Redundant Exchange 5.5 servers not replicating 2

[ariddick]

I have a Exchange 5.5 server on NT 4.0 that has been running for years. I created a new Exchange 5.5 server on Windows 2000 server and joined it to the site. I can view mailboxes but the databases are not locally on the new machine. I understand that the replication takes place automatically but I have seen nothing. Is there anything I need to do to force a replication or check? The new server has been up for 4 days now. I checked the event logs and didnt find anything interesting there.

Thanks

 

[brontosaurus]

Maybe i'm misunderstanding your question, but if you're looking for the PRIV.EDB file to replicate across the 2 servers, that's not the way it works. You can view mailboxes because of directory synchronization, but the actual data in the mailbox stays on one server. Public folders however, can be replicated.

 

[lardum]

When you for example create a new mailbox it defaults to your old server. You can specify on which server the mailbox will reside under the Advanced tab when creating a new mailbox. The mailbox database won't be mirrored to the new server. Only site information will be.

 

[ariddick]

Hmm, Guess I don't understand exchange that well then. Is there anyway to have the servers redundant? I am trying to produce a failover situation where we can bring up the new server in case of a failure on the old server.

Thanks

 

[brontosaurus]

ahhh, the age old redundant/failover question. Well, there's only one true "failover" server plan, and that's Clustering. Of course, you need 2K advanced server and exchange enterprise edition to do this. Barring that path, which can be very annoying, there's simple steps you can take to ease your pain in case of an exchange crash or user mishap. I'll list a few, and then anyone else please feel free to add to the list (who knows, it may make a good FAQ). Anyway, here goes:
1) Have a standby exchange server up and running with the same Org and Site names, but don't actually join it to your existing site.
2) Turn off Circular logging and use an "exchange aware" backup program.
3) Simulate a couple of "test" crashes to teach yourself how to restore a server. The value of this is priceless...
4) Set a Deleted item Retention policy to save you when a user messes up
5) If corporate policy allows, set up mailbox limits. Also incorporate the Mailbox cleanup agent to help keep house.
6) Monitor, monitor, monitor (performance and logs)

Next, anyone?

 

[ariddick]

Thanks for the quick reply. I will most likely build a second server like you said with the same Org and site names. Is there any reason this server should not be on the same network as my main server? I am assumming its OK to name it differently.

Thanks again, and if anyone else has anything that works well, please let me know.

 

[brontosaurus]

it can be on the same network, no problem. and you assume correctly about the name. Obviously, if it's on the same network, you have to name it differently anyway.

 

[Guest_imported]

if you need to backup and restore to the other sever the mail boxes and do not have a backup program use exmerge
off you exchange cd to put your mail boxes into pst file
with their setting them move the mail boxes and restore
data into that server.