Exchange Server Pre-Deployment Analyzer

A Microsoft disponibilizou recentemente o Exchange Server Pre-Deployment Analyzer, uma ferramenta que analiza todo o ambiente de uma organização Exchange e alerta para o caso de existirem potenciais problemas que possam impedir a instalação do novo Exchange 2010.

Para mais informações, sugiro a leitura deste 2 posts:

• Quick look at the Exchange Pre-Deployment Analyzer
• Announcing the Release of the Exchange Server Pre-Deployment Analyzer

Brief Description
The Exchange Pre-Deployment Analyzer performs an overall topology readiness scan of your environment and provides you with a list of decisions that need to be made before you deploy Exchange Server 2010.

Overview
You can use the Exchange Pre-Deployment Analyzer to perform an overall topology readiness scan of your environment. When you run the Exchange Pre-Deployment Analyzer, it provides a detailed report that will alert you if there are any issues within your organization, which could prevent you from deploying Exchange 2010. For example, the Exchange Pre-Deployment Analyzer will notify you if you haven't deployed the minimum required Exchange service pack on all your existing Exchange servers.
The checks performed by ExPDA are similar to the pre-requisite checks implemented (via Exchange Best Practices Analyzer) in the Exchange 2010 Setup program; in fact ExPDA is based off the Exchange Best Practices Analyzer (ExBPA) engine. However, unlike Exchange 2010 setup, this tool focuses only on overall topology readiness and not the ability to run Exchange 2010 on the local computer. The scan also performs a deep analysis of each existing Exchange 2003/2007 server to verify that it has the necessary updates and configuration in-place to support Exchange 2010. The end report is structured as follows:

• Critical - A configuration problem that will prevent Exchange 2010 from being deployed in the organization. For example, the Active Directory Forest is not operating in Windows Server 2003 Forest Functional Mode or higher.
• Warning - A configuration item that may prevent customers having the best possible experience with Exchange 2010. A warning may also reflect some functionality that is not available in Exchange 2010.

ExPDA is another component in our vision to provide a seamless upgrade experience that reduces the complexities in deploying Exchange 2010. To start planning your upgrade, please utilize the Exchange Deployment Assistant. The Deployment Assistant allows a customer to create Exchange 2010 on-premises deployment instructions that are customized to their environment. The Assistant asks a small set of questions, and based on the answers, it provides a finite set of instructions that are designed to get a customer up and running on Exchange 2010. Running the Exchange Server Pre-Deployment Analyzer is now a recommended step within the pre-requisites section of the Deployment Assistant.

Leitura de fim-de-semana

• Is there a way to stop outbound spam attacks from inside my campus?
• What are the hardware requirements for a combined Exchange 2010 HUB/CAS role?
• Migration of Custom Prompts
• The Get-MailboxStatistics Cmdlet, the TotalitemSize Property, and that pesky little “b”
• Using the FSSMC in clustered Exchange environments
• Forefront Protection 2010 for Exchange Server 14 and RBAC
• The Look and Feel of Outlook 2010
• Microsoft Releases Key Specs for Office, Outlook
• Exchange 2007 Management Packs do not automatically monitor Exchange servers
• Combining Microsoft Exchange Web Services, Azure and Tag – Thor
• Determining the Id of a Sent Message by Using Extended Properties with the EWS Managed API
• Customizing ECP QuickLinks
• Upgrading from Exchange 2003 to 2010
• Create a folder under the Inbox if one doesn't existing using Powershell and the EWS Managed API
• Quick look at the Exchange Pre-Deployment Analyzer
• Exchange 2010 Pre-Deployment Analyzer Released…
• Installing and Configuring the Email Hygiene Solution on the TMG 2010 Firewall
• The effects of paged pool token memory usage and Outlook 2007’s shared folders feature
• Import - Export Mailboxes
• Moving Mailboxes in Exchange 2010 (Part 1)
• EWSEditor Update Coming Soon…
• How to Use the Windows Mobile 6.1 Device Emulator
• How to Securely Deploy iPhones with Exchange ActiveSync - Phase 1 - Building the CA
• How to Securely Deploy iPhones with Exchange ActiveSync - Phase 2 - Configuring ActiveSync and Active Directory
• More on Going Backup-less with Exchange 2010
• Dude, Where's My Single Instance?
• Announcing the Release of the Exchange Server Pre-Deployment Analyzer

Exchange 2010 Mailbox Server Role Requirements Calculator v4.5

Mais uma vez, o Ross Smith IV anunciou no Microsoft Exchange Team Blog que a ferramenta Mailbox Server Role Storage Requirements Calculator foi actualizada para a versão 4.5

Enhancements

There are only three improvements to the calculator in this release:

• Added the calculations to help you determine the minimum number of global catalog cores you need to deploy with your architecture.
• Added the ability to define different RAID parity settings for your Restore LUN architecture.
• Improved the calculation of the formatted capacity of a disk drive.

Bug Fixes

• The following issues were identified and addressed in this release:
• For HA solutions that chose to deploy in JBOD configuration, two fixes were made:
  • In certain scenarios, the calculator would calculate the number of mailboxes per database to be higher than the total amount of random IO available on the disk. As a result the calculator couldn't recommend a JBOD configuration. This has been corrected by rounding down the number of mailboxes per disk from an IO perspective calculation.
  • In certain situations the JBOD disk configuration isn't applicable. In past versions, the calculator would simply tell you this was because of "Insufficient Disk Capacity". This has been corrected to tell you if the insufficiency is based on disk capacity or IO capacity.
• Addressed several CPU calculation related errors:
  • Fixed the issue where #VALUE was reported in the secondary datacenter processor core ratio table when you deployed only a lagged copy in the secondary datacenter.
  • Fixed the required mailbox CPU calculations to take into account certain site resilient scenarios where neither datacenter could support a single server failure (e.g. 2 member DAG).
• Fixed an issue with the total disk count calculations with dedicated lagged copy servers as a result of rounding error.
• Fixed an issue where /DAG LUN space totals didn't take into account the 2 LUNs / Backup Set architecture.

Para obter instruções detalhadas sobre a utilização da ferramenta, consultem Exchange 2010 Mailbox Server Role Requirements Calculator.

Para fazer download da ferramenta, cliquem aqui.

Leitura de fim-de-semana

• Outlook’s Social Connect: Social isn’t AIR toys anymore!
• How can I analyze my public folder usage?
• New Whitepaper – How to protect Hyper-V with DPM 2010
• Q&A Log from TechNet Webcast: Exchange Server 2010 Upgrade and Co-existence with Exchange 2007 and 2003 (02/04/2010)
• Outlook Gets Social with LinkedIn, Facebook, and MySpace
• Microsoft Revamps Mobile Strategy with Windows Phone 7
• Exchange 2010 Site Disaster Recovery on a Dime! Part 1: Building the Solution
• OABGen with regards to public folders and backup’s
• Exchange Server 2007 May Not Warn of Active Mailboxes When Removing Databases
• Two-Member DAG in a Multi-site scenario supported?
• Digging a little deeper to look to see if a mailbox is being used with the EWS Managed API and Powershell
• Administrator Audit Logging In Exchange 2010…
• Blocking Web Beacons & HTML Forms In Outlook Web App…
• Update to Windows Server 2008 Brings Failure Behavior Change for the File Share Witness resource
• Configuring the Native Exchange 2007 MP for OpsMgr 2007 R2 (Part 4)
• Using Microsoft ForeFront Server Security Management Console (Part 1)
• Why you shouldn't use "catch all" mailboxes
• Catch All Mailboxes and the POP3 Connector
• How to Securely Deploy iPhones with Exchange ActiveSync in the Enterprise
• Call Answering Rules (Part 2): Call Answering Conditions

TechNet Magazine – Cloud Computing

A TechNet Magazine publicou uma edição especial sobre Cloud Computing.

Destaques:

• Editor's Note: Considering the Cloud Is cloud computing ready for primetime? Let us know what you think
  by Jeff James
• Cloud Computing: Clearing the Fog around Cloud Computing A Closer Look at the Windows Azure Platform and the Business Productivity Online Suite
  by Karen Forster
• Use cmdlets to Create Room and Equipment Mailboxes in Exchange 2010 Here’s what you need to know to use Exchange Management Shell to create a user account with a mailbox for a room or equipment.

Colunas:

• Toolbox: New Products for IT Professionals Greg Steen discusses free tools that can help you manage multiple systems, obtain IP address information, and create database queries
  by Greg Steen
• Windows PowerShell: Cool Pipeline Tricks Redux Take advantage of pipeline parameter binding to turn complex tasks into one-line Windows PowerShell commands
  by Don Jones
• Geek of All Trades: Extend your Applications and Data to…Everywhere! Using Remote Desktop Services (RDS) to help you keep the lights on and the servers running
  by Greg Shields
• Windows Confidential: Evolution of the File Property Timestamp Raymond offers up a detailed explanation of how different version of Windows register file timestamps
  by Raymond Chen
• Utility Spotlight: Office Web Apps This year, Microsoft brings us Office 2010 and also a new version of the Office Web Apps
  by Lance Whitney
• Exchange Queue & A: Installing Exchange 2003/2007 in an Exchange 2010 Environment Henrik answers reader email about using Exchange 2003/2007 in an Exchange 2010 environment and discusses changes that Exchange 2010 brings to cross-forest mailbox moves
  by Henrik Walther

Leitura de fim-de-semana

• Exchange 2010 Unified Messaging
• Exchange Server 2007 Mailbox Access and Mail Routing Issues in an Exchange Server 2003 Coexistence Environment
• Calls routed to Exchange 2010 Unified Messaging servers may be rejected due to URI parsing logic
• USMT, OST, and PST
• Forefront TMG 2010 Email Protection Updates
• Better IMAP in Outlook 2010
• How to change the temp location for the OAB Generation process on Exchange 2007 sp2 and Exchange 2010
• Block Users Sending to Specific Domains with Exchange Server 2007
• Block Users Sending to Specific Domains with Exchange Server 2010
• Browsing Mailbox Databases in Exchange 2007 and 2010
• Administrator Audit Logging in Exchange 2010
• Outlook Anywhere logon report powershell GUI
• FIM 2010 RC1 Update 3 supports Exchange 2010 Provisioning
• Differences between Update-Recipient cmdlet in Exchange 2007 and 2010
• Points To Note While Designing Database Availability Group…
• Exchange 2010 Public Folders Are Not Protected By DAG…
• Lagged Database Copies In Exchange 2010 DAG…
• Deploying Exchange Server 2007 and Office Communications Server 2007 R2 (Part 8)
• Exchange 2007 Mailbox Access Auditing (Part 2)
• Outlook 2003 and RPC Client Access Array Encryption
• Going Backup-less with Exchange 2010?
• What's new with Exchange 2010 languages support?
• How to recreate the legacy Exchange Virtual Directories in Exchange 2010?
• Simple Exchange server certificate management
• Microsoft Exchange 2010 Voicemail Preview well positioned with competitors

Leitura de fim-de-semana

• Exchange 2010 Upgrade Strategies Outlined in Report
• New features in Microsoft Outlook 2010
• An Exchange Server 2007 performance monitoring primer
• some autodiscover fun
• Q&A Log from Momentum Webcast: Top Five Reasons to Upgrade to Exchange Server 2010 (01/12/2010)
• Using Forefront Protection 2010 for Exchange in Hyper-V virtual environments
• Service Issue with Outlook Calendar Sharing Service
• Dude, Where's my Backup?
• What Exchange 2010 on Windows Datacenter Means
• Not-So-Common Forefront Registry Keys
• Forefront 2010 For Exchange Provides DNS Blocklist (DNSBL) Out Of The Box…
• Setting Maximum Active Databases Limit On Exchange 2010 DAG Members…
• Exchange 2007 Mailbox Access Auditing (Part 1)
• Uncovering Exchange 2010 Database Availability Groups (DAGs) (Part 3)
• Prepare Mailboxes for Cross-Forest Moves Using the PrepareMoveRequest.ps1 script in the Shell
• New Exchange 2010 Webcasts and Videos
• Triaging Exchange Performance issues related to Active Directory (AD) Performance (including Networking and DNS performance)
• Troubleshooting Exchange 2010 Management Tools startup issues
• Unified Communications Delivers a Scalable, Consolidated, and Manageable Communication Experience

Exchange 2010 Mailbox Server Role Requirements Calculator v3.5

O Ross Smith IV anunciou no Microsoft Exchange Team Blog que a ferramenta Mailbox Server Role Storage Requirements Calculator foi actualizada para a versão 3.5

Version 3.5 introduces the following fixes:

• Improved the text on the input tab with regards to the number of database copy instances you would like for both HA and lagged copies.
• Fixes an issue where in a high availability architecture the calculator may size the solution based on activating more database copies during a second server failure event than the total number of database copies deployed on the server.

Para obter instruções detalhadas sobre a utilização da ferramenta, consultem Exchange 2010 Mailbox Server Role Requirements Calculator.

Para fazer download da ferramenta, cliquem aqui.