery server mirrors the original name. Surprisingly easy, but research and test first!

 

[snootalope]

Thanks guys..

I read one article that talked about Reseting the domain controller account in AD. Leaving it disable and renaming the backup DC to the down one and going from there..

Thing is, I've been through that process of changing the server name once Exchange is installed......not a pretty process. Actually, it was more of a nightmare. I wish I had the resources to test this again, but this would take some work I tell ya!

 

[MiniOrganMorgan]

Ah, but you don't need to change the name of the Exchange server in order to get the stores to mount, only the name of the mailbox store, ie if it was called "Mailbox Store (X)", rename the mailbox store on server y to "Mailbox Store (X)" but leave server y with it's same name. Obviously make the LegacyDN change too.

 

[snootalope]

So, does changing the LegacyDN point my users to the new server then? Where's exactly is this? ADSI edit?

I thought that info (exchange server) was inbedded in their roaming profiles and couldn't be changed unless manually configured while logged on..

 

[snootalope]

bump