Managing MS Exhange in a Clustered Environment

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Managing Microsoft Exchange In A Clustered
Environment Tony RedmondTechnical
DirectorCompaq Services
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(No Transcript)
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Objectives

• Best practices for implementing and managing
  Microsoft Exchange in a cluster environment
• Discuss a large-scale deployment of clustered
  Exchange servers

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What Is A Cluster?

• Introduced by Digital in the 80s
• Initially for VAX/VMS
• Now available on lots of platforms
• Term is often abused
• Logical group of systems
• Managed and used like a single system,
• Providing combined power and high availability
• Ability to extend resources online

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Defining A Cluster

• Clustering models
• Shared nothing
• Shared everything (memory, disk)
• MSCS is a shared nothing clustering solution
• High Availability versus Fault Tolerance
• HA - minimize downtime
• FT - eliminate downtime
• MSCS is a HA clustering solution

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Microsoft Clustering
Node A
Cluster
Shared SCSI HD
Node B
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Microsoft Cluster Services

• Shipped in September 1997
• Part of Windows NT Server 4.0 Enterprise Edition
• Published API and SDK
• Large OEM support
• Application support
• Network Shares, IIS, SQL Server 6.5/EE and
  Exchange Server 5.5/EE, Print Services

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Terminology

• Shared-nothing - architecture
• Resource - an entity providing a service
• Group - a collection of resources
• Dependency - a reliance between two resources
• Failover/Failback - process of moving a resource
  from one node to the other
• Quorum Resource - stores cluster management data
• Recovery log for changes made to cluster

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Terminology

• Resource - an entity providing a service
• Group - a collection of resources

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Hardware Guidelines

• Cluster consists of two servers
• Network adapters (2 per node minimum)
• Public (Client Access)
• Private (Cluster heartbeats)
• SCSI adapter
• Shared SCSI disk(s) or Fiber Channel
• Microsoft only supports hardware that has been
  rigorously tested with MSCS
• List of certified systems
• http//www.microsoft.com/hwtest/hcl

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Installing Microsoft Clustering

• Use the Windows NT 4.0 Enterprise Edition
  Installer (nhloader.exe) - invokes clusetup.exe
  from Disk 2 of NT 4.0e
• Install MSCS on Node A
• Install MSCS on Node B, receives configuration
  from Node A
• Requirements
• Cluster service account and password
• Quorum drive specification
• Cluster name
• Cluster IP address

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Installing Microsoft Clustering

• Cluster can be installed in unattended mode using
  clusetup.exe
• Any action using the Cluster Administrator GUI
  (cluadmin.exe) can be performed from the command
  line using (cluster.exe)
• Cluster group Exchange Group /create
• Cluster resource Disk G /move Exchange
  Group
• Cluster resource Exchange IP Address /create
  /group Exchange Group /Type IP address

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Administering Microsoft Clustering

• When you start Cluster Administrator it by
  default connects to last cluster to which it was
  attached
• Run CLUADMIN specifying the computer name
• CLUADMIN MyClusterNodeA
• CLUADMIN /noreconnect

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Cluster Futures

• Active/Active model support
• Depends on application
• Additional node support
• Distributed Lock Management
• Support for DFS, DHCP, and WINS
• Plug and play cluster components
• Cluster administrator components streamlined
• Administration wizards

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Application Support For Clusters

• Level 0 No cluster support
• Level 1 Works in a clustered environment, but
  doesnt take advantage of cluster facilities
• Level 2 Cluster aware
• Setup
• Resource DLL
• Microsoft Exchange Server 5.5 is a Level 2
  application

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Installing ExchangeGetting ready

• Install Microsoft Cluster Server
• Test the cluster
• Create and name a cluster resource group for
  Exchange
• Create a new IP address resource
• Create a new network name resource
• Move the disk(s), IP address, and network name
  resource to the Exchange cluster resource group

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Installing ExchangePrimary node

• On the active node, run Microsoft Exchange
  Server Setup
• Select the Exchange cluster resource group
• Install Exchange Server on clustered drives
• After Setup is complete, run Performance
  Optimiser

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Installing ExchangeSecondary node

• Run Microsoft Exchange Server Setup on the
  secondary node
• Select Update Node
• Setup copies files to the secondary nodes
  Windows NT System32 directory, and creates and
  registers services

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Unsupported Components

• Not supported in clusters
• Dial-up connection services including
• Dial-up Internet Mail Service
• Dial-up Internet News Service
• Dynamic RAS Connector
• Microsoft Mail for AppleTalk Networks
• Microsoft Exchange Connector for Lotus Notes,
  SNADS, OV/VM (PROFS)
• X.400 connector over X.25

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Need Reconfiguration After Transition

• Microsoft Mail connector
• Lotus ccMail connector
• Outlook Web Access

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X.400 Connectors

• Are supported but
• You need to use the FQDN of the virtual server

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Administration

• Use Cluster Administrator to manage services
• Do not use Net Stop or CPL\Services
• Run Setup on both nodes when adding a new
  component
• Exchange administration program can be run on
  either cluster server, but be aware that
  transitions can cause instability
• Use cluster-aware backup software

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Administering Exchange

• A cluster looks exactly like a standard server

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Cluster Issues

• Clusters do nothing to protect against disk
  failures
• Extended cluster state transitions
• Use Microsoft Exchange Server 5.5 SP2 or SP3 and
  Windows NT 4.0 SP4
• Third party product support
• Move Server Wizard support
• Upgrading a standalone server
• Demoting a cluster

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Cluster Alternatives

• Plenty of HA technology available
• NCR LifeKeeper
• Marathon Technologies
• Issues
• BackOffice qualification
• Backup support
• Third party product support

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Best PracticesMicrosoft Clustering

• Enable cluster logging
• Enables detailed reporting of cluster service
  activity System environment variable
• ClusterLogC\cluster.log, ClusterLogLevel0-3
• Never shutdown clustered services without cluster
  administrator
• Ensure cluster node NICs point to the same WINS
  server
• Node that owns group that contains IP and network
  name registers with WINS

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Best PracticesMicrosoft Exchange Server

• Allocate the time required to integrate
  everything - it will take longer than you think!
• Understand how Exchange operates on the virtual
  server
• Plan, test, then pilot clusters before
  wide-scale deployment
• Never shutdown clustered services outside of
  cluster administrator
• Implement a configuration management plan to keep
  track of service pack and hot-fix revisions

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Best PracticesMicrosoft Exchange Server

• Keep the cluster simple - dont overload with
  applications
• Service pack installation
• Test then pilot in production
• Understand Windows NT and Exchange service pack
  installation
• Backup and restoration strategy
• Backup from machine outside the cluster
• Configure cluster services first
• Test, test, and test restores again

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Best PracticesMicrosoft Exchange Server

• Troubleshooting methodology
• Detecting problems
• Monitoring systems
• Training staff
• Procedures for escalating to vendor support
• Increase the quorum log from 64kb (default) to
  2Mb - 4Mb

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Best PracticeHardware

• Use symmetric hardware
• Buy new hardware
• Dont attempt to assemble your cluster from
  components hanging around the office
• Buy the best possible disk controller
• Keep firmware up to date
• Invest in time to understand the hardware

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The Big Question

• Do you deploy a cluster or build two
  well-configured servers?
• Do you like having all your eggs in one basket?
• Have you the knowledge to build, manage, and
  support a clustered Exchange server?
• How important is High Availability to you?

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Information And Resources

• For more information on Microsofts Clustering
  Services visit the Web site at
• http//www.microsoft.com/NTServerEnterprise
• Exchange information
• http//www.microsoft.com/exchange
• Windows NT Magazine articles at
• http//www.winntmag.com

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Questions And Answers
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