Step by Step creating DAG, Exchange 2010 PART#1

One of the most exciting future in Exchange 2010 no questions is the DAG (Database Availability Group).

Although the arguments of using JBOD and whatever RAID level is good for you, possible in Exchange 2010, I recommend consulting your vendor and see what will be their recommendations for implementing DAG for Enterprise network scenario, The Storage area vendors most likely will give you certain IOPS numbers with DAS or any similar storage device selection. I personally worked many times with NetAPP and I do know from experience they are ROCK solid appliances and if I would be implementing Exchange 2010 with DAG scenario I would  get their opinion by given numbers of users and usage of the mail servers to get their recommendation for the choice of DAS, SAN end RAID level needs to be used etc.

This example I am going to set  DAG for small company who has 200 users. Choosing RAID level also on the single server is totally up to you. In nutshell make sure you are redundant and you have configured the “Fastest” write and read RAID level as general rule. Server specs hasto be fallowed MS best practices guidelines.

Check List

• Fallow MS best practices all the times
• Exchange 2010 System Requirements

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa996719.aspx

Installing Exchange 2010 on Windows R2

This section is taken from Henrik Walter Blog, he has excellent article series also showing DAG in much Details, links to his blog is fallows, Henrik has been good mentor to many of us, not only with technical aspect but also his professionalism in my opinion is top quality.

http://www.msexchange.org/articles_tutorials/exchange-server-2010/high-availability-recovery/uncovering-exchange-2010-database-availability-groups-dags-part2.html

After Installing Windows 2008 R2

Import-Module ServerManager

Read more

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd378896(WS.10).aspx

Before we can install the Exchange 2010 Server roles on the two Windows 2008 R2 servers, we must first make sure the required features and components have been installed. The following components should be installed on all Exchange 2010 server roles:

• NET-Framework
• RSAT-ADDS
• Web-Server
  
• Web-Basic-Auth
  
• Web-Windows-Auth
  
• Web-Metabase
  
• Web-Net-Ext
  
• Web-Lgcy-Mgmt-Console
  
• WAS-Process-Model
  
• RSAT-Web-Server
  
• Web-ISAPI-Ext
  
• Web-Digest-Auth
  
• Web-Dyn-Compression
  
• NET-HTTP-Activation
  
• RPC-Over-HTTP-Proxy

Copy and paste fallowing into PS

Add-WindowsFeature NET-Framework,RSAT-ADDS,Web-Server,Web-Basic-Auth,Web-Windows-Auth,Web-Metabase,Web-Net-Ext,Web-Lgcy-Mgmt-Console,WAS-Process-Model,RSAT-Web-Server,Web-ISAPI-Ext,Web-Digest-Auth,Web-Dyn-Compression,NET-HTTP-Activation,RPC-Over-HTTP-Proxy –Restart

Copy and paste fallowing into PS

Set-Service NetTcpPortSharing –StartupType Automatic

NET BINDINGS

Replication NIC Card (Private network)

• NIC BINDINGS
• Go to Network Connections
• Advance
• Advance Settings
• Make sure the replication NIC is listed on TOP

***Press ALT key to see the advance settings***

Best regards,

Oz Casey , Dedeal

MCITP (EMA), MCITP (SA)
MCSE 2003, M+, S+, MCDST
Security+, Project +, Server +

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