Server Roles

[BHX90]

Hi,

I've got 400 users running on fairly old servers running a mix of 2003 and NT with Exchange5.5.

I'm planning two new DC's both running DHCP and DNS, a file and Print server and an Exchange 2003 server.

Each server will have a pair of Ultra320 70Gb SCSI drives mirrored with a 20gb system partition and for the file and print and Exchange servers 3x Ultra320 136Gb drives as RAID5.

My question is how much RAM am I likey to need? I was thinking maybe 2Gb per server. Will Exchange need more and is it OK on RAID5?

Also, I'll be running WSUS and Sophos Enterprise utilising the free MSDE database, where is the best place install these products as most documentation states not to run SQL on Exchange servers or DC's.

Any comments would be a great help.

Thanks

 

[58sniper]

You need 2GB + 10MB per user on Exchange. I'd still put 4GB on the DCs

You should also think about 2 drives for the OS, 2 SEPARATE drives for the transaction logs, and at least 3 drives for the Stores for the Exchange box.

You can run MSDE on the DCs, as that's not true SQL. I wouldn't run it on the Exchange box, though.

If you're going to put 70GB drives on the DCs, but only create a 20GB OS partition, what are you going to use the other 50GB for?

Pat Richard, MCSE MCSA:Messaging CNA
Microsoft Exchange MVP
Want to know how email works? Read for yourself -

http://www.ietf.org/rfc/rfc2821.txt

 

[BHX90]

Thanks for your help,

I was planning on using the 50Gb patition for applications suchas Powerchute for the UPS, as it is OK to running MSDE on DC's I may also run WSUS and Sophos on the DC's. Other than that no use. I will use 36Gb drive if I can get them.

Would there be any mileage in move the paging file to the second partition as it is still the same physical drive(s) or should it be left as one partition?

Also, I will be using Vertias Backup Exec to back up Exchange, where would you install that as it is MSDE based and, you suggest the Exchange box would not be the best place? One of the DC's or the File and Print server perhaps? I want to got down to mailbox level and it is curretly about 50Gb and growing.

Thanks

 

[58sniper]

From a performance standpoint, there probably isn't much gained by moving the paging file. It's still on the same spindle.

You can install Backup Exec on the Excchange box. I just wouldn't use full SQL on that box. MSDE is fine. You could also just run it from another box, but that means all of the data is going across the wire, which may affect performance.

Pat Richard, MCSE MCSA:Messaging CNA
Microsoft Exchange MVP
Want to know how email works? Read for yourself -

http://www.ietf.org/rfc/rfc2821.txt