running two exchange servers on outlook...could this work?

[bryanoens]

Ok, I have been trying to make it so that we can run 2 exchange servers on Outlook so if our exchange server in CA goes down, we could use a backup server that we have at our office in AZ. I know that Outlook will not allow two different exchange servers to be setup on the same domain, but could we use two different domains that have a trust relationship?

What I was thinking is we could create another domain, promote a server here in AZ and run exchange server on it. We are running AD and I found a setting which will allow multiple domains to be selected, so we would not have to create an entirely new AD and group policies.

I want to make sure that if the CA exchange server went down, the AZ server would already be syncronized with it so that it would not get overflooded with updated information.

If I had a domain such as @bob.com and another @it.com, i could configure their exchange accounts with both email addresses?

Im afraid that I might be trying something that could really screw up some of our policies or our true exchange server. I do believe this could be done if both domains are on the exchange server im just not sure on how I should go about this without really screwing things up. Any info would be appreciated!!

Thanks

 

[xmsre]

You can't have 2 servers host the same mailbox at the same time. From the sounds of it you want a replication/clustering or replication/standby solution. In Exchange 2007 today, you can use CCR. With SP1, SCR is also an option. Exchange 2003 has no built in replication mechanism, so you'd need to look at third party solutions. When evaluating potential solutions, make sure you understand the MS support boundaries for replication of exchange data,

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/895847/en-us

 

[58sniper]

Yep, SCR is cool.

If you're looking at third party solutions, look at either Double Take or Never Fail.

Pat Richard, MCSE MCSA:Messaging CNA
Microsoft Exchange MVP

 

[xmsre]

Both of these are host based replication solutions. Read 895847 and understand the support implications. Talk to the vendors, get references, and make sure you're comfortable with their support (hours, delivery, SLAs, etc)