Storage Foundation and High Availability Solutions 7.4 HA and DR Solutions Guide for Microsoft Exchange 2010 - Windows

Last Published:
Product(s): InfoScale & Storage Foundation (7.4)
Platform: Windows
  1. Section I. Introduction and Concepts
    1. Introducing Storage Foundation and High Availability Solutions for Microsoft Exchange Server
      1.  
        About clustering solutions with InfoScale products
      2.  
        About high availability
      3.  
        How a high availability solution works
      4. How VCS monitors storage components
        1.  
          Shared storage - if you use NetApp filers
        2.  
          Shared storage - if you use SFW to manage cluster dynamic disk groups
        3.  
          Shared storage - if you use Windows LDM to manage shared disks
        4.  
          Non-shared storage - if you use SFW to manage dynamic disk groups
        5.  
          Non-shared storage - if you use Windows LDM to manage local disks
        6.  
          Non-shared storage - if you use VMware storage
      5.  
        About SFW HA support for Exchange Server 2010
      6.  
        About campus clusters
      7.  
        Differences between campus clusters and local clusters
      8.  
        Sample campus cluster configuration
      9.  
        What you can do with a campus cluster
      10.  
        About replication
      11.  
        About a replicated data cluster
      12.  
        How VCS replicated data clusters work
      13.  
        About disaster recovery
      14.  
        What you can do with a disaster recovery solution
      15.  
        Typical disaster recovery configuration
    2. Introducing the VCS agent for Exchange 2010
      1.  
        About the VCS database agent for Microsoft Exchange 2010
      2.  
        Exchange 2010 database agent functions
      3.  
        Exchange 2010 database agent state definitions
      4.  
        Exchange 2010 database agent resource type definition
      5.  
        Exchange 2010 database agent attribute definitions
      6.  
        Exchange 2010 service group resource dependency graph
      7.  
        Exchange 2010 service group sample configuration
  2. Section II. Configuration Workflows
    1. Configuring high availability for Exchange Server with InfoScale Enterprise
      1. Reviewing the HA configuration
        1. Sample Exchange server HA configuration
          1.  
            IP addresses required
      2. Reviewing a standalone Exchange Server configuration
        1.  
          Sample standalone Exchange server configuration
      3.  
        Reviewing the campus cluster configuration
      4. Reviewing the Replicated Data Cluster configuration
        1.  
          Sample Exchange Server Replicated Data Cluster configuration
        2. About setting up a Replicated Data Cluster configuration
          1.  
            About setting up replication
          2.  
            About configuring and migrating the service group
      5. Reviewing the disaster recovery configuration
        1.  
          Active-passive DR configuration
      6.  
        Following the HA workflow in the Solutions Configuration Center
      7.  
        VCS campus cluster configuration
      8.  
        VCS Replicated Data Cluster configuration
      9. Disaster recovery configuration
        1.  
          DR configuration tasks: Primary site
        2.  
          DR configuration tasks: Secondary site
      10.  
        About installing the Veritas InfoScale products
      11. Notes and recommendations for cluster and application configuration
        1.  
          IPv6 support
      12.  
        Campus cluster failover using the ForceImport attribute
      13.  
        Configuring the storage hardware and network
      14. Configuring disk groups and volumes for Exchange Server
        1.  
          About cluster disk groups and volumes
        2.  
          Prerequisites for configuring cluster disk groups and volumes
        3.  
          Considerations for a fast failover configuration
        4.  
          Considerations for converting existing shared storage to cluster disk groups and volumes
        5.  
          Considerations when creating disks and volumes for campus clusters
        6.  
          Considerations for volumes for a Volume Replicator configuration
        7.  
          Sample disk group and volume configuration for Exchange 2010
        8.  
          Viewing the available disk storage
        9.  
          Creating a dynamic disk group
        10.  
          Adding disks to campus cluster sites
        11.  
          Creating volumes for high availability clusters
        12.  
          Creating volumes for campus clusters
      15. About managing disk groups and volumes
        1.  
          Importing a disk group and mounting a volume
        2.  
          Unmounting a volume and deporting a disk group
        3.  
          Adding drive letters to mount the volumes
        4.  
          Deporting the cluster disk group
      16. Configuring the cluster using the Cluster Configuration Wizard
        1.  
          Configuring notification
        2.  
          Adding nodes to a cluster
    2. Using the Solutions Configuration Center
      1.  
        About the Solutions Configuration Center
      2.  
        Starting the Solutions Configuration Center
      3.  
        Options in the Solutions Configuration Center
      4.  
        About launching wizards from the Solutions Configuration Center
      5.  
        Remote and local access to Solutions wizards
      6.  
        Solutions wizards and logs
      7.  
        Workflows in the Solutions Configuration Center
  3. Section III. Deployment
    1. Installing Exchange Server 2010
      1. About installing Exchange Server 2010
        1.  
          Before you install Exchange Server 2010
        2.  
          Privileges required for installing Exchange 2010
        3.  
          Installing Exchange Server 2010
      2.  
        Creating mailbox databases on shared storage
      3.  
        Moving mailbox databases to shared storage
      4.  
        Adding new Exchange servers to an existing cluster
    2. Configuring Exchange Server for failover
      1.  
        Tasks for configuring a new server for high availability
      2.  
        Tasks for configuring an existing server for high availability
      3.  
        About configuring the Exchange 2010 service group
      4.  
        Prerequisites for configuring the Exchange Server service group
      5.  
        Creating the Exchange Server 2010 service group
      6. Configuring the service group in a non-shared storage environment
        1.  
          Enabling fast failover for disk groups (optional)
      7.  
        Verifying the Exchange Server cluster configuration
      8.  
        Determining additional steps needed
    3. Configuring campus clusters for Exchange Server
      1.  
        Tasks for configuring campus clusters
      2.  
        Verifying the campus cluster: Switching the service group
      3.  
        Setting the ForceImport attribute to 1 after a site failure
    4. Configuring Replicated Data Clusters for Exchange Server
      1.  
        Tasks for configuring Replicated Data Clusters for Exchange Server
      2.  
        Creating the primary system zone for the application service group
      3.  
        Creating a parallel environment in the secondary zone
      4.  
        Setting up security for Volume Replicator
      5. Setting up the Replicated Data Sets (RDS)
        1.  
          Prerequisites for setting up the RDS for the primary and secondary zones
        2.  
          Creating the Replicated Data Sets with the wizard
      6. Configuring a RVG service group for replication
        1.  
          Creating the RVG service group
        2. Configuring the resources in the RVG service group for RDC replication
          1.  
            Configuring the IP and NIC resources
          2.  
            Configuring the VMDg or VMNSDg resources for the disk groups
          3.  
            Modifying the DGGuid attribute for the new disk group resource in the RVG service group
          4.  
            Adding the Volume Replicator RVG resources for the disk groups
          5.  
            Linking the Volume Replicator RVG resources to establish dependencies
          6.  
            Deleting the VMDg or VMNSDg resource from the Exchange Server service group
        3. Configuring the RVG Primary resources
          1.  
            Creating the RVG Primary resources
          2.  
            Linking the RVG Primary resources to establish dependencies
          3.  
            Bringing the RVG Primary resources online
        4.  
          Configuring the primary system zone for the RVG service group
      7.  
        Setting a dependency between the service groups
      8. Adding the nodes from the secondary zone to the RDC
        1.  
          Adding the nodes from the secondary zone to the RVG service group
        2.  
          Configuring secondary zone nodes in the RVG service group
        3.  
          Configuring the RVG service group NIC resource for fail over (VMNSDg only)
        4.  
          Configuring the RVG service group IP resource for failover
        5.  
          Configuring the RVG service group VMNSDg resources for fail over
        6.  
          Adding the nodes from the secondary zone to the Exchange Server service group
        7.  
          Configuring the zones in the Exchange Server service group
        8.  
          Configuring the application service group IP resource for fail over (VMNSDg only)
        9.  
          Configuring the application service group NIC resource for fail over (VMNSDg only)
      9. Verifying the RDC configuration
        1.  
          Bringing the service group online
        2.  
          Switching online nodes
      10.  
        Additional instructions for GCO disaster recovery
    5. Deploying disaster recovery for Exchange Server
      1.  
        Tasks for deploying a disaster recovery configuration of Microsoft Exchange
      2.  
        Tasks for setting up DR in a non-shared storage environment
      3. Reviewing the disaster recovery configuration
        1.  
          Supported disaster recovery configurations for service group dependencies
      4.  
        Setting up the secondary site: Installing InfoScale Enterprise and configuring a cluster
      5.  
        Verifying your primary site configuration
      6. Setting up your replication environment
        1. Requirements for EMC SRDF array-based hardware replication
          1.  
            Software requirements for configuring EMC SRDF
          2.  
            Replication requirements for EMC SRDF
        2. Requirements for Hitachi TrueCopy array-based hardware replication
          1.  
            Software requirements for Hitachi TrueCopy
          2.  
            Replication requirements for Hitachi TrueCopy
      7.  
        Assigning user privileges (secure clusters only)
      8.  
        About configuring disaster recovery with the DR wizard
      9.  
        Configuring disaster recovery with the DR wizard
      10.  
        Cloning the storage on the secondary site using the DR wizard (Volume Replicator replication option)
      11.  
        Creating temporary storage on the secondary site using the DR wizard (array-based replication)
      12.  
        Installing Exchange 2010
      13.  
        Cloning the service group configuration from the primary site to the secondary site
      14.  
        Configuring the Exchange service group in a non-shared storage environment
      15. Configuring replication and global clustering
        1.  
          Configuring Volume Replicator replication and global clustering
        2. Configuring EMC SRDF replication and global clustering
          1.  
            Optional settings for EMC SRDF
        3. Configuring Hitachi TrueCopy replication and global clustering
          1.  
            Optional settings for HTC
        4.  
          Configuring global clustering only
      16.  
        Creating the replicated data sets (RDS) for Volume Replicator replication
      17.  
        Creating the Volume Replicator RVG service group for replication
      18. Configuring the global cluster option for wide-area failover
        1.  
          Linking clusters: Adding a remote cluster to a local cluster
        2.  
          Converting a local service group to a global service group
        3.  
          Bringing a global service group online
      19.  
        Verifying the disaster recovery configuration
      20.  
        Establishing secure communication within the global cluster (optional)
      21.  
        Adding multiple DR sites (optional)
      22.  
        Recovery procedures for service group dependencies
      23. Possible task after creating the DR environment: Adding a new failover node to a Volume Replicator environment
        1.  
          Preparing the new node
        2.  
          Preparing the existing DR environment
        3.  
          Installing Exchange on the new node
        4.  
          Modifying the replication and Exchange service groups
        5.  
          Reversing replication direction
    6. Testing fault readiness by running a fire drill
      1.  
        About disaster recovery fire drills
      2. About the Fire Drill Wizard
        1.  
          About Fire Drill Wizard general operations
        2. About Fire Drill Wizard operations in a Volume Replicator environment
          1.  
            Preparing the fire drill configuration
          2.  
            About running the fire drill
          3.  
            About restoring the fire drill configuration
          4.  
            About deleting the fire drill configuration
        3.  
          About Fire Drill Wizard operations in a Hitachi TrueCopy or EMC SRDF environment
      3. About post-fire drill scripts
        1.  
          Exchange 2010 scripts or cmdlets
      4.  
        Tasks for configuring and running fire drills
      5. Prerequisites for a fire drill
        1.  
          Prerequisites for a fire drill in a Volume Replicator environment
        2.  
          Prerequisites for a fire drill in a Hitachi TrueCopy environment
        3.  
          Prerequisites for a fire drill in an EMC SRDF environment
      6. Preparing the fire drill configuration
        1.  
          System Selection panel details
        2.  
          Service Group Selection panel details
        3.  
          Secondary System Selection panel details
        4.  
          Disk Selection panel details
        5.  
          Hitachi TrueCopy Path Information panel details
        6.  
          HTCSnap Resource Configuration panel details
        7.  
          SRDFSnap Resource Configuration panel details
        8.  
          Fire Drill Preparation panel details
      7. Running a fire drill
        1.  
          Post fire drill operations panel details
      8.  
        Re-creating a fire drill configuration that has changed
      9.  
        Restoring the fire drill system to a prepared state
      10. Deleting the fire drill configuration
        1.  
          Fire Drill Deletion panel details
      11.  
        Considerations for switching over fire drill service groups
  4. Section IV. Reference
    1. Appendix A. Using Veritas AppProtect for vSphere
      1.  
        About Just In Time Availability
      2.  
        Prerequisites
      3.  
        Setting up a plan
      4.  
        Deleting a plan
      5.  
        Managing a plan
      6.  
        Viewing the history tab
      7.  
        Limitations of Just In Time Availability
      8.  
        Getting started with Just In Time Availability
      9.  
        Supported operating systems and configurations
      10.  
        Viewing the properties
      11.  
        Log files
      12.  
        Plan states
      13.  
        Troubleshooting Just In Time Availability
    2. Appendix B. Troubleshooting
      1.  
        VCS logging
      2.  
        Exchange Service agent error messages
      3.  
        Troubleshooting Microsoft Exchange uninstallation
      4.  
        Troubleshooting Exchange Setup Wizard issues

Campus cluster failover using the ForceImport attribute

Automated recovery is handled differently in a VCS campus cluster than with a VCS local cluster. The outcomes of failure situations depend on the settings for the ForceImport attribute of the VMDg resource. To ensure proper failover in a VCS campus cluster, you must verify the value of the ForceImport attribute.

You can set this attribute as follows:

  • ForceImport set to 1 automatically forces the import of the disk groups to the other node

  • ForceImport set to 0 does not force the import

The advantage of automatic failover in the event of site failure comes at the cost of potential data loss if all storage and network communication paths between the sites are severed. Choose an option that is suitable given your cluster infrastructure, uptime requirements, and administrative capabilities.

You can use the VCS Java Console or command line to modify the ForceImport attribute. For more information on modifying ForceImport:

See Setting the ForceImport attribute to 1 after a site failure.

The following table lists failure situations and the outcomes depending on the settings for the ForceImport attribute of the VMDg resource.

Table: Failure situations in a VCS campus cluster

Failure Situation

ForceImport set to 0 (import not forced)

ForceImport set to 1 (automatic forced import)

1) Application fault

May mean the services stopped for an application, a NIC failed, or a database table went offline.

Application automatically moves to another node.

Service Group failover is automatic on the standby or preferred system or node.Service Group failover is automatic on the standby or preferred system or node.

2) Server failure

May mean a power cord became unplugged or a failure caused the system to stop responding.

Application automatically moves to other node. 100% of the disks are still available.

Service Group failover is automatic on the standby or preferred system or node. 100% of the mirrored disks are still available.

3) Failure of disk array or all disks

Remaining disks in mirror are still accessible from the other site.

No interruption of service. Remaining disks in mirror are still accessible from the other node.

The Service Group does not failover. 50% of the mirrored disk is still available at remaining site.

4) Zone failure

Complete Site failure, all accessibility to the servers and storage is lost.

Manual intervention required to online the Service Group at remaining site. Can not automatically import 50% of mirrored disk.

Automatic failover of Service Group to online site. Force Import must be set to True before site failure to ensure VCS can import 50% of mirrored disk.

5) Split-brain (loss of both heartbeats)

If the public network link serves as a low-priority heartbeat, the assumption is made that the link is also lost.

No interruption of service. Can't import disks because the original node still has the SCSI reservation.

No interruption of service. Failover does not occur due to Service Group resources remaining online on the original nodes. Example: Online node has SCSI reservation to own disk.

6) Storage interconnect lost

Fibre interconnect severed.

No interruption of service. Disks on the same node are functioning. Mirroring is not working.

No interruption of service. Service Group resources remain online, but 50% of the mirror disk becomes detached.

7) Split-brain and storage interconnect lost

If a single pipe is used between buildings for the Ethernet and storage, this situation can occur.

No interruption of service. Cannot import with only 50% of disks available. Disks on the same node are functioning. Mirroring is not working.

Automatically imports 50% of mirrored disk to the alternate node.

Disks online for a short period in both locations but offlined again due to IP and other resources being online on original node. No interruption of service.