08 June, 2009
Using ISA to block file extensions
1. Right click on your Rule, then click on Configure HTTP. The Configure HTTP Policy page will open as per the screen shot below
2. Click on the Extensions Tab, then from the drop down list choose Block specified extensions (allow all others).
3. Click on the Add button
4. In this page, start adding the extension you desire to block, such as wmv, avi and so on.
5. After you finish from filling the extensions you desire to block , click on OK
6. Click the Apply button to save the changes and update the firewall policy.
Please let me know if this post was helpful
2. Click on the Extensions Tab, then from the drop down list choose Block specified extensions (allow all others).
3. Click on the Add button
4. In this page, start adding the extension you desire to block, such as wmv, avi and so on.
5. After you finish from filling the extensions you desire to block , click on OK
6. Click the Apply button to save the changes and update the firewall policy.
Please let me know if this post was helpful
Exchange 2007 memory and hardware configuration best practices
A commonly repeated adage about Exchange Server memory is "more is better." The more memory you have, the less likely Exchange Server will experience bottlenecks and the faster things will run.
Exchange 2007 memory and hardware configuration best practices
Exchange 2007 is all the more powerful on systems with more than 4 GB of RAM, thanks to its 64-bit architecture. So it would seem to make sense to throw as much memory as is physically possible at a given 64-bit Exchange installation, right?
That's the theory, but the practice especially when it comes to Exchange Server 2007 is a little different.
In Microsoft's article about Exchange Server 2007 hardware, "Planning processor and memory configurations," there are a number of surprises regarding the best memory configurations for a 64-bit Exchange installation. One is the revelation that 32 GB is the most cost-effective memory configuration for Exchange 2007 boxes.
This is not a limitation of Exchange 2007, but an observation about how cost-effective that much memory in a given Exchange Server will be, and how expensive it is to buy the required hardware.
An Exchange 2007 system's memory bus architecture may impose speed limits based on how much memory is installed. A system with 16 GB of PC3200 memory can support 32 GB of memory, but only at PC2700 speeds (so having more memory may be offset by the fact that it's slower).
Another hardware consideration is that a given Exchange 2007 server may work better when more memory slots are filled vs. having denser memory modules in fewer slots.
Microsoft breaks down recommended memory allocations for Exchange 2007 servers based on their roles. For example, a mail server will probably need 2 GB plus 2 MB to 5 MB per mailbox, with a recommended maximum of 32 GB.
By those calculations, a 32 GB mail server could comfortably support over 6,000 users. Assuming heavy usage, 32 GB may be overkill for many organizations.
There are two caveats:
1. These estimates don't take into account third-party applications that might be running on the same Exchange server.
2. It assumes fairly sane mailbox usage i.e., you're not allowing people to have 5 GB mailboxes or something equally absurd.
For my own edification, I went to Dell's site to spec two separate servers: one that scaled to 64 GB of RAM and another that only scaled to 32 GB. The first had memory speeds that topped out at 400 MHz (DDR2). The second went up to 667 MHz (DDR2) and started at far less of a price.
Exchange Server memory management with /3GB, /USERVA and /PAE
Exchange Server is notorious for devouring server memory. In this tip, I explain how the /3GB switch, /USERVA switch and /PAE switch can help you manage Exchange Server 2003 memory and performance. I also share best practices you should employ so you don't cannibalize Windows Server 2003's memory in the process.
/3GB switch
By default, Windows Server 2003 can address up to 4 GB of memory. The server doesn't actually need to have 4 GB of RAM installed though. Virtual memory allows Windows Server 2003 to address a full 4 GB, even if there is considerably less memory installed.
Also by default, Windows splits the 4 GB of addressable memory right down the middle. It reserves 2 GB of memory space to the Windows operating system and 2 GB for user-mode processes (applications).
The /3GB switch alters the balance of address space allocation. If the /3GB switch is applied, Windows will only allocate 1 GB of address space for the operating system, and leave a full 3 GB of address space for user-mode processes.
Conventional wisdom has long stated that you should apply the /3GB switch to the BOOT.INI file for any server that has 1 GB or more of physical RAM. However, Exchange Server can be a demanding application, so the 1 GB rule may not always be what's best for Exchange Server.
According to Microsoft, you should only use the /3GB switch on Exchange servers that are hosting mailboxes or public folders. If an Exchange server is simply acting as a front-end server, bridgehead server, or performing some other role that doesn't involve hosting mailboxes or public folders, it's best to allow the operating system access to the full 2 GB memory address space. (Microsoft did make the default 2 GB for a reason.)
Some people at Microsoft have even suggested that the /3GB switch is best avoided unless Exchange Server is hosting more than 20 mailboxes.
Microsoft also discourages the use of the /3GB switch if you are running Exchange Server on Windows 2003 Small Business Server, or if Exchange Server is running on a domain controller (running Exchange Server on a domain controller is not recommended).
The primary reason for not using the /3GB switch in some situations is that the Windows operating system makes page table entries (PTEs) for allocating memory. Windows has a finite amount of space that it can use for PTEs, and using the /3GB switch significantly reduces the space available for them.
If PTE space drops below a certain level, Windows has a tendency to become unstable. So it's often wise to provide the operating system with the full 2 GB of address space, unless Microsoft Exchange is the server's sole application and Exchange Server is hosting mailboxes and/or public folders.
/USERVA switch
You can provide Windows with more PTE space while still using the /3GB switch through the use of a BOOT.INI switch available in Windows Server 2003 called /USERVA.
The /USERVA switch can be used in conjunction with the /3GB switch to increase the available PTE space. For example, using the /USERVA switch with a value of 3030 (/USERVA=3030) will allocate an additional 42 MB of space to the PTEs.
It's worth pointing out though that Microsoft does not support arbitrary /USERVA values. Some applications actually have a documented /USERVA setting, but Exchange Server does not. That being the case, you will have to determine the appropriate /USERVA value by monitoring the Free System Page Table Entries counter in Performance Monitor.
With the /USERVA switch, lower numbers create more PTE space. Therefore, a value of 3,000 would create more PTE space than a value of 3,030. 3,030 is a good starting point, but if the System Page Table Entries counter drops below 7,000, it means that the system is not stable and there aren't enough PTEs available. You will then have to set the /USERVA value to a lower number to correct the problem.
According to Microsoft, the absolute lowest number that you can use as a /USERVA value is 2,800. But Microsoft also reports that it has yet to see an Exchange Server installation require a /USERVA value of lower than 2,900.
/PAE switch
Some higher end servers support using more than 4 GB of RAM. If you have such a server and you are running Windows Server 2003 Enterprise Edition or Datacenter Edition, you can use the /PAE switch with the BOOT.INI file.
The /PAE switch tells Windows Server 2003 to use page translation to allow a 32-bit system to address more than 4 GB of memory (this is not necessary on 64-bit servers).
Using the /PAE switch allows more memory to be allocated to Exchange Server. But like the /3GB switch, the /PAE option also consumes PTE space.
The /3GB and the /PAE switches should never be used together under any circumstances.
Please let me know if this post was helpful.
Exchange 2007 memory and hardware configuration best practices
Exchange 2007 is all the more powerful on systems with more than 4 GB of RAM, thanks to its 64-bit architecture. So it would seem to make sense to throw as much memory as is physically possible at a given 64-bit Exchange installation, right?
That's the theory, but the practice especially when it comes to Exchange Server 2007 is a little different.
In Microsoft's article about Exchange Server 2007 hardware, "Planning processor and memory configurations," there are a number of surprises regarding the best memory configurations for a 64-bit Exchange installation. One is the revelation that 32 GB is the most cost-effective memory configuration for Exchange 2007 boxes.
This is not a limitation of Exchange 2007, but an observation about how cost-effective that much memory in a given Exchange Server will be, and how expensive it is to buy the required hardware.
An Exchange 2007 system's memory bus architecture may impose speed limits based on how much memory is installed. A system with 16 GB of PC3200 memory can support 32 GB of memory, but only at PC2700 speeds (so having more memory may be offset by the fact that it's slower).
Another hardware consideration is that a given Exchange 2007 server may work better when more memory slots are filled vs. having denser memory modules in fewer slots.
Microsoft breaks down recommended memory allocations for Exchange 2007 servers based on their roles. For example, a mail server will probably need 2 GB plus 2 MB to 5 MB per mailbox, with a recommended maximum of 32 GB.
By those calculations, a 32 GB mail server could comfortably support over 6,000 users. Assuming heavy usage, 32 GB may be overkill for many organizations.
There are two caveats:
1. These estimates don't take into account third-party applications that might be running on the same Exchange server.
2. It assumes fairly sane mailbox usage i.e., you're not allowing people to have 5 GB mailboxes or something equally absurd.
For my own edification, I went to Dell's site to spec two separate servers: one that scaled to 64 GB of RAM and another that only scaled to 32 GB. The first had memory speeds that topped out at 400 MHz (DDR2). The second went up to 667 MHz (DDR2) and started at far less of a price.
Exchange Server memory management with /3GB, /USERVA and /PAE
Exchange Server is notorious for devouring server memory. In this tip, I explain how the /3GB switch, /USERVA switch and /PAE switch can help you manage Exchange Server 2003 memory and performance. I also share best practices you should employ so you don't cannibalize Windows Server 2003's memory in the process.
/3GB switch
By default, Windows Server 2003 can address up to 4 GB of memory. The server doesn't actually need to have 4 GB of RAM installed though. Virtual memory allows Windows Server 2003 to address a full 4 GB, even if there is considerably less memory installed.
Also by default, Windows splits the 4 GB of addressable memory right down the middle. It reserves 2 GB of memory space to the Windows operating system and 2 GB for user-mode processes (applications).
The /3GB switch alters the balance of address space allocation. If the /3GB switch is applied, Windows will only allocate 1 GB of address space for the operating system, and leave a full 3 GB of address space for user-mode processes.
Conventional wisdom has long stated that you should apply the /3GB switch to the BOOT.INI file for any server that has 1 GB or more of physical RAM. However, Exchange Server can be a demanding application, so the 1 GB rule may not always be what's best for Exchange Server.
According to Microsoft, you should only use the /3GB switch on Exchange servers that are hosting mailboxes or public folders. If an Exchange server is simply acting as a front-end server, bridgehead server, or performing some other role that doesn't involve hosting mailboxes or public folders, it's best to allow the operating system access to the full 2 GB memory address space. (Microsoft did make the default 2 GB for a reason.)
Some people at Microsoft have even suggested that the /3GB switch is best avoided unless Exchange Server is hosting more than 20 mailboxes.
Microsoft also discourages the use of the /3GB switch if you are running Exchange Server on Windows 2003 Small Business Server, or if Exchange Server is running on a domain controller (running Exchange Server on a domain controller is not recommended).
The primary reason for not using the /3GB switch in some situations is that the Windows operating system makes page table entries (PTEs) for allocating memory. Windows has a finite amount of space that it can use for PTEs, and using the /3GB switch significantly reduces the space available for them.
If PTE space drops below a certain level, Windows has a tendency to become unstable. So it's often wise to provide the operating system with the full 2 GB of address space, unless Microsoft Exchange is the server's sole application and Exchange Server is hosting mailboxes and/or public folders.
/USERVA switch
You can provide Windows with more PTE space while still using the /3GB switch through the use of a BOOT.INI switch available in Windows Server 2003 called /USERVA.
The /USERVA switch can be used in conjunction with the /3GB switch to increase the available PTE space. For example, using the /USERVA switch with a value of 3030 (/USERVA=3030) will allocate an additional 42 MB of space to the PTEs.
It's worth pointing out though that Microsoft does not support arbitrary /USERVA values. Some applications actually have a documented /USERVA setting, but Exchange Server does not. That being the case, you will have to determine the appropriate /USERVA value by monitoring the Free System Page Table Entries counter in Performance Monitor.
With the /USERVA switch, lower numbers create more PTE space. Therefore, a value of 3,000 would create more PTE space than a value of 3,030. 3,030 is a good starting point, but if the System Page Table Entries counter drops below 7,000, it means that the system is not stable and there aren't enough PTEs available. You will then have to set the /USERVA value to a lower number to correct the problem.
According to Microsoft, the absolute lowest number that you can use as a /USERVA value is 2,800. But Microsoft also reports that it has yet to see an Exchange Server installation require a /USERVA value of lower than 2,900.
/PAE switch
Some higher end servers support using more than 4 GB of RAM. If you have such a server and you are running Windows Server 2003 Enterprise Edition or Datacenter Edition, you can use the /PAE switch with the BOOT.INI file.
The /PAE switch tells Windows Server 2003 to use page translation to allow a 32-bit system to address more than 4 GB of memory (this is not necessary on 64-bit servers).
Using the /PAE switch allows more memory to be allocated to Exchange Server. But like the /3GB switch, the /PAE option also consumes PTE space.
The /3GB and the /PAE switches should never be used together under any circumstances.
Please let me know if this post was helpful.
Microsoft Office Groove 2007
Exchanging Contact Information—Sending Your Contact to Others
You can send your Microsoft Office Groove 2007 contact to others right from the Common Tasks pane on the Contacts tab in the Launchbar.
1. Click Send My Contact via E-mail.
2. Type the e-mail addresses of the people whom you want to receive your contact.
3. Recipients receive an e-mail message with a hyperlink that automatically adds your contact to their list in the Groove Launchbar.
Please let me know if this post was helpful.
You can send your Microsoft Office Groove 2007 contact to others right from the Common Tasks pane on the Contacts tab in the Launchbar.
1. Click Send My Contact via E-mail.
2. Type the e-mail addresses of the people whom you want to receive your contact.
3. Recipients receive an e-mail message with a hyperlink that automatically adds your contact to their list in the Groove Launchbar.
Please let me know if this post was helpful.
Office Project Server
Multiple Level Undo, Change Highlighting, and Task Drivers
In Microsoft Office Project Professional 2007, project managers can visualize the impact of changes and trace back their steps. To turn the Change Highlighting feature on or off, click the View menu, and then click Hide Change Highlighting or Show Change Highlighting. While the feature is enabled, all levels of tasks affected as a result of a change are highlighted with a color as a visual indicator. Using this feature together with the Multiple Level Undo feature, project managers can do "what-if analysis" by trying a set of changes and then reversing unwanted changes. If further analysis of a task's schedule is needed, the project manager can use Task Drivers on the Project menu to determine the factors (such as task dependency, calendar constraints, schedule date, or vacation time) that are driving a task's start date.
Please let me know if this post was helpful.
In Microsoft Office Project Professional 2007, project managers can visualize the impact of changes and trace back their steps. To turn the Change Highlighting feature on or off, click the View menu, and then click Hide Change Highlighting or Show Change Highlighting. While the feature is enabled, all levels of tasks affected as a result of a change are highlighted with a color as a visual indicator. Using this feature together with the Multiple Level Undo feature, project managers can do "what-if analysis" by trying a set of changes and then reversing unwanted changes. If further analysis of a task's schedule is needed, the project manager can use Task Drivers on the Project menu to determine the factors (such as task dependency, calendar constraints, schedule date, or vacation time) that are driving a task's start date.
Please let me know if this post was helpful.
07 June, 2009
Active Directory Rights Management Server
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Active Directory Rights Management Services (AD RMS) is an information protection technology that works with AD RMS-enabled applications to help safeguard digital information from unauthorised use within the orgsanization and within the Federated identities. Content owners can define who can open, modify, print, forward or take any other action with the information.
By using Active Directory Rights Management Services (AD RMS) and the AD RMS client, you can augment an organization's security strategy by protecting information through persistent usage policies, which remain with the information, no matter where it is moved. You can use AD RMS to help prevent sensitive information—such as financial reports, product specifications, customer data, and confidential e-mail messages—from intentionally or accidentally getting into the wrong hands.
An AD RMS system includes a Windows Server® 2008-based server running the Active Directory Rights Management Services (AD RMS) server role that handles certificates and licensing, a database server, and the AD RMS client. The latest version of the AD RMS client is included as part of the Windows Vista® operating system. The deployment of an AD RMS system provides the following benefits to an organization:
· Safeguard sensitive information. Applications such as word processors, e-mail clients, and line-of-business applications can be AD RMS-enabled to help safeguard sensitive information Users can define who can open, modify, print, forward, or take other actions with the information. Organizations can create custom usage policy templates such as "confidential - read only" that can be applied directly to the information.
· Persistent protection. AD RMS augments existing perimeter-based security solutions, such as firewalls and access control lists (ACLs), for better information protection by locking the usage rights within the document itself, controlling how information is used even after it has been opened by intended recipients.
· Flexible and customizable technology. Independent software vendors (ISVs) and developers can AD RMS-enable any application or enable other servers, such as content management systems or portal servers running on Windows or other operating systems, to work with AD RMS to help safeguard sensitive information. ISVs are enabled to integrate information protection into server-based solutions such as document and records management, e-mail gateways and archival systems, automated workflows, and content inspection.
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Please let me know if this post was helpful.
Exchange 2010 First Look
Exchange 2010 can provide
- High availability and site resilience which is native to exchange
- Usability of less expensive and less complex storage.
- Simplify Administration and reduce support costs
High Availability Feature names
- Mailbox resiliency: Name of Unified High availability and Site Resiliency Solution
- Database Availability Group: A group of upto
mailbox server that host a set of replicated databases
- Mailbox Database Copy - A mailbox databse (.edb and Logs) that is either active or passive.
- Database Mobility: The ability of a single mailbox database to be replicated to and mounted on other mailbox servers
- RPC CAS: Cas feature that provides a MAPI endpoint for Outlook clients
- Shadow Redundancy: A transport feature that provides redundancy for messages for the entire time they are in transit
- Incremental Deployment: The availbility to deploy high availability / site resilience after Exchange is installed
- Exchange Third Party Replication API: An Exchange provided API that enables use of third party replication for a DAG in lieu of continuous replication.
High Availability Solution
- Uses enhanced CCR and SCR Technology
- Can be deployed on wide range of storage option
- Clustering is native to Exchange and Does not depend on Windows based clustering.
- Reduces the need of SAN infrastructure
Improvements in Exchaneg 2010
- All clients connecty to CAS Server
- Database level failover
- Failover is managed by Exchange
- Use of Database Access Group provides database level failover
High Availbility Terminology
- High availbility: Provides data availbility, service availbility and automatic recovery from failures
- Disaster recovery: Process to provide manual recovery from failure
- Site Resiliency: DR solution used for recovery from site failure
- *over: Short for switchover / failover.
- Switchover: It is a manual activation of one or more database after a failure.
- Failover: It is an automatic activation of database after a failure.
Exchange 2010 possible *overs
- Database or Servers within a Datacenter
- Datacenter level switchover
Exchange 2007 brought forward concepts
- Extensible Storage Engine (ESE)
* Database and log files
- Continuous replication
* Log shipping and replay
* Database seeding
* Store service and Replication Service
* Database health and status monitoring
* Divergence
* Automatic database mount behavior
- Concepts of quorum and witness
- Concepts of *overs
Exchange 2007 dropped concepts
- Storage Groups
- Databases are global objects and are no longer identified by Server names
- Clustered Mailbox Server no longer exists
- Two high availbility copy limits (now 16 copies of mailbox database are available)
- Private and public Networks
High Availability Fundamentals
- Database Availability Group: It is a base component of HA and site resilience. It provides a group of up to 16 servers that hosts a set of replicated databases. It defines the boundaru for Mailbox database replicatio, Database and Server *overs, and Active Manager. It manages membership and proivdes heartbeat of DAG member servers
- Mailbox Database replication: It Provides continuous replication of mailbox databases. It supports encryption and compression and supports multiple replication networks
- Active Manager: It is an Exchange component that manages *overs. It runs on every server in DAG and selects best available copy on failovers. It keeps track of where the database is active and provides this information to other Exdchange component such as RPC CAS and HUB Transport. Active Manager has two roles
* Primary Active Manager (PAM): It runs on the node that owns the cluster group. it gets the topology change notifications and reacts to the server failures by selecting the best database copy on *overs.
* Standby Active Manager (SAM): It runs on every other copy of DAG. It responds to the query about which server hosts the active copy.
Both the roles are necessary for automatic recovery.
Transition Steps
- Verify the pre requisites are met for deploying Exchange 2010
- Deploy Exchange 2010
- Use Exchange 2010 mailbox move feature to move mailboxes from Exchange 2007 to Exchange 2010
Unsuported Transitions
- In place upgrade to Exchange 2010
- Using database protability between Exchange 2010 and non-exchange 2010
- Backup and restore of earlier versions of Exchange to Exchange 2010
- Using Continuous replication between Exchange 2010 and 2007
Exchange 2010 improvements
- Onlive Move Mailbox: It supports moving mailboxes Between Exchange 2007 SP2 and Exchange 2010 without causing downtime to the users. Move is performed asynchronously by a new service called Microsoft Exchange Mailbox Replication Service (MRS) running on CAS
- RPC CAS: It replaces RPC endpoint client access on the Mailbox role to the CAS role. It does not replace for Public folders. Clients connect directly to the Public Folder store to access Public Folder databases
- Shadow Redundancy: It helps HUB and Edge Transport Servers in keeping the copy of items until it is delivered to the next hop. It also helps in upgrade or maintenance.
Please let me know if this post was helpful.
- High availability and site resilience which is native to exchange
- Usability of less expensive and less complex storage.
- Simplify Administration and reduce support costs
High Availability Feature names
- Mailbox resiliency: Name of Unified High availability and Site Resiliency Solution
- Database Availability Group: A group of upto
mailbox server that host a set of replicated databases
- Mailbox Database Copy - A mailbox databse (.edb and Logs) that is either active or passive.
- Database Mobility: The ability of a single mailbox database to be replicated to and mounted on other mailbox servers
- RPC CAS: Cas feature that provides a MAPI endpoint for Outlook clients
- Shadow Redundancy: A transport feature that provides redundancy for messages for the entire time they are in transit
- Incremental Deployment: The availbility to deploy high availability / site resilience after Exchange is installed
- Exchange Third Party Replication API: An Exchange provided API that enables use of third party replication for a DAG in lieu of continuous replication.
High Availability Solution
- Uses enhanced CCR and SCR Technology
- Can be deployed on wide range of storage option
- Clustering is native to Exchange and Does not depend on Windows based clustering.
- Reduces the need of SAN infrastructure
Improvements in Exchaneg 2010
- All clients connecty to CAS Server
- Database level failover
- Failover is managed by Exchange
- Use of Database Access Group provides database level failover
High Availbility Terminology
- High availbility: Provides data availbility, service availbility and automatic recovery from failures
- Disaster recovery: Process to provide manual recovery from failure
- Site Resiliency: DR solution used for recovery from site failure
- *over: Short for switchover / failover.
- Switchover: It is a manual activation of one or more database after a failure.
- Failover: It is an automatic activation of database after a failure.
Exchange 2010 possible *overs
- Database or Servers within a Datacenter
- Datacenter level switchover
Exchange 2007 brought forward concepts
- Extensible Storage Engine (ESE)
* Database and log files
- Continuous replication
* Log shipping and replay
* Database seeding
* Store service and Replication Service
* Database health and status monitoring
* Divergence
* Automatic database mount behavior
- Concepts of quorum and witness
- Concepts of *overs
Exchange 2007 dropped concepts
- Storage Groups
- Databases are global objects and are no longer identified by Server names
- Clustered Mailbox Server no longer exists
- Two high availbility copy limits (now 16 copies of mailbox database are available)
- Private and public Networks
High Availability Fundamentals
- Database Availability Group: It is a base component of HA and site resilience. It provides a group of up to 16 servers that hosts a set of replicated databases. It defines the boundaru for Mailbox database replicatio, Database and Server *overs, and Active Manager. It manages membership and proivdes heartbeat of DAG member servers
- Mailbox Database replication: It Provides continuous replication of mailbox databases. It supports encryption and compression and supports multiple replication networks
- Active Manager: It is an Exchange component that manages *overs. It runs on every server in DAG and selects best available copy on failovers. It keeps track of where the database is active and provides this information to other Exdchange component such as RPC CAS and HUB Transport. Active Manager has two roles
* Primary Active Manager (PAM): It runs on the node that owns the cluster group. it gets the topology change notifications and reacts to the server failures by selecting the best database copy on *overs.
* Standby Active Manager (SAM): It runs on every other copy of DAG. It responds to the query about which server hosts the active copy.
Both the roles are necessary for automatic recovery.
Transition Steps
- Verify the pre requisites are met for deploying Exchange 2010
- Deploy Exchange 2010
- Use Exchange 2010 mailbox move feature to move mailboxes from Exchange 2007 to Exchange 2010
Unsuported Transitions
- In place upgrade to Exchange 2010
- Using database protability between Exchange 2010 and non-exchange 2010
- Backup and restore of earlier versions of Exchange to Exchange 2010
- Using Continuous replication between Exchange 2010 and 2007
Exchange 2010 improvements
- Onlive Move Mailbox: It supports moving mailboxes Between Exchange 2007 SP2 and Exchange 2010 without causing downtime to the users. Move is performed asynchronously by a new service called Microsoft Exchange Mailbox Replication Service (MRS) running on CAS
- RPC CAS: It replaces RPC endpoint client access on the Mailbox role to the CAS role. It does not replace for Public folders. Clients connect directly to the Public Folder store to access Public Folder databases
- Shadow Redundancy: It helps HUB and Edge Transport Servers in keeping the copy of items until it is delivered to the next hop. It also helps in upgrade or maintenance.
Please let me know if this post was helpful.
19 February, 2009
Active Directory requirements for Office Communications Server 2007 R2
Below are the minimum requirements for deploying OCS 2007 R2
- Forest and Domain functional level should be atleast Windows 2003
- Domain Functional level must be atleast Windows 2003
- All Domain Controllers in the Forest where OCS 2007 R2 will be deployed must be atleast Windows 2003 with SP1
- All the Global Catalogs in the Domain where OCS 2007 R2 will be deployed must be atleast Windows 2003 with SP1
The Operating system running on a Domain Controller can be 32 bit or 64 bit.
Schema Preparation:
You would need schema admins priviledge as you would be needing to update Schema. It is done through the process called as Schema Preparation. During this process AD Scehma is extended to include classes and attributes that are specific to the Office Communications Server. OCS 2007 R2 introduces some new classes and attributes. So in case if you have OCS 2007 alrady implemented and you are planning to deploy OCS 2007 R2 you would still need to upgrade the schema. This is required to be done once per Forest and is done as part of the installation process.
Forest Preparation:
Forest preparation prepares the following for use by OCS R2
- AD Global settings and objects
- AD Universal groups
This step creates objects that contain global settings and information about your OCS R2 deployment. Global settings are stored either in the Configuration container or in the System container of the forest root domain. This step also creates objects that contain property sets and display specifiers used by OCS R2, and stores them in the Configuration container.
Forest preparation must be performed once for each Active Directory forest where you plan to deploy Office Communications Server. You may decide to store Global settings in the System container or in the Configurations Container. Forest preparation must be done once per Forest.
Domain Preparation:
Domain Preparation is the last step fpr preparing Ad. It adds necessary ACEs to Universal Group that grant permission to host and manage users within the Domain. Domain Preparation must be performed once in each Domain where you plan to deploy OCS R2.
Please let me know if this post was helpful.
18 February, 2009
Automatically accepting meeting request for Resource Mailbox in Exchange 2003
Resource mailbox can be created for any resource. May it be meeting room, Car, projector,...
It is very easy to create resource mailbox with Exchange 2003. More importantly you must configure resource mailbox to automatically accept meeting requests without any conflicts.
I am listing below the steps that would be needed for creating Resource mailbox and automatically accepting meeting requests for the Resource Mailbox.
1. Create a user account named such as MeetingRoom1
2. Configure the Outlook profile using MeetingRoom1 profile.
3. Logon on to this profile in Microsoft Outlook
4. Click on Tool -> Options
5. On the Options windows click on -> on Calendar Options.
6. On the Calendar Options windows click on -> on Resource Scheduling.
7. Based on the requirement we can configure the following
a. Automatically accept meeting requests and process cancellations
b. Automatically decline conflicting meeting requests
c. Automatically decline recurring meeting requests
8. Once done click on OK.
Please let me know if this post was helpful.
It is very easy to create resource mailbox with Exchange 2003. More importantly you must configure resource mailbox to automatically accept meeting requests without any conflicts.
I am listing below the steps that would be needed for creating Resource mailbox and automatically accepting meeting requests for the Resource Mailbox.
1. Create a user account named such as MeetingRoom1
2. Configure the Outlook profile using MeetingRoom1 profile.
3. Logon on to this profile in Microsoft Outlook
4. Click on Tool -> Options
5. On the Options windows click on -> on Calendar Options.
6. On the Calendar Options windows click on -> on Resource Scheduling.
7. Based on the requirement we can configure the following
a. Automatically accept meeting requests and process cancellations
b. Automatically decline conflicting meeting requests
c. Automatically decline recurring meeting requests
8. Once done click on OK.
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Hardware and Software prerequisitres for deploying OCS R2
OCS R2 unlike its predecessor comes only with 64 bit edition. That makes the requirement for OCS deployment to have 64 bit Hardware and Operating system. So if you are looking for deploying OCS R2 you would need to have 64 bit Server as well you need to install 64 Bit Operating System. Operating system that needs to be deployed for OCS R2 are listed below.
- The 64-bit edition of Windows Server 2008 Standard or Enterprise operating system.
- The Windows Server 2003 R2 Standard or Enterprise x64 Edition operating system with Service Pack 2.
- The Windows Server 2003 Standard or Enterprise x64 Edition operating system with SP2.
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