In this topic you will deploy a 2-Node Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 Mailbox Server Cluster configured for cluster continuous replication (CCR). This configuration allows for increased availability by using replication in an active/passive cluster.

Tasks

  1. Prepare Each Node of the Cluster
  2. Cluster Network Configuration
  3. Create a New Cluster
  4. Configure the File Share Witness
  5. Ensure that All Cluster Nodes Are Online
  6. Install the Mailbox Server Role on the Active Cluster Node
  7. Validate Clustered Exchange Installation
  8. Configure Storage and Volume Mount Points on the Active Cluster Node
  9. Configure Storage and Volume Mount Points on the Passive Cluster Node
  10. Create New Storage Groups and Databases on the CCR Cluster
  11. Install the Mailbox Server Role on the Passive Cluster Node
  12. Verify the Ability to Move a Clustered Mailbox Server between the Nodes in the Cluster

Prerequisites

You should have two or more unpartitioned disk volumes (or LUNs) attached to each cluster node. These volumes will be used for Storage Groups, Mail Databases, and transaction logs.

Prepare Each Node of the Cluster

Perform the following actions on EXMBX01-NODE1 and EXMBX01-NODE2.

Procedure W08-DWHE.23: To prepare EXMBX01-NODE1 and EXMBX01-NODE2

  1. Install Windows Server 2008 (x64), Enterprise Edition.

  2. Enable Remote Desktop.

  3. Join the Fabrikam domain.

  4. Disable Windows Firewall.

Procedure W08-DWHE.24: To install IIS

  1. On EXMBX01-NODE1, open the Server Manager console.

  2. Add the Web Server (IIS) role. Add the features required for Web Server (Windows Process Activation Service) when prompted.

  3. In addition to the default web server roles, select IIS 6 Management Compatibility management tool.

  4. Confirm your selections and start the installation.

  5. Repeat this procedure on EXMBX01-NODE2.

Procedure W08-DWHE.25: To install Windows PowerShell

  1. On EXMBX01-NODE1, open the Server Manager console.

  2. Add the Windows PowerShell feature. Follow the prompts to complete the installation.

  3. Repeat this procedure on EXMBX01-NODE2.

Cluster Network Configuration

You must have a sufficient number of static IP addresses available when you create clustered mailbox servers in a two-node CCR configuration. IP addresses are required for both the public and private networks, and the private network must be on a different subnet than the public network. Requirements related to private and public addresses are as follows:

  • Private addresses — Each node requires one static IP address for each network adapter that is used for the cluster private network. You must use static IP addresses that are not on the same subnet or network as the public network.
  • Public addresses — Each node requires one static IP address for each network adapter that is used for the cluster public network. Additionally, static IP addresses are required for the failover cluster and for the clustered mailbox server so that they can be accessed by clients and administrators. You must use static IP addresses that are not on the same subnet as the private network.

Enable Public and Private Network Interfaces on cluster nodes

Enable both a private network interface (which will be used for the cluster heartbeat) and a public network interface (which will be used for client communication) on EXMBX01-NODE1 and EXMBX01-NODE2.

Configure Network Connections for CCR Replication

This section explains how to configure the network connections for a Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 clustered mailbox server in a cluster continuous replication (CCR) environment. Proper configuration of the network connections is necessary to ensure that client connections to the cluster server are possible and occur in a timely manner. There are three procedures that must be performed on both cluster nodes prior to forming the clusters:

  • Configure the public network connections.
  • Configure the private network connections.
  • Configure the network connection order.

Procedure W08-DWHE.26: To configure the public network connections for a clustered mailbox server

  1. In the Network Connections console, rename your public network connection (for example, Public).

  2. Select Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) and File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks for the public network connection.

Procedure W08-DWHE.27: To configure the private network connections for a clustered mailbox server

  1. In the Network Connections console, rename your private network connection (for example, Private).

  2. Configure a static IP address and subnet mask for the connection. Ensure settings for Preferred DNS server and Alternate DNS server are left blank.

  3. Configure advanced TCP/IP settings. Verify the following information:

    • On the DNS tab, under DNS server addresses, in order of use, ensure that no addresses are listed.
    • On the DNS tab, ensure that the Register this connection's addresses in DNS check box is cleared.
    • On the WINS tab, ensure that Disable NetBIOS over TCP/IP is selected.

Procedure W08-DWHE.28: To configure the network connection order for a clustered mailbox server

  1. In the Network Connections console, open the Advanced Settings page from the Advanced menu.

  2. On the Adapters and Bindings tab, under Connections, make sure that your connections appear in the following order:

    • Public
    • Private
    • Remote access connections

Create a New Cluster

In this section, you will create a new cluster and perform cluster configurations.

Procedure W08-DWHE.29: To install the Failover Clustering Feature

  1. On EXMBX01-NODE1, open the Server Manager console.

  2. Add the Failover Clustering feature. Follow the prompts to complete the installation.

  3. Repeat this procedure on EXMBX01-NODE2.

Procedure W08-DWHE.30: To use Failover Cluster Management Tool to create a new cluster

  1. Log on to the first cluster node (EXMBX01-NODE1) as Fabrikam\Administrator, and open the Failover Cluster Management tool.

  2. In the right-hand Actions pane, click Create a Cluster to start the wizard.

  3. Add both EXMBX01-NODE1 and EXMBX01-NODE2 to the select servers list.

  4. Perform configuration validation tests before creating the cluster. On the Testing Options page, select Run only tests I select. On the Test Selection page, clear the Inventory and Storage check boxes (including all child nodes).

  5. After the validation completes, review the report, and resolve any errors before proceeding with cluster installation.

  6. On the Access Point for Administering the Cluster page, In the Cluster Name field, type the NetBIOS name for the failover cluster (for example, EXCLUS01). This is the name that you use to connect to and administer the cluster.

  7. In the list of Networks, identify the Public network subnet. In the Address field of that network, type a unique, valid cluster IP address appropriate for the Public network segment. This cluster IP address will be used for administrative purposes only and not for client connections.

  8. Ensure that the check box is selected next to the Public network. Clear the check box next to any remaining networks (such as the Private network).

  9. Follow the wizard to confirm the cluster configuration and complete the cluster creation.

Note:
For more information about creating a new Windows Server 2008 cluster, see Installing Cluster Continuous Replication on Windows Server 2008.

Procedure W08-DWHE.31: To validate the cluster configuration

  1. On EXMBX01-NODE1, open a Command Prompt and run the following command:

      Copy Code 
    cluster group

  2. The Status of the cluster group should be displayed as Online.

  3. The Status of the Available Storage should be displayed as Offline. This is by design, as a CCR cluster does not use shared cluster storage.

Procedure W08-DWHE.32: To configure the cluster networks for the cluster heartbeat

  1. In the Failover Cluster Management tool, expand the cluster node, and then select Networks.

  2. Set properties for Cluster Network 1. Review the value in the Subnets field to verify that this is the Public network. Assuming that this is the case, edit the Name field, and change it to Public. Select Allow the cluster to use this network and Allow clients to connect through this network.

  3. Set properties for Cluster Network 2. Review the value in the Subnets field to verify that this is the Private network. Assuming that this is the case, edit the Name field, and change it to Private. Select Allow the cluster to use this network. However, do not select any remaining check boxes.

Configure the File Share Witness

After the cluster has been formed and configured, the file share witness must be configured. CCR uses the file share witness on a third computer to avoid an occurrence of network partition within the cluster. The file share for the file share witness can be hosted on any server running the Microsoft Windows operating system. However, we recommend that you use a Hub Transport server in the same Active Directory Site as the cluster nodes to host it.

Procedure W08-DWHE.33: To create and secure the file share for the file share witness

  1. Log on to EXHUB01 as a Fabrikam\Administrator

  2. Create a directory that will be used for the share by running the following command at a command prompt:

      Copy Code 
    mkdir C:\FSM_DIR_EXCLUS01
    Note:
    In the following 2 procedures you will assign Share and File permissions to the file share witness directory. Note that in Windows Server 2008, a domain user account is no longer used for the cluster service. Instead, a Virtual Computer Object (VCO) is created in the Computers container in Active Directory, and this object is used for all operations that require security within the cluster. You must grant access permissions the cluster Virtual Computer Object in order to make the file share witness accessible to the cluster.

  3. Create the share by running the following command:

      Copy Code 
    net share FSM_EXCLUS01=C:\FSM_DIR_EXCLUS01 /GRANT:Fabrikam\EXCLUS01$,FULL

  4. Assign permissions to the share by running the following command:

      Copy Code 
    cacls C:\FSM_DIR_EXCLUS01 /G BUILTIN\Administrators:F Fabrikam\EXCLUS01$:F

  5. Verify that the share is viewable from the first cluster node by running the following command from EXMBX01-NODE1:

      Copy Code 
    NET VIEW \\Exhub01

    You should see your share FSM_EXCLUS01 listed.

Procedure W08-DWHE.34: To use the Failover Cluster Management tool to configure a Node and File Share Majority quorum

  1. On EXMBX01-NODE1, open the Failover Cluster Management tool

  2. Right-click the cluster node, select More Actions, and then select Configure Cluster Quorum Settings to start the Configure Cluster Quorum Wizard.

  3. Follow the wizard to configure a Node and File Share Majority quorum. During the process, you need to specify the Universal Naming Convention (UNC) path to the file share that you created (in the reference deployment, \\EXHUB01\FSM_EXCLUS01).

Note:
For detailed instructions, see How to Configure the Node and File Share Majority Quorum.

Ensure That All Cluster Nodes Are Online

To successfully install Exchange 2007 SP1 on a server in a cluster, all cluster nodes must be online.

Procedure W08-DWHE.35: To ensure that all Cluster Nodes are Online

  1. In Failover Cluster Management, expand the cluster name, and then navigate to Nodes.

  2. Under Status, ensure that all cluster nodes are listed as Up.

Install the Mailbox Server Role on the Active Cluster Node

Once you have completed the previous installation and configurations, you can install the Mailbox Server role on the first (active) cluster node.

Procedure W08-DWHE.36: To install the Mailbox server role on the Active cluster node

  1. Log on to EXMBX01-NODE1 as Fabrikam\Administrator

  2. Using the Exchange 2007 SP1 installation media, run Exchange 2007 SP1 setup from the command line specifying the Mailbox server role:

      Copy Code 
    Setup /mode:install /roles:MB

  3. After the setup is complete, open a command prompt and navigate to the Program Files directory, and then navigate to the bin directory under the Exchange program files. By default, the installation file location is <systemdrive>:\Program Files\Microsoft\Exchange Server\bin.

  4. Run the following command to create the clustered virtual Exchange server:

      Copy Code 
    ExSetup /newcms /CMSname:EXMBXCLUS01 /CMSIPAddress:<ClusteredMailboxServerIPAddress>
    Note:
    EXMBXCLUS01 is a virtual server, and the IP address should be a unique IP on the Public subnet.

    Both CMSname and CMSIPaddress are required parameters and should be different from the Cluster Name and IP address:

    • CMSname is the name of the clustered mailbox server.
    • CMSIPAddress is the IP address of the clustered mailbox server, resolvable by DNS.

    For more information, see Exchange Cluster Resources for Clustered Mailbox Servers.

Validate Clustered Exchange Installation

Procedure W08-DWHE.37: To validate clustered Exchange installation

  1. On EXMBX01-NODE1, open the Failover Cluster Management Tool.

  2. Expand the cluster name, then expand Services and Applications

  3. Select the Exchange clustered virtual server name (in the reference deployment, EXMBXCLUS01). In the right-hand pane, verify that the Status of all clustered Exchange server resources is displayed as Online.

Configure Storage and Volume Mount Points on the Active Cluster Node

In Exchange Server 2007 cluster continuous replication (CCR), there is no shared storage between the cluster nodes. Each node has dedicated volumes (also known as LUNs), and log shipping is used to replicate data between the nodes. For CCR clustering, it is a best practice to:

  • Separate the storage into individual LUNs at the hardware level, and do not create multiple logical partitions of a LUN within the operating system.
  • Separate the transaction logs and databases and house them on separate physical disks to increase fault tolerance.
  • Separate the active and passive LUNs on completely different storage arrays so that the storage is not a single point of failure.

With a maximum of 50 Storage Groups, it would be easily possible to run out of available drive letters. You can take advantage of the Volume Mount Points feature of Windows Server in order to surpass the 26-drive-letter limitation. By using volume mount points, you can graft, or mount a target partition into a folder on another physical disk.

Work with your storage vendors to find the storage solution that will meet your requirements for performance, capacity, and scalability. This reference architecture does not contain prescriptive guidance on storage configuration. However, it shows how to use the Volume Mount Points feature to surpass the 26-drive-letter limitation.

In this procedure you will use Disk Manager to mount high-performance disk arrays under Volume Mount Points. This procedure assumes that you have several unpartitioned disk volumes (or LUNs) attached to each cluster node.

Procedure W08-DWHE.38: To create Mount Points for the databases

  1. Log on to EXMBX01-NODE1 as Fabrikam\Administrator. Open Disk Management by running diskmgmt.msc at a command prompt.

  2. On EXMBX01-NODE1, select the high-performance disk volume on which you want to create a mount point for the database.

  3. Create a simple volume, create an NTFS folder for the mount point (for example, C:\MountPoints\EXMBXCLUS01-SG01Data), and then format the partition using the NTFS File System.

  4. Repeat steps 2 - 3 to create a second mount point for a database (for example, EXMBXCLUS01-SG02Data).

Procedure EWDWHE.39: To create Mount Points for the Transaction Logs

  1. Log on to EXMBX01-NODE1 as Fabrikam\Administrator. Open Disk Management by running diskmgmt.msc at a command prompt.

  2. Select the high-performance disk volume on which you want to create a mount point for transaction logs.

  3. Create a simple volume, create an NTFS folder for the mount point (for example, C:\MountPoints\EXMBXCLUS01-SG01Logs), and then format the partition using the NTFS File System.

  4. Repeat steps 2 - 3 to create a second mount point for transaction logs (for example, EXMBXCLUS01-SG02Logs).

Configure Storage and Volume Mount Points on the Passive Cluster Node

Now you will create volume mount points on the second (passive) cluster node that exactly mirror the ones on the first (active) node.

Procedure W08-DWHE.40: To create a mount point for the first databases

  1. Log on to EXMBX01-NODE2 as Fabrikam\Administrator. Open Disk Management by running diskmgmt.msc at a command prompt.

  2. Select the high-performance disk volume on which you want to create a mount point for the database.

  3. Create a primary partition, create an NTFS folder for the mount point, and then format the partition using the NTFS File System.

    Note:
    The directory and name of the new NTFS folder for the mount point must be identical as the database mount point on the active node (for example, C:\MountPoints\EXMBXCLUS01-SG01Data).

  4. Repeat steps 2-3 to create a second mount point for a database (for example, EXMBXCLUS01-SG02Data).

Procedure W08-DWHE.41: To create a mount point for the first Storage Group's Transaction Logs

  1. Log on to EXMBX01-NODE2 as Fabrikam\Administrator. Open Disk Management by running diskmgmt.msc at a command prompt.

  2. Select the high-performance disk volume on which you want to create a mount point for transaction logs.

  3. Create a primary partition, create an NTFS folder for the mount point, and then format the partition using the NTFS File System.

    Note:
    The directory and name of the new NTFS folder for the mount point must be identical as the transaction logs mount point on the active node (for example, C:\MountPoints\EXMBXCLUS01-SG01Logs).

  4. Repeat steps2-3 to create a second mount point for transaction logs (for example, EXMBXCLUS01-SG02Logs).

Create New Storage Groups and Databases on the CCR Cluster

Procedure W08-DWHE.42: To dismount and remove the default Storage Group and Mailbox Database

  1. Open the Exchange Management Console on EXMBX01-NODE1, expand Server Configuration, and then click Mailbox.

  2. In the center pane, click EXMBXCLUS01. Expand First Storage Group in the result pane.

  3. Dismount the mailbox database.

  4. After the database has dismounted successfully, remove the mailbox database.

  5. After the mailbox database has been removed, remove the first storage group.

Note:
Place the Storage Group files and Mailbox Database files in the appropriate Volume Mount Point locations.

Procedure W08-DWHE.43: To create a new Storage Group and Database on the CCR Cluster

  1. Open the Exchange Management Console on EXMBX01-NODE1, expand Server Configuration, and then click Mailbox.

  2. In the center pane, right-click EXMBXCLUS01 and select New Storage Group.

  3. Specify a storage group name, for example EXMBXCLUS01-SG01. Specify the Log Files path and System Files path. Place the log files and system files in the appropriate Volume Mount Point or drive/directory, for example, C:\MountPoints\EXMBXCLUS01-SG01Logs.

  4. Right-click the new storage group (EXMBXCLUS01-SG01) and select New Mailbox Database.

  5. Specify a mailbox database name (for example, EXMBXCLUS01-SG01-HostedMailstore01). Specify the Database file path. Place the database files in the appropriate Volume Mount Point or drive/directory, for example, C:\MountPoints\EXMBXCLUS01-SG01Data. Verify that Mount this database is selected.

Note:
Place the Storage Group files and Mailbox Database files in the appropriate Volume Mount Point locations.

Procedure W08-DWHE.44: To create a second Storage Group and Database on the CCR Cluster

  1. Open the Exchange Management Console on EXMBX01-NODE1, expand Server Configuration, and then click Mailbox.

  2. In the center pane, right-click EXMBXCLUS01 and select New Storage Group.

  3. Specify a storage group name, for example EXMBXCLUS01-SG02. Specify the Log Files path and System Files path. Place the log files and system files in the appropriate Volume Mount Point or drive/directory, for example, C:\MountPoints\ EXMBXCLUS02-SG02Logs.

  4. Right-click the new storage group (for example, EXMBXCLUS01-SG02) and select New Mailbox Database.

  5. Specify a mailbox database name (for example, EXMBXCLUS01-SG02-HostedMailstore02). Specify the Database file path. Place the database files in the appropriate Volume Mount Point or drive/directory, for example, C:\MountPoints\ EXMBXCLUS02-SG02Data. Verify that Mount this database is selected.

    Note:
    Place the database in a different directory and/or Volume Mount Point than the one used for the first storage group.
Note:
Although this Deployment Walkthrough has steps to create only two storage groups and databases, you can repeat the steps to create as many Storage Groups and Databases as you will initially need.

Install the Mailbox Server Role on the Passive Node

Procedure W08-DWHE.45: To install the Mailbox Server role on the passive node

  1. Log on to EXMBX01-NODE2 as Fabrikam\Administrator

  2. Using the Exchange 2007 SP1 installation media, run Exchange 2007 SP1 setup from the command line specifying the Mailbox server role:

      Copy Code 
    Setup /mode:install /roles:MB

  3. After Setup completes, restart EXMBX01-NODE2 if prompted to do so.

All storage groups defined for the clustered mailbox server must be seeded on the new passive node. Seeding is the process of making available a baseline copy of a database on the current passive node. Automatic seeding should take place as a result of installing the mailbox server role on the passive node. In the following procedure you will verify that automatic seeding has taken place.

Procedure W08-DWHE.46: To verify that the automatic seeding has occurred on the passive node

  1. Log on to the passive node (EXMBX01-NODE2) as Fabrikam\Administrator

  2. Open the Exchange Management Shell, and then navigate to the Microsoft Exchange installation files. By default, the installation file location is <systemdrive>:\Program Files\Microsoft\Exchange Server\bin.

  3. If the Storage Groups have a status of Healthy, then automatic seeding has occurred successfully. If for some reason Automatic Seeding has not taken place, refer to the Exchange Server 2007 Help file, and search for "How to Seed a Cluster Continuous Replication Copy".

Verify the Ability to Move a Clustered Mailbox Server between the Nodes in the Cluster

After you complete the installation of a CCR solution, or after you make significant configuration changes, we recommend that you verify that both nodes are correctly configured to support the clustered mailbox server by moving the exchange cluster resources between nodes of the cluster.

Procedure W08-DWHE.47: To verify the ability to move a clustered mailbox server between the nodes in the cluster

  1. Open the Exchange Management Console on the passive node, expand Server Configuration, and then click Mailbox.

  2. In the center pane, right-click EXMBXCLUS01 and select Manage Clustered Mailbox Server.

  3. Follow the on-screen instructions to move the clustered mailbox server to EXMBX01-NODE2.

  4. Verify that the move has completed successfully by opening the Cluster Administrator MMC and noting the state of the exchange cluster resources.

  5. Repeat steps 2-4 to move the exchange cluster resources back to EXMBX01-NODE1.