| Author |
Message |
Boris Lokhvitsky
Guest
|
 Posted:
Wed Oct 27, 2004 1:50 am Post subject:
Planning Exchange 2003 front-end cluster |
|
|
Hello All,
I would like to get some feedback from folks having had a real world
experience with the clustered front-end / back-end Exchange implementation.
I am planning to build a front-end Exchange 2003 SP1 NLB cluster talking to
a back-end MSCS cluster. Hardware for the front-ends is Dell 2650 with 2
GigE NICs on each server. Which NLB scenario is better for Exchange
front-end? Should I use NLB with two adapters scenario? Unicast or multicast
mode is better in this case? Should the NICs on the same server belong to
different IP subnets? (I couldn't figure which NIC will host the heartbeat
communications) Should I configure default gateway for both of them
(typically you don't do that, but this case might be specific)?
Furthermore, how will the Exchange communications take place? As I
understand, both servers will appear in Exchange organization as separate
servers. Should I configure something (virtual servers?) to make back-ends
think that there is just one front-end, or the back-end communications do
not use clustering feature and talk to each front-end node separately?
The existing MS documentation describes pretty well NLB feature itself and
Exchange front-end / back-end topology itself, but is very blurry in the
area of getting them together.
Thanks a lot in advance for advices and links,
Boris
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|
 |
Rodney R. Fournier [MVP]
Guest
|
| Posted:
Wed Oct 27, 2004 2:27 am Post subject:
Re: Planning Exchange 2003 front-end cluster |
|
|
answers inline below...
Cheers,
Rod
MVP - Windows Server - Clustering
http://www.nw-america.com - Clustering
http://msmvps.com/clustering - Blog
"Boris Lokhvitsky" <msexpert@community.nospam> wrote in message
news:eTtv815uEHA.272@TK2MSFTNGP15.phx.gbl...
| Quote: | Hello All,
I would like to get some feedback from folks having had a real world
experience with the clustered front-end / back-end Exchange
implementation.
I am planning to build a front-end Exchange 2003 SP1 NLB cluster talking
to
a back-end MSCS cluster. Hardware for the front-ends is Dell 2650 with 2
GigE NICs on each server.
|
We are doing this at my day job. Though we use hardware load balancers.
Works great.
| Quote: | Which NLB scenario is better for Exchange
front-end? Should I use NLB with two adapters scenario?
|
I always try to use 2 NICs if I can.
The real questions are:
is the current network,
can you add a network,
do you need to reconfigure a router,
will the routers guys like how NLB works?
| Quote: | Unicast or multicast
mode is better in this case?
|
Again I like multicast. Keep the traffic segragated.
| Quote: | Should the NICs on the same server belong to
different IP subnets? (I couldn't figure which NIC will host the heartbeat
communications)
|
Yes, the NICs are public for the Internet and NLB, and private for the lan
access and admin.
| Quote: | Should I configure default gateway for both of them
(typically you don't do that, but this case might be specific)?
|
No, just on the public.
| Quote: | Furthermore, how will the Exchange communications take place?
|
Exchange will take on the private side.
| Quote: | As I
understand, both servers will appear in Exchange organization as separate
servers. Should I configure something (virtual servers?) to make back-ends
think that there is just one front-end, or the back-end communications do
not use clustering feature and talk to each front-end node separately?
|
Yes, they are virtual servers in a group.
| Quote: | The existing MS documentation describes pretty well NLB feature itself and
Exchange front-end / back-end topology itself, but is very blurry in the
area of getting them together.
Thanks a lot in advance for advices and links,
Boris
|
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Boris Lokhvitsky
Guest
|
| Posted:
Wed Oct 27, 2004 3:49 am Post subject:
Re: Planning Exchange 2003 front-end cluster |
|
|
Thanks Rod,
some more short questions if you don't mind...
Regards,
Boris
"Rodney R. Fournier [MVP]" <rod@die.spam.die.nw-america.com> wrote in
message news:uKHjMK6uEHA.2016@TK2MSFTNGP15.phx.gbl...
| Quote: | answers inline below...
Cheers,
Rod
MVP - Windows Server - Clustering
http://www.nw-america.com - Clustering
http://msmvps.com/clustering - Blog
"Boris Lokhvitsky" <msexpert@community.nospam> wrote in message
news:eTtv815uEHA.272@TK2MSFTNGP15.phx.gbl...
Hello All,
I would like to get some feedback from folks having had a real world
experience with the clustered front-end / back-end Exchange
implementation.
I am planning to build a front-end Exchange 2003 SP1 NLB cluster talking
to
a back-end MSCS cluster. Hardware for the front-ends is Dell 2650 with 2
GigE NICs on each server.
We are doing this at my day job. Though we use hardware load balancers.
Works great.
|
Cool. Do you have any specific load balancer recommendations? How about
Netscaler?
| Quote: | Which NLB scenario is better for Exchange
front-end? Should I use NLB with two adapters scenario?
I always try to use 2 NICs if I can.
The real questions are:
is the current network,
can you add a network,
do you need to reconfigure a router,
will the routers guys like how NLB works?
Unicast or multicast
mode is better in this case?
Again I like multicast. Keep the traffic segragated.
|
Ever had any problems with routers supporting multicasting? And in the
unicast case, and problems with switch flooding?
| Quote: | Should the NICs on the same server belong to
different IP subnets? (I couldn't figure which NIC will host the
heartbeat
communications)
Yes, the NICs are public for the Internet and NLB, and private for the lan
access and admin.
|
So, which of them will host the NLB heartbeats?
| Quote: | Should I configure default gateway for both of them
(typically you don't do that, but this case might be specific)?
No, just on the public.
Furthermore, how will the Exchange communications take place?
Exchange will take on the private side.
As I
understand, both servers will appear in Exchange organization as
separate
servers. Should I configure something (virtual servers?) to make
back-ends
think that there is just one front-end, or the back-end communications
do
not use clustering feature and talk to each front-end node separately?
Yes, they are virtual servers in a group.
|
I didn't get this, sorry. Do you mean Exchange back-end does not know
anything about NLB clustering and talks to each front-end separately? So,
the whole thing is just for the clients then?
| Quote: | The existing MS documentation describes pretty well NLB feature itself
and
Exchange front-end / back-end topology itself, but is very blurry in the
area of getting them together.
Thanks a lot in advance for advices and links,
Boris
|
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Rodney R. Fournier [MVP]
Guest
|
| Posted:
Wed Oct 27, 2004 9:12 am Post subject:
Re: Planning Exchange 2003 front-end cluster |
|
|
More answers below...
"Boris Lokhvitsky" <msexpert@community.nospam> wrote in message
news:Otz0N46uEHA.3624@TK2MSFTNGP09.phx.gbl...
| Quote: | Thanks Rod,
some more short questions if you don't mind...
Regards,
Boris
"Rodney R. Fournier [MVP]" <rod@die.spam.die.nw-america.com> wrote in
message news:uKHjMK6uEHA.2016@TK2MSFTNGP15.phx.gbl...
answers inline below...
Cheers,
Rod
MVP - Windows Server - Clustering
http://www.nw-america.com - Clustering
http://msmvps.com/clustering - Blog
"Boris Lokhvitsky" <msexpert@community.nospam> wrote in message
news:eTtv815uEHA.272@TK2MSFTNGP15.phx.gbl...
Hello All,
I would like to get some feedback from folks having had a real world
experience with the clustered front-end / back-end Exchange
implementation.
I am planning to build a front-end Exchange 2003 SP1 NLB cluster
talking
to
a back-end MSCS cluster. Hardware for the front-ends is Dell 2650 with
2
GigE NICs on each server.
We are doing this at my day job. Though we use hardware load balancers.
Works great.
Cool. Do you have any specific load balancer recommendations? How about
Netscaler?
|
Cisco's and Foundry Systems are both very good.
| Quote: | Which NLB scenario is better for Exchange
front-end? Should I use NLB with two adapters scenario?
I always try to use 2 NICs if I can.
The real questions are:
is the current network,
can you add a network,
do you need to reconfigure a router,
will the routers guys like how NLB works?
Unicast or multicast
mode is better in this case?
Again I like multicast. Keep the traffic segragated.
Ever had any problems with routers supporting multicasting? And in the
unicast case, and problems with switch flooding?
|
Yes and Yes. Hence why some customers choose to go with hardware load
balancers.
| Quote: | Should the NICs on the same server belong to
different IP subnets? (I couldn't figure which NIC will host the
heartbeat
communications)
Yes, the NICs are public for the Internet and NLB, and private for the
lan
access and admin.
So, which of them will host the NLB heartbeats?
|
The private gets the heartbeat.
| Quote: | Should I configure default gateway for both of them
(typically you don't do that, but this case might be specific)?
No, just on the public.
Furthermore, how will the Exchange communications take place?
Exchange will take on the private side.
As I
understand, both servers will appear in Exchange organization as
separate
servers. Should I configure something (virtual servers?) to make
back-ends
think that there is just one front-end, or the back-end communications
do
not use clustering feature and talk to each front-end node separately?
Yes, they are virtual servers in a group.
I didn't get this, sorry. Do you mean Exchange back-end does not know
anything about NLB clustering and talks to each front-end separately? So,
the whole thing is just for the clients then?
|
Bingo :) Cool huh?
| Quote: | The existing MS documentation describes pretty well NLB feature itself
and
Exchange front-end / back-end topology itself, but is very blurry in
the
area of getting them together.
Thanks a lot in advance for advices and links,
Boris
|
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