I'm in the process of setting up a new exchange 2007 install on a fresh domain.  I have three servers; one for the edge transport role, one for the unified messaging role, and was planning on combining the other roles (mailbox, client access and hub transport) on the last.  I will have approximately 200 mailboxes installed.  Is this setup wise?  Or should I look at putting the hub transport on a separate server also?  I cannot have any interruption to mail if a server needs to be rebooted for any variety of reasons!  Any thoughts?

 

Jon 

I plan to try something similar only forgoing the edge and unified messaging roles for now.

 My research indicates you can do it this way but I would be very interested if others have thoughts/observation.

 I too cannot afford an outtage.  I may be biting off more than I can chew but am planning a two server cluster with the database held on an external array.

 

Any thoughts?

I suggest looking at CCR (Cluster Continuous Replication) which will replay TLogs persistently on another Exchange Server at whatever interval you choose.  If you don't have the money for another Hardware environment, you could look at LCR(Local Continuous Replication) but if you had to reboot the Server, it wouldn't do you any good.

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Ryan Patel
Sr. Network Engineer|BS|MCSE|CCNA

I would guess your best case would be the CCR with a Cluster array.   That would be pretty sweet... :)

I just set up Exchange 2007.   The budget is not QUITE as good to play with but CCR is a nice option to have.   Having each of those servers clustered would "Kick fanny posterior".

But we can't all have Bill Gates budget... :)

Cheers

Sean

If you can't have any interruption then you have to cluster.

MB can use CCR but that means you need 2 servers. You also cannot have HT and CA roles on that server.
You can join HT and CA on a separate server however to make sure rebooting that doesn't cause an issue you will need to NLB them (HT excluded).

Edge suffers the same unless you setup a separate path inbound to the HT servers but in that scenario you will need to make sure you have another way of virus scanning.
What are you going to do with the Edge server to make it worthwhile?

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cheers
Andy