Mixing EV server OS's

[Col_G]

Im just planning an upgrade to our EV infrastructure which will involve adding an second server to ease the load of the FSA archiving that we will be implementing..
Currently the first server is running 32bit W2k3...

Would i have any issues creating the additional server using 64bit W2k8 R2? - i see the supported status of this is currently partial in the support matrix however SP2 of the "vanilla" W2k8 is supported. i would guess the status will become supported when SP4 is released... anyone know if this is the case?


Cheers

[Liam_Finn1]

I have not heard if it will be fully supported in the next SP. We need to wait for it's release before we know for sure but it is a pretty good assumption that it may be supported then. As for mixing the OS on the EV servers. There should be no reason why you cant do so as long as the OS is supported


My question to you is why not upgrade the OS on the present system? You would treat it like a data only DR

Backup your data
Install W2k8
Install EV
Perform Data only DR process as outlined in the Admin guide

I have followed the Data only DR process for such upgrades and it works great

[Col_G]

Thanks for the reply!
That is a good question.. i probably will upgrade the directoryserver to 2k8 at some point in the near future.. although id probably have to test that we could restore EVS in DR in the first place ;) 

I will build this box as 2k8R2 then.. i was going to add it to the site this weekend along with an upgrade to SP3.. but i may hold off if SP4 is a couple of weeks away.

[GCSPT · Accepted solution]

HI col

P is for Pending, not partial. Which as scanner points out is probably in 8sp4 which is end of this month.

No confirmation on definate support on w2k8 wow 64 r2 for 8sp4 that I can find but there has definatly been testing on this OS with regards to EV server OS with 8sp4.

So you would have issues as IIS needs configuring diferently for this OS and have seen some issues with search and retrieval through search, twinned with that if you have both servers different OS's on same site it could cause all manner of issue.

Would suggest you talk to an account manager if you have one for planning or stick with present OS on new server and then upgarde OS software across the board.

[JesusWept3]

It has been confirmed on other threads that R2 will be supported in SP4

[Liam_Finn1]

Looks like you better wait until it is fully supported. Better safe than sorry.

in advance do verify that you can do a Data only DR recovery, it will help you with the change of OS and also it should be tested at least once or twice a year in a LAB to verify you can actually recover your environment in case of an disaster

 

[Col_G]

Ok.. thanks for everyones replies.. 

Just to confirm then, is IIS a requirement for every evs server?... the plan was to have this server just for FSA archive runs (against a netapp filer)  - apart from that, any other config would be left as-is... users would remain pointed at the primary server for mail and we currently dont use the archive explorers.

Cheers

[Liam_Finn1]

EV requires IIS so yes it is needed on any server where EV, DA or CA is installed

[GCSPT]

Sorry JW2 I realise there have been posts on this subject, including yours stating your belief that it is supported in 8sp4, I was rather looking for some internal confirmation that it will be, seeing as we are quite close to release, as opposed to public forums confirming what is released.

[Col_G]

Ok.

Based on the above, for now i will play it safe and build it as a 2k3-32 box.. i shall stick the 2k8 upgrade on the agenda for EV9 (we will be implementing exch2010 later this year)

Cheers