Cluster Server 7.4.1 Implementation Guide for Microsoft Exchange 2010 - Windows

Last Published:
Product(s): InfoScale & Storage Foundation (7.4.1)
Platform: Windows
  1. Introducing the VCS agents for Exchange and NetApp
    1.  
      About VCS support for Exchange 2010 and NetApp
    2. About the VCS database agent for Exchange 2010
      1.  
        Agent functions
      2.  
        Agent state definitions
    3. About the VCS hardware replication agent for NetApp
      1.  
        About the NetApp Filer agent
      2.  
        About the NetApp SnapDrive agent
      3.  
        About the NetApp SnapMirror agent
    4. How the VCS agents make Exchange highly available
      1.  
        Local cluster configuration
      2.  
        Disaster recovery configuration
    5. Typical Exchange configurations in a VCS cluster
      1.  
        Active-Active failover configuration
      2.  
        Disaster recovery configuration for Exchange
  2. Installing the product and configuring a VCS cluster
    1.  
      About installing the VCS agents
    2. Configuring the cluster using the Cluster Configuration Wizard
      1.  
        Configuring notification
      2.  
        Configuring Wide-Area Connector process for global clusters
  3. Installing Microsoft Exchange Server 2010
    1.  
      About installing Exchange 2010 in a VCS environment
    2. Before you install Exchange 2010
      1.  
        Configuring Microsoft iSCSI initiator
    3. Managing storage using NetApp filer
      1.  
        Connecting virtual disks to the cluster node
      2.  
        Disconnecting virtual disks from the cluster nodes
    4. Managing storage using Windows Logical Disk Manager
      1.  
        Reserving disks (if you use Windows LDM)
      2.  
        Creating volumes (if you use Windows LDM)
      3.  
        Mounting volumes (if you use Windows LDM)
      4.  
        Unassigning a drive letter
      5.  
        Releasing disks (if you use Windows LDM)
    5. Installing Exchange Server 2010
      1.  
        Creating mailbox databases on shared storage
  4. Configuring the Exchange database service group
    1.  
      About configuring the Exchange service group
    2.  
      Prerequisites for configuring the Exchange database service group
    3. Creating the Exchange database service group
      1.  
        Running SnapManager for Exchange
      2.  
        About the modifications required for tagged VLAN or teamed network
    4. About verifying the service group configuration
      1.  
        Bringing the service group online
      2.  
        Taking the service group offline
      3.  
        Switching the service group
    5. About modifying the Exchange database service group configuration
      1.  
        Prerequisites for modifying an Exchange database service group
      2.  
        Modifying the Exchange database service group
    6.  
      Deleting the Exchange service group
  5. Making a standalone Exchange server highly available
    1.  
      High availability configuration for a standalone server
    2.  
      Moving mailbox databases to shared storage
  6. Deploying Disaster Recovery for Exchange Server
    1.  
      About disaster recovery configuration
    2.  
      Setting up disaster recovery configuration
    3.  
      Configure replication using NetApp SnapMirror
    4.  
      Configure NetAppSnapMirror resources at the primary site
    5.  
      Configure NetAppSnapMirror resources at the secondary site
  7. Removing the software components
    1.  
      About removing the software components
    2. Remove Microsoft Exchange
      1.  
        Removing a node without removing Microsoft Exchange
      2.  
        Removing a node and removing Microsoft Exchange
  8. Troubleshooting
    1.  
      About troubleshooting VCS agents for Exchange
    2.  
      VCS logging
    3.  
      VCS Cluster Configuration Wizard (VCW) logs
    4.  
      VCWsilent logs
    5.  
      NetApp agents error messages
  9. Appendix A. Resource type definitions
    1.  
      About resource type definitions
    2. Exchange database agent
      1.  
        Exchange 2010 database agent resource type definition
      2.  
        Exchange 2010 database agent attribute definitions
      3.  
        Dependency graph for an Exchange cluster
  10. Appendix B. Sample Configurations
    1.  
      About the sample configurations
    2.  
      Sample service group configuration

Setting up disaster recovery configuration

The following table lists the tasks for disaster recovery configuration for Exchange Server.

Table: Tasks for configuring a disaster recovery setup

Tasks

Description

Set up the primary site

Make sure you have completed the following tasks at the primary site:

  • Install InfoScale Availability with the GCO option and then configure the cluster.

    While configuring the cluster, ensure that you select the GCO option to configure the wide area connector (WAC) resource in the cluster.

    For details refer to Veritas InfoScale Installation and Upgrade Guide.

    For details on configuring a cluster refer to Cluster Server Administrator's Guide.

  • Install Microsoft Exchange Server on the primary sites cluster nodes.

    See About installing Exchange 2010 in a VCS environment .

  • Configure the Exchange service group

    See About configuring the Exchange service group.

Set up the secondary site

Perform the following tasks to set up the cluster on the secondary site:

  • Install InfoScale Availability and configure the cluster.

  • Offline the service group in the primary site cluster.

  • Connect to the LUNs created to store the registry replication information using the same drive letters and LUN names used at the primary site.

  • Install Microsoft Exchange Server on the cluster nodes.

    See About installing Exchange 2010 in a VCS environment .

Back up and restore the Exchange data files

A DR installation of Microsoft Exchange does not create Exchange data files. Therefore, after installing Exchange on the secondary site, you must back up the Exchange volumes or LUNs on the primary site and then restore it on the secondary site. Make sure you restore the data at the same path at the secondary site as on the primary site.

Note:

Perform this step only once at the secondary site.

Complete the following tasks:

  • On the primary site, back up all volumes or LUNs specified for Exchange data files.

  • Restore the group in the corresponding location on the secondary site. See the NetApp documentation for instructions on restoring data.

Configure the Exchange service group at the secondary site

Configuring the Exchange service group involves creating an Exchange service group and defining the attribute values for its resources.

See About configuring the Exchange service group.

Note the following before configuring the Exchange service group:

  • Make sure the service group has the same name as in the primary site cluster.

  • In case of a NetApp storage environment, make sure you configure NetApp SnapMirror resources in the service group.

  • Do not bring the service group online.

    Note that the service group may be partially online because the LUNs are connected to the node.

Configure replication using NetApp SnapMirror

You can replicate Exchange data by establishing a SnapMirror relationship between the filers at the primary and secondary sites.

Before configuring replication, make sure the service group is offline at the secondary site.

SnapMirror replicates snapshots taken on a filer and applies them to a remote filer over a wide area network; these snapshots can be used by the target host to provide rapid failover in case of a disaster.

You can transfer the initial base snapshot image from the primary to secondary via tape, and then set up incremental SnapMirror updates to the destination filer.

Refer to NetApp documentation for more information.

Configure NetApp SnapMirror resources at the primary site

Configure NetAppSnapMirror resources at the primary site to monitor data replication from the primary site to the secondary site.

See Configure NetAppSnapMirror resources at the primary site.

Link clusters at primary and secondary sites

Once all the setup tasks are completed at the primary and secondary sites, you must link the clusters at both the sites. The VCS Java Console provides a wizard to create global cluster by linking standalone clusters. For instructions, review the chapter on Administering Global Clusters from Cluster Manager (Java Console).

See the Cluster Server Administrator's Guide.

Make the Exchange service group global

After linking the clusters at the primary and secondary sites, use the Global Group Configuration Wizard from the Java Console to convert the Exchange service group from a local service group to a global service group. This will enable the Exchange service group to fail over across clusters. For instructions, review the chapter on Administering Global Clusters from Cluster Manager (Java Console).

See the Cluster Server Administrator's Guide.