Re: Exchange 2007 Deployment - Plan (please take a look, tell me what by Cody
Cody
Mon May 12 20:32:06 CDT 2008
On May 11, 7:29=A0pm, "Mark Arnold [MVP]" <m...@mvps.org> wrote:
> On Sun, 11 May 2008 13:14:39 -0700 (PDT), Cody <Cody.Pe...@gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
> >On May 11, 3:21=A0pm, "Mark Arnold [MVP]" <m...@mvps.org> wrote:
> >> On Sun, 11 May 2008 11:44:59 -0700 (PDT), Cody <Cody.Pe...@gmail.com>
> >> wrote:
>
> >> >VMWare =96 EXMBX1 (Windows/Exchange Cluster)
> >> >Active CCR Node (1117.58GB/2 =3D 558.79GB)
> >> >It doesn=92t make sense to allocate the entire 1117.58GB if the passiv=
e
> >> >nodes don=92t have that kind of space. =A0We can use the other allocat=
ed
> >> >space for the OS installation, and the next VMWare based Exchange role=
> >> >(below=85)
>
> >> As long as you know that you're unsupported at the moment. The policy
> >> might well change in the coming few months but not at the moment.
>
> >> >VMWare =96 EXHUB1
> >> >The HUB transport is the role in Exchange that pushes email from the
> >> >mailbox server to clients vice versa.
> >> >It is recommended that the =93witness share=94 be on the HUB transport=
> >> >server. =A0This share prevents split brain syndrome in a clustered
> >> >environment.
>
> >> Ok, so far so good.
>
> >> >Dell PowerEdge 2950 III =96 SHJXS010 (Windows/Exchange Cluster)
> >> >Passive CCR Node (679.83GB)
> >> >VSS =96 Volume Shadow Copy Service
> >> >The passive node=92s storage speed is irrelevant, as this server is no=
t
> >> >servicing clients on the network, so reaction time is not important.
>
> >> Rubbish. The reaction of the passive node is all-important. It's a
> >> cluster. Unless you assign the same performance characteristics to the
> >> passive node you are doing to be under pressure to get the active back
> >> on line when you have to fail over. Exchange =A0is not supposed to suck=
> >> when you fail over from Active to Passive.
>
> >> >Dell PowerEdge 2950 III =96 SHJXS011
> >> >Client Access Server =96 OWA
> >> >HUB Transport =96 It=92s ideal to have more than one HUB transport, if=
> >> >this HUB transport isn=92t on this server, the clients passing
> >> >information from OWA will have to send the data further into the
> >> >network to the VMWare server. =A0Also, if one of the HUB transports go=
> >> >down, there will be an auxiliary HUB to push email.
> >> > I don=92t want OWA on VMWare =96 it needs the ability to be interface=
d
> >> >with the Edge Transport for security, etc.
>
> >> Huh? What do you think OWA has got to do with the Edge box? They don't
> >> interact with each other at all. The CAS should be on a VMware
> >> instance (subject to the supportability caveats already mentioned)
>
> >> >Dell PowerEdge SC 4000 Series =96 SHJXS012
> >> >Edge Transport =96 Security Layer, Front-End of Exchange 2007
> >> >No other roles can be combined with the Edge Transport.
>
> >> Why aren't you virtualizing this?
>
> >> Honest opinion? Go back to the drawing board and engage someone who
> >> knows this properly. =A0You have fallen down in the CAS and Edge design=
> >> and you haven't even mentioned what SAN you're using. Given the tin
> >> you have I wouldn't bother with VMware. I'd put the Mailbox on a
> >> physical and use the HT and CAS together with the antispamagents
> >> installed (It's PowerShell - look it up) on the HT. Put a physical for
> >> the Edge in when you can afford to do so.
>
> >So you're saying the Edge server doesn't send/recieve email messages
> >from OWA?
>
> Not directly, you still need the HT in there so the basis of your
> understanding the design is in error.
>
>
>
> >Also, both of those PowerEdge 2950 III'ls are overkill for what we
> >need. =A0If the passive node kicks in, the only thing slower would be
> >the disks (10k rpm instead of 15krpm.) =A0You're right, it's not suppose
> >to suck, but your also not suppose to run off =A0of the passive node
> >like it's the primary system.
>
> Err, yes, you are; that's the point !!!
>
> > =A0The services that are clustered windows
> >wise are on the 15k rpm OS RAID setup on the PowerEdge 2950 III. =A0The
> >cluster =A0won't suffer any performance issues. =A0Both active/passive
> >nodes "windows services" that are clustered will operate on 15k rpm
> >drives.
>
> You have RAID set up in the OS? Oh my, your performance is going to
> suck, badly. I think you're in error and you're actually using the
> hardware RAID from the Dell box and you've just described it badly.
>
>
>
> >I am not going to NAT anything into my network. =A0The Edge transport
> >will remain in the DMZ. =A0We have two HP servers that are interfaced
> >with the VMWare/SAN system.
>
> ? Not sure where this fact fits into the conversation. Natting is
> irrelevant to this topic right now.
>
> >You're right - Virtualizing this isn't supported, so I don't know why
> >you think slapping the Edge transport server on the VMWare system is a
> >great idea. =A0I think I am pusing it as it is with the clustering of
> >Exchange in VMWare.
>
> The Edge is just an SMTP engine and like you've said, the tin is
> overkill as physical so if you do need the Edge (in terms of what you
> have and what you want in your security infrastructure) then it makes
> sense to be virtualsed.
>
>
>
> >I appreciate your overview. =A0Anything that gets my mind going is a
> >good thing.
>
> >I have had several Exchange engineer's overview the plan so far, and
> >there haven't been too many don'ts. =A0They did mention a VLAN to
> >seperate the heartbeat. =A0I will have my CCIE do this.
>
> You have a single CCR pair? You hardly need a CCIE to get a crossover
> cat5 cable and stick them into the network cards. Really, it's as
> simple as that, you don't need a CCIE to help you with that.
>
> You need to sit down with these engineers and get them to explain
> traffic flow to you as the whole thing about the OWA and Edge (above)
> proves you need a little assistance, as does the fact that nobody's
> told you about the heartbeat cable. no VLAN, no CCIE required. It
> might be different if you were having an eight node SCC cluster but
> not with the A/P CCR setup.- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -
You're mis-understood many of the things I have typed.. lol
I am not using software RAID. You also took me too seriously when I
said your not suppose to use the passive node like it's the primary
system. You are a bad administrator if you let the passive node
continue to service your clients and let the active node stay down.
You're suppose to fix the issue with the active node, and flip the
role of active back to the primary system.
You can run command line commands to switch which node is active, or
passive for that matter. It's the admin's job to keep an eye on his
systems.
Every system is overkill - we have *150* users at most. They don't
send attachments. This system is in response to executive orders. We
had a serious exchange failure that took email offline for 5 days.
They had email flow, but old email was gone until the database could
be repaired.
Will all due respect, I asked for opinions on setup, not what you all
think is best for a fortune 500 company. So far, the only good
comment I have is to put the Edge on VMWare.
Each system has dual quad core processors, 15k rpm drives for the OS,
and 16GB RAM. For 150 users people...