MSG342

Site and Server Consolidation with Exchange 2003

Kieran McCorry

Principal Consultant

Technology Leadership Group

Hewlett-Packard Company

Why Consolidate?

Reduce complexity

Lower administration costs

Reduce the amount of hardware

Consolidation

Two main approachesMoving servers into single, or fewer, location(s) = site consolidation

Building bigger servers = server consolidation

Real world is a little of both

Risk! more eggs in fewer baskets

Risk Mitigation

Protecting the “more eggs in fewer baskets” The Essentials

Application architectureWhat does Exchange 2003 bring to the partyMaking the party rock with Outlook 2003

Hardware resilienceStorage expandabilityPerformanceDisaster RecoveryRemote Management

Application Architecture

Exchange 2000 enables consolidation

Exchange Server 2003 builds on thatEspecially when combined with Outlook 2003

Exchange Server 2000

Exchange Server 2000Multiple Storage Groups (SGs)

Segmentation of database services

Up-to four SGs per server

Up-to five databases per SG

Multiple databasesSmaller databases = quicker recovery

databases per server

Front-end/Back-end serversConfigure servers based on role

Bigger servers = huge consolidation over Exchange 5.5

Exchange Server 2003

Exchange Server 2003Storage: Same as Exchange Server 2000

Recovery Storage GroupGet ‘dial-tone’ quickly

8-node clustering in Windows Server 2003 Enterprise edition

Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS)Fast snapshot/fast-recovery

Does not completely replace good backups!

Even bigger servers with fast recovery!

Outlook Today…What problems need addressing?

Outlook does not meet the needs of today’s mobile information workers

Why do problems occur?Current model assumes perfect networksInformation workers are on unpredictable networksSlow or high latency links RPC interchange fragile, susceptible to timeouts

How to address the problem?Build a smarter network clientInsulate client from network in a seamless way

Requires servers deployed near the client

Making it Outlook smarter

Exploit offline capabilityDefault today is online, which is chatty and fragileOffline is inherently more tolerant and fasterInsulates client from network issues

Ease of useUser should not have to worry about network conditionsIt should be seamless

Get better at synchronizationNo unnecessary dataBetter fault toleranceIntelligent replication behavior

Cached mode

Shield user from network conditionsOutlook runs against an OST for folders in your mailbox and optionally public folder favorites

All of your data is replicated down to the local OST

Classic “Online” features are available (Calendaring, Public Folders, Delegate Access)

Use the Offline Address Book (OAB) for basic addressing functions when appropriate

Server demand shifts to replicationOnce data is in cache, all access is localLots of server side work done to improve replication in order that users never need go online

Cached mode featuresNew options for data replication

Full itemHeader Only (plus first 255 bytes of message)“Drizzle” (header followed by full item)

Dynamic State managementNetwork state determines replication behaviorWindows Network connection manager reports state

LAN/NonLANUser-controllable

Bandwidth ProfilesSlow (non-LAN), headers only (except PIMs)Fast (LAN), full item or drizzle

Status indicates current mode

Connection possibilities

Online direct connectionAs today, temporary network loss tolerable

Online cached connection via OSTCache acts as buffer between client and network

Network loss not an issue

OfflineAs today, Send/Receive Groups, network loss not an issue

Hybrid Cached and Send/Receive GroupsFilter content and folder replication characteristics

Offline Address Book Used if previously downloaded; otherwise reverts to “normal” mechanism

Global Address List PropertiesDisconnected and no OAB = work offline

Subset of properties availableServer contacted as required

Cached mode only!Example: Address Lists, custom attributes

Cached mode will ask for updates every 24 hoursNo updates for Slow bandwidth profileAddress picker window new!

Cached mode — setup

Policy settings control behaviorCheck box and UI

Synchronization frequency thresholds

Is cached mode for you?Situations where cached mode may not be suitable

Is your desktop operating system up-to-date?Windows 2000 SP3 or XP

Do you roam?Your OST may not always be there!

Do you horde information?Large OSTs take time to rebuild and eventually become cumbersome

Do you seldom read your mail?Large synchronizations will occur

Are desktops locked down?Maybe you can’t create an OST?

You are dealing with a replica?Is this ok with you? You may WANT to know about network problems!Delegates always access the server mailbox…

Replication improvementsMaking cached mode feasible

Reduce server round trips, fewer bytes on wire

Header-only replication

MAPI Compression and Buffer PackingExchange 2003 only

Registry key to set threshold and disable

Tests showed 70% reduction in bytes on wire for common synchronization functions (Exchange Server 2003 required)

Best Body Support

ICS Checkpointing

Smart Change Synchronization

Skip Bad Items

Pre-Synchronization Reporting

Compression, buffer packing

Other neat stuffSearch folders

Virtual views of entire mailboxClient and server side search folders

Conflict resolution engineFewer “crossed swords”Separate “conflicts” folder

Client side junk mail processingCan set trusted senders and recipients

RPC over HTTPSupplied by the operating systemAll components must support it!

Outlook 2003 and ExchangeOutlook feature Exchange 5.5 Exchange 2000 Exchange

2003

Search folders X X X

Cached mode X X X

MAPI compression X

Buffer packing X

Kerberos authentication

X

Best body support X

Performance tracking X

ICS check pointing TBD TBD X

Smart change synchronization

X X X

Skip bad items TBD X

Pre-synchronization reporting

X

Integration with virus checking API

X

RPC over HTTP X

OWA – design goalsPerformance

Fewer bytes over wire, better user experience

Compatibility with Outlook 2003Easier to move between two clients

Similar features

SecurityMake it viable from the Internet

Encryption and digital signing

Web Beacons, Attachment handling

Kerberos and Smart Card Single Sign On

Feature requestsTasks, Rules, Spell Check, etc.

OWA 2003 user interface

And with a little bit of magic…

Other cool stuff

Server side spell checkingRich client only (6 languages…)

Web beacon blocking

Secured Attachment handling (like Outlook)

S/MIME support

Forms or “cookie” authenticationCan set timeouts for Kiosk type use

GZIP compression

ThemesAllow private branding of OWA

GZip compression in action

hp-branded OWA

Outlook 2003

Co-engineered with Exchange 2003Data-compression when used with Exchange 2003

Replication improvementsItem level checkpointing & smart-change synch

Better, lighter, network usage

Enables users to distance themselves from the server

Equates to elimination/consolidation of sites

Application Architecture

Bottom Line…

Ability to reduce the number of sites

Could lead to reduction in servers

For pre-Exchange 2000 environment, definite reduction in number of servers

Exchange 2003 and Outlook 2003 bring even more consolidation possibilities

Hardware Resilience

Look to Industrial Strength servers

Designed to be rack mounted not ambidextrous not oversized pedestal

Hot-swappable everything (ALL fans, ALL power, ALL disks, etc.)

Easy access (front and back)

Sensible layout

Storage Expandability

Plan for growth

Plan for disasters

Treat Storage as a serviceSpecial Room

Special Network

Special Personnel

Performance

Some stuff is common senseHigh speed servers

SAN-based storage

LAN-free backups (recovery)

Functional Segmentation

Sizing from deployment experience and local knowledge

don’t believe everything you read

Disaster Recovery

Again, solid hardware

Data recoveryDisk based

Tape based

SAN-based “snapshots”Make use of VSS with Exchange 2003

pmCompaq Exchange implementationHardware combined with Exchange Server 2000 features have eliminated 90% of the down time

Remote Management

Secure/Standard remote access via SSL/PKI

Remote Power Up/Off

Remote “console”

Remote installation using remote mediaVirtual Floppy

Virtual CD media

Remote installation of OS, apps

Ship hard steel, build remotely

“Close the door and weld it shut”

Set your expectations

Overall “Users per server” may not be as low as you think

Remote locations may require local serverPolitics, necessity, bandwidth

Exchange 2003/Outlook 2003 may help!

Large sites benefit the mostpmCompaq 6:1 reduction in Exchange servers

Reduction in server administration

HP world-wide support staff

>200,000 environment

Active Directory/Infrastructure: ~20 peopleAD, DHCP, WINS, DNS

Exchange/Messaging: ~35 peopleIncludes remote locations with low bandwidth

Includes countries with no-remote policies

How we do it

Standard hardware models

Ship bare ironRILOE (“RIBs”)

Smart Scripting for unattended installs

Remote installations via RILOE and virtual media

Use Terminal Services or PC-Duo

Exchange Servers

Most important thing is recovery from disaster (99999 availability)

3,000 – 4,000 users per server is “sweet spot”

No single database over 20GB

<1 hour recovery

What about Clustering?

For some applications it’s greatSQL Server

DHCP servers

Etc.

For Exchange? Maybe, maybe not…Increase cost & complexity for small gain

Mitigates hardware failureSee earlier comments on world-class hardware

Doesn’t help if database fails

However, VSS and 8-way in Windows Server 2003 Enterprise…may need to reconsider clustering.

Microsoft 7-way clusters: 16,000 users

Belligerent Management

Test your backups

Test your local Disaster Recovery (DR) plan

Test off-site DR recovery

Monitor the systems

Know your performance

Lab everything before deploying

Belligerent Control

Operating System versions Typical for most shops

Applications versionsAgain, typical

Bios VersionsAlso typical

Hardware Typically neglected

hardware versions?

adapter versions?

storage systems?

Control leads to reliability

How you succeed

World-Class solutionsTake advantage of application improvements

Industrial strength hardware

High-speed, world-class, (and affordable) SANs

Industry leading, experienced services

Final Note

Mileage may vary!Test it

Stress it

Scale it

Never consider it “done” until you’ve seen it in production!

Thank You!

Community Resources

Community Resourceshttp://www.microsoft.com/communities/default.mspx

Most Valuable Professional (MVP)http://www.mvp.support.microsoft.com/

NewsgroupsConverse online with Microsoft Newsgroups, including Worldwidehttp://www.microsoft.com/communities/newsgroups/default.mspx

User GroupsMeet and learn with your peershttp://www.microsoft.com/communities/usergroups/default.mspx

evaluationsevaluations

© 2003 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.© 2003 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.This presentation is for informational purposes only. MICROSOFT MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, IN THIS SUMMARY.This presentation is for informational purposes only. MICROSOFT MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, IN THIS SUMMARY.