Virtualizing Exchange 2010 and DAG considerations

[mlc9]

Currently running Exchange 2003 on top of physical Windows 2K3 Standard server. Pretty basic setup, with less than 100 mailboxes making one database of less than 70GB.

We are wanting to move to Exchange 2010, and current plan is to do so in a virtual environment. Going with one LARGE server, running VMware ESXi, with Windows DataCenter Edition. Will only have about 10 Windows servers on there (domain controllers, file server, etc) and Exchange 2010 will be one of those.

My question is about setting up a proper DAG environment. We have two other VMware ESXi hosts (no budget for full blown VMware Enterprise). If I build the primary Exchange 2010 server on a new VMware ESXi host, where is best place to put a secondary mail server for DAG purposes? Is one even necessary?

If needed, my thinking was that I could put it on one of the two existing virtual hosts, or even on the physical server now running Exchange 2003. If I go either way here, I'd have to have an extra copy of Exchange 2010 and retail copy of Windows 2008 Server. On that secondary email server, can I build it on Win Server '08 Standard, or must I do Enterprise version? Am trying to research, but left unsure whether full advantages of DAG is possible using Server Standard edition. Any help appreciated. Thanks

 

[58sniper]

The virtual hosts need to be able to provide the same level of resources to Exchange. Each one needs to be able to handle 100% of your user load. And, you'll need a hardware load balancer.

See also:

http://www.msexchange.org/articles_...-database-availability-groups-dags-part2.html

Also:

http://blogs.technet.com/b/exchange...virtualization-support-for-exchange-2010.aspx

Pat Richard MVP
Plan for performance, and capacity takes care of itself. Plan for capacity, and suffer poor performance.

http://www.exchangeblogs.com/

 

[mlc9]

Yea, I had been reading up on one of those two links. But, still wasn't sure if a good idea to have a both a virtual and physical instance of Exchange 2010 in different DAGs or to just try and virtualize on two different hosts.

One instance would definitely be built virtually on Windows DataCenter edition, and the other (physical or virtual) would be built on either a retail copy of Windows Server 2008 Standard or Enterprise. If DAG was the main reason for even going with a second server, wasn't sure if Windows Server 2008 Standard would be sufficient enough without the failover clustering capability of Enterprise.

 

[58sniper]

You should use Windows Server 2008 R2. The OS needs to be the same between them.

Pat Richard MVP
Plan for performance, and capacity takes care of itself. Plan for capacity, and suffer poor performance.

http://www.exchangeblogs.com/

 

[mlc9]

Oh, they will be the same (R2), but it's a question of Standard edition vs Enterprise edition when considering DAG. What I am going to consider as a primary mail server will be built virtually on Windows DataCenter edition of Server 2008. In order to take advantage of DAG, the other instance of Exchange 2010 will either be on Windows Server 2008 R2 Standard or Enterprise. I just wasn't sure which one, since failover clustering is the difference between the two and not sure if that matters with DAG.

 

[58sniper]

No such thing as "primary" when dealing with a DAG. Both do the exact same thing, handle the same load, perform the same tasks, and are "active". And thus, must be built identical to each other (OS, storage, RAM, etc.) Both require the same version of Exchange (standard or enterprise), and both require the enterprise version of Windows 2008 or 2008 R2 (again, they must be the same on all DAG members).

Pat Richard MVP
Plan for performance, and capacity takes care of itself. Plan for capacity, and suffer poor performance.

http://www.exchangeblogs.com/

 

[TechyMcSe2k]

RE: Going with one LARGE server, running VMware ESXi, with Windows DataCenter Edition. Will only have about 10 Windows servers on there (domain controllers, file server, etc) and Exchange 2010 will be one of those.
2nd statement re:
One instance would definitely be built virtually on Windows DataCenter edition

So are you saying you will install VMWare ESXi as the base OS, then have a virtual Windows 2K8 DC Edition running Hyper-V to host the other Exchange and/or 10 Windows Servers?

Just trying to clarify your environment before I give any advice.

http://www.samtechconsulting.com

_______________________________________
Great knowledge can be obtained by mastering the Google algorithm.

 

[TechyMcSe2k]

HA! reread your postings...never mind I understand now.