Disaster Recovery for EV and Exchange 2003 on remote site

[Lum_Guan_Yuan]

Dear All,

I had a scenario for disaster recovery for my company EV and exchange 2003 server.  Need everybody help to see whether this is workable solution.

My Production Site:

2 units of windows 2003 Domain controller
2 Exchange 2003 with 600 users
1 Exchagne 2003 front end server
1 EV 2007 server

DR site
1 Windows 2003 DC
2 Exchange 2003 server
1 Exchagne 2003 front end server


I am currently using CA Xosoft to replicate exchange 2003 database from production to DR site without any problem.  When DR drill, i will use CA Xosoft switch over users to DR exchange 2003. CA Xosoft use DNS redirection to redirect client traffic to DR exchange server.

I plan to use CA Xosoft to replicate EV SQL database and EV related file to DR EV server.  However I dont know how to link DR EV with DR exchange 2003 server.  Because DR EV and exchange 2003 is different computer name with production server.  Can this be done?

Anybody have other idea please share with me how to DR for EV and exchange server together at DR site?

Lum

[Mouse]

The most common technique for the DR and clustering is the retention of hostname, which can be achieved by any clustering software.
If I understood you correctly, you have only replication software, not cluster software, right? In this case you cannot guarantee the consistency of your EV databases/vault stores just because your replicator isn't aware of link between them.
I'd like to say that only two clusters are supported for the EV clustering - Microsoft Cluster Server and Veritas Cluster Server. But both of them will not help you with the replacement of hostname of your Exchange server in case of DR - this still will be a manual operation

[Lum_Guan_Yuan]

Hi Mouse,

Yes, Xosoft only replicate the databae.  Xosoft not a cluster software.  For exchange server I did test the DR using xosoft and it work fine. 

For EV, although I can use Xosoft to replicate sql databae and require file to DR server.  SQL database is mounted without any error.  However I dont know how DR EV and link to DR exchange server?  Using manual way, that mean i re-setup EV in DR EV server and use back production Databae and Index file, can this be done?

Thanks
Lum

[Mouse]

Just think about this another way. Your DR Exchange has another hostname, so in order to make your DR EV work with this DR Exchange server, you just need to change references in your DNS like an alias for EV.

[Liam_Finn1]

 I think using the Building Blocks DR solution for EV will solve your issues. This in combination with Xosoft should work

[CA_XOsoft]

Hello Lum,

My name is Chris Crocker, Director of Global Best Practices for CA's Recovery Management and Data Modelling business unit.  I saw your posting here and would like to assist you with getting the answers and information you need.

CA XOsoft works with a variety of message archiving solutions.  Typically most message archiving solutions use Exchange journalling and store the archived messages in a SQL DB on an external host, while retaining a stub entry in the Exchange information store.  When the Exchange server is failed over to its DR replica, usually DNS redirection is used, and the homemdbstore location within AD is updated to reflect that the replica is the active host.  A back end SQL DB server for a message archiving solution should be able to recognize the replica is active due to the DNS redirection that occured.   

In your messages above you refer to CA XOsoft DR, you may want to consider using CA XOsoft "HA" as your scenario type for Exchange or SQL.  The HA functionality handles the failover process more efficiently as it will manage the DNS Redirection and AD updates that are necessary in an automated or push button fashion.  This offers a more seamless approach.

If you have concerns, or additional questions, please contact me directly at the email below.  I would gladly assist you by getting your concerns or questions addressed properly by one of our XOsoft engineers.  I am confident we can provide you the knowlege to succeed.

Thank you for using CA XOsoft!  I look forward to hearing from you.

Regards,

-Chris

Christopher J. Crocker
Director, Global Best Practices
Recovery Management Bus. Unit
CA

christopher.crocker@ca.com