Two Exchange 5.5 Servers on one Mailsystem 3

[jhow01]

I've recently joined another mailserver to our existing Exchange 5.5 server with the intentions of replicating the data across our LAN for backup reasons. However, it appears that none of the data is being transmitted or copied to the Server Recipient directory on the joined server.

Does anyone have a solution to this problem, or do I have to set up a site replications with two different mailservers in order for it to work?

Thanks

 

[brontosaurus]

there's no such thing as a "replica" server with exchange. Public folders can be replicated, but not mailboxes. By joining that second server to your existing site, you simply gave yourself another repository for mailboxes, connectors, etc...

 

[jhow01]

OK, Thanks

However, does your answer applies to site replications (two different mailservers joined together by connectors)?

 

[brontosaurus]

connectors can do several different things. I believe what you're referring to is the ability to replicate directory information, which is simply a list of users with their addresses. This does not contain any mailbox info.

 

[geniph]

It'll replicate *site* information, such as directory, server names, etc., and public folders can have replicas, but neither the single-site multiserver model, nor the multisite model will allow you to replicate mailboxes.

The single-site multiserver allows you to load-balance by putting things like connectors on one server, or splitting off OWA, stuff like that, allows you to host mailboxes on multiple servers, and allows you to easily move mailboxes to another server, but no infrastructure model will allow you to have multiple copies of the same mailboxes. If you want that, you have to copy the private information store and transaction logs regularly to an offline hot spare. Some enterprises do that for disaster recovery. I believe in online backups.

Why do you want to have replicas of mailboxes?

 

[jhow01]

To minimize down time in the event of a disaster. The "backup or replicated mailserver" would be stored at another site and could easy be promoted in the event of an emergency.

Do you have any suggestions on what I'm trying to accomplish?

 

[ssay]

I am trying to create a hot standby exchange server for DR purposes - we have 5.5 on w2k server & AD. The only way that I can think of, is to create a test environment, Restore the current AD on a DC and create an identical name/spec/etc exchange member server and restore the backup of the live server on the standby. Exchange uses NT4 SAM and AD to create its DB, hence without any of the user/SID etc information a true hot standby will be impossible and only usefull for a brick level restore.

I'll let you know how got on and if successfull.

SSAY

 

[jhow01]

Please do...

 

[GWINTO]

We use a similar DR method, this is basically how it is set up. We have 2 servers an NT4 with 5.5 and a 2K with AD as a file server, the 3rd server on our network is for contigency, it was initially placed on the network as a NT4 BDC to ensure that the SIDs were consistent with the other NT4 server, it was then removed and renamed with the same name as the other NT4 server(you need also to promote it to PDC - it can be demoted if you ever need to add it back to the network), exchange was then added and all relevant service packs. All exchange services are set to manual and folder paths are consistent with the other NT4 server. Delete the contents of Mdbdata, and dsadata. You now have a replica server with no user data. The server was then configured to dual boot with 2K. The 2K installation acts as a second PDC with AD etc and has all the same services installed as the first 2K server (disabled where conflict may occur), with dfs replication set up to "mirror" the shared files, contents of IIS etc. We then have a normal PC running V2i protector (from drive image), on a daily basis this takes images of the information stores. Now if our file server goes down we simply, enable the disabled services on the second 2k server change the .bat file in group policy to re-map the shared files and ask users to log-off then back on again. If the NT4/Exchange server goes down (if we have access to the log files, those not copied on the last back-up, copy them to the 1st 2K machine), we can reboot the contigency server into NT4/Exchange>add it to the network>demote it to BDC>using V2 we can restore to the empty dsadata and mdbdata folders>run isinteg-patch>start up the services. We have practiced this and managed to get the replica Exchange working in 25 minutes, this is with a 4.5Gb priv.edb. Previously DR on exchnage has taken 24 hours naturally this has gone down well with the bosses!

The more you know, the more you realise there is to know....
CCNA MCP

 

[ssay]

V2i Protector is where we are going. It is an excelent product and a true backup-to-disk software. With V2i protector is easly achivable what you are doing GWINTO. However for those of us that are still using backup to tape, I have created a test environment, with one root domain DC and one sub domain DC where the exchange server is. I then used ntdsutil to seize FISMO roles that were allocated to other DCs, since only one DC - this is after an authoratitive restore was carried out - plenty of tech tips on how to do this. Then I created an Win2K server - workgroup, installed exchange and all SP etc. Restored everything C:, D: Exchange IS, DS etc to the server using Seagate Backup Exec V9 - at this point the server is restored to original state i.e. a member of the domain. Don't forget, after the restore is completed, insert the Exchange server Install CD and copy the content of the \setup\i386\bootenv to C:\exchsrvr\mtadata folder. Disable the Exchange DS services, Reboot the server, logon to domain and run isinteg -pri -test mailbox,message,folder, same with -pub to check the database. Once all ok, fire up the Exchange services and run consisytancy adjuster.

The only issues that I have was DNS, wher I could resolve to DNS but could not see the domain. I got arround it by recreating the zone for the internal domain.

I have yet to test this in a live environment, if the live server crashes. But it would be easier than rebuilding everything from scratch.

Alternatively buy a copy of the PowerQuest V2i Protector. - it's only about £500.

SSAY