Re: Exchange 2007 - storage requirements and clustering

On Thu, 26 Jun 2008 14:35:59 -0400, "Mark Arnold [MVP]"
<mark@xxxxxxxx> wrote:

On Thu, 26 Jun 2008 18:41:22 +0100, Andrew Hodgson <me3@xxxxxxxxxxx>
wrote:

Hi,

I am presenting several options to the business as regards a new
Exchange 2007 deployment.

We have 200 users, two datacentres which are not far from each other
connected by fibre (but use different IP address schemes), and a DR
site which is connected by a 10MBPS link.

I have pretty much done the solution using 3 different servers, DAS
storage for each server, and using SCR replication between the two
servers at the data centre, and using tape restore in a DR
environment.

However, I want to present an option which uses shared storage,
partially so we can do faster recovery (using snapshots, and similar
technology), but also so that we can get a storage solution in, and
use it for various applications.

If we used replicated shared storage, and effectively used SCC in
Exchange using Windows Server 2008, I have the following issues:

- Would the mailbox server in building 1 and 2 need to be on the same
IP address scheme?

Replicated shared storage can't be described as SCC. You could use CCR
and run across your two primary sites. You can use standalone servers
and (something like) DoubleTake to replicate from A to B.

I am talking about using SCC and SAN based replication - using for
example replication technology on NetAp or FalconStor. I have also
looked at Double Take, however, was looking at it's use mainly for if
we had to go down the DAS route.

- Could we have a separate server using the client access, hub
transport and acting as a witness server for the clustered mailbox
server?

If you are intending use SCC or CCR then you have to use separate CAS
and HT servers. That's a design fundamental.

Thought so.

- Could we use SCR for the DR site, or if we used SAN based
replication to the DR site, could we do anything with this?

You can put SCR anywhere you want. You can use SAN based replication
of the storage LUNs from any server and use the Database Portabilty
feature to activate the storage on a Standalone server. It's kinda
what SCR is but better.

Worth knowing, however, there may not be a SAN in the DR environment
(!), so SCR may be our only option.

- If we did go down the SAN route, would iSCSI be sufficient for 200
users?

If all you've got is 200 users then an iSCSI SAN that wasn't used for
anything else would be a waste. iSCSI SANs can host tens of thousands
of users. I think you've probably been reading FUD from the fibre
channel people.

Actually I have been used to fibre SANs in the past. If we went
iSCSI, do you normally use a dedicated HBA on the server, and do you
use separate switches for the iSCSI implementation, or just have the
system running in a separate VLAN? We have had several designs put to
us, and each one uses a different technique.

Regarding your comment about missing tonnes, I am hoping to get a
consultant in - previously I have been speaking to companies doing
Exchange 2007 deployment, but most of them have specific venders they
are going to for the relevant storage hardware. I have to get quotes
from several people, and need to be able to understand all the
different solutions, so that I can create a business case, and find
the best solution for the company. As a matter of interest, what are
some of the other bits you think I have missed out?

Thanks.
Andrew.
.

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