ACTUALIZADO: Ferramentas de migração Lotus Notes

A Microsoft actualizou recentemente as suas ferramentas de migração de Lotus Notes:

• Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 Migration Wizard for Lotus Notes v06.05.8067 - The Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 Migration Wizard for Lotus Notes supports the migration of Lotus Domino R5 and R6 mailboxes and associated Domino directory information to Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 and Windows Server 2003 Active Directory. This tool replaces the Migration Wizard that ships with Exchange Server 2003 (including SP2), and includes improved retention of contents and Unicode characters during the migration from Domino to Exchange Server 2003.
• Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 Connector for Lotus Notes v06.05.8067 - The Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 Connector for Lotus Notes supports messaging and calendaring interoperability between Lotus Domino R5/R6 and Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 and Windows Server 2003 Active Directory. This tool replaces the Connector that ships with Exchange Server 2003 (including SP2), and includes several updates to support better message fidelity when routing email between Exchange and Domino, support of iNotes and Domino Web Access clients, enhanced Unicode support and reliability.
• Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 Calendar Connector for Lotus Notes v06.05.8067 - The Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 Calendar Connector for Lotus Notes supports the sharing of calendar free/busy schedules between Lotus Domino R5 and R6 and Exchange Server 2003. This tool replaces the Calendar Connector that ships with Exchange Server 2003 (including SP2), and is designed to be used with the Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 Connector.

Exchange Server Remote Connectivity Analyzer

Não se trata propriamente de notícias frescas, esta ferramenta já está disponível há algum tempo, mas era apenas um protótipo. Agora que entrou finalmente em Beta, resolvi blogar sobre o assunto.

Shawn McGrath do Exchange Product Group e Brad Hughes dos Product Support Services criaram uma ferramenta Web chamada Exchange Server Remote Connectivity Analyzer (Ex­RCA), que pode ser bastante útil na validação das ligações remotas que qualquer servidor de Exchange deve disponibilizar:

• Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync Test
  This test will simulate the steps a mobile device uses to connect to an Exchange Server using Exchange ActiveSync.
• Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync AutoDiscover Test
  This test will walk through the steps a Windows Mobile 6.1 device (or another AirSync licensed device) uses to connect to the AutoDiscover Service
• Microsoft Office Outlook 2007 AutoDiscover Connectivity Test
  This test will walk through the steps Microsoft Office Outlook 2007 uses to connect to AutoDiscover
• Microsoft Office Outlook 2003 RPC/HTTP Connectivity Test
  This test will walk through the steps Microsoft Office Outlook 2003 uses to connect via RPC/HTTP
• Inbound SMTP Email Test
  This test will walk through the steps an Internet e-mail server uses to send inbound SMTP email to your domain

Anderson Patricio, MVP de Exchange, escreveu um tutorial sobre a utilização desta ferramenta:

• Using the Exchange Server Remote Connectivity Analyzer Tool (Part 1)
• Using the Exchange Server Remote Connectivity Analyzer Tool (Part 2)

Exchange Server 2007 Mailbox Server Storage Cost Calculator v4.0

A equipa de Exchange da Microsoft actualizou recentemente o Exchange Server 2007 Mailbox Server Storage Cost Calculator.

De acordo com o post no blog You Had Me At EHLO, estas são as principais novidades:

• We introduced the capability for you to select the type of backup solution you want to utilize when analyzing the cost of various disk configurations.  You can now choose either VSS Clone, VSS Snapshot, or disable the feature all together.  We also adjusted the language to recommend usage of VSS clones or a solution that can guarantee fast recovery (3 minutes + log replay) in the event that you choose to deploy large mailboxes without continuous replication.
• We allow you to choose as to whether you want to price things out on an individual component perspective (e.g. disk cost) or from an entire solution cost.
• We allow you to enter in the number of storage enclosures and storage controllers, their relevant costs and power consumption as well.
• We simplified the SCC vs. CCR tab.

Para informações detalhadas de utilização da ferramenta, leiam este post.

Exchange Server 2007 Mailbox Server Storage Cost Calculator

Ora aqui está mais uma grande ferramenta disponibilizada pela equipa do Microsoft Exchange: Exchange Server 2007 Mailbox Server Storage Cost Calculator.

Deixo-vos aqui um pequeno excerto tirado do post no blog You Had Me At EHLO:

In order to move forward with various designs like large mailboxes, IT departments need to understand one of the chief costs associated with Exchange mailbox servers, namely storage. To that end, the Exchange 2007 Mailbox Storage Cost Calculator is designed to help you determine a portion of the mailbox server cost, namely the disk cost (purchase price and lifecycle power and cooling costs). The calculator helps in two ways:

1. The calculator takes a series compares a series of storage design configurations and determines their respective costs. The underlying goal here is two-fold:
   1. To show that you can achieve the same capacity and I/O requirements utilizing Small Form Factor SAS disks for relatively the same cost as Large Form Factor FC disks.
   2. To show that there are other disk solutions (e.g., SATA) that can be viable and reduce the disk footprint cost.
2. In the situation where you are unsure whether you want to deploy Single Copy Clusters (SCC) or Cluster Continuous Replication (CCR), the calculator can compare SCC+SAN disk configurations against CCR+DAS disk configurations from a cost perspective.

Hopefully these measurements will show the value from a cost perspective in considering other disk designs, coupled with large mailboxes and continuous replication.

Mailbox Server Role Storage Requirements Calculator v16.0

O Ross Smith IV anunciou no Microsoft Exchange Team Blog que a ferramenta Mailbox Server Role Storage Requirements Calculator foi actualizada para a versão 16.0.

De acordo com a página de updates no blog You Had Me At EHLO, estas são as correcções/melhorias:

• The changes introduced in v15.6 in the Storage Design worksheet introduced a logic error where the recommended RAID Configuration / Server would recommend a null configuration when you selected "--" for the database disk type in Configuration 3.  This has been corrected to ensure that only enabled disk configurations are considered when making a recommendation.
• Validation logic was added to the custom database size input factor to remind you that you need to enter in a value greater than 0.
• Fixed various input factor comments.
• Fixed RAID-0 calculations for the database and log configuration options 2 and 3.  In previous releases, the RAID-0 values for these configurations were utilizing the RAID-1/0 data points.
• Updated the backup and restore rate input factors to indicate that these only apply for steaming backup calculations.  Also added validation logic to disable the input options when VSS backup methodologies are chosen.
• Fixed the streaming backup rate calculations to include all transaction logs generated in a day (user generation + move mailbox).  Previous releases only considered user log generation.
• Updated the text and note for the "Additional I/O Requirement" field to indicate that the input value is per mailbox server.
• Added streaming restore calculations for both full database restore and incremental / differential backup restore to the Backup requirements worksheet.
• Added the following note to the Storage Design worksheet - Important: This tool should only be used for storage modeling purposes.  Please consult with the storage vendor regarding storage design and follow recommended storage design testing processes.  The example configuration provided within this calculator is just that, an example, and as such, each input option needs to be evaluated as to how it will affect your design.

Para obter instruções detalhadas sobre a utilização da ferramenta, consultem Exchange 2007 Mailbox Server Role Storage Requirements Calculator.

Exchange Server ActiveSync Web Administration Tool v08.01.0240.006

A Microsoft Exchange Server ActiveSync Web Administration Tool v08.01.0240.006 está disponível para download.

Overview
The Microsoft Exchange Server ActiveSync Web Administration tool enables administrators to manage the process of remotely erasing lost, stolen, or otherwise compromised mobile devices.

By using the Exchange Server ActiveSync Web Administration tool, administrators can perform the following actions:
• View a list of all devices that are being used by any enterprise user
• Select/De-select devices to be remotely erased
• View the status of pending remote erase requests for each device
• View a transaction log that indicates which administrators have issued remote erase commands, in addition to the devices those commands pertained to

The Microsoft Exchange Server ActiveSync Web Administration Tool is designed for use with Exchange Server 2003 Service Pack 2 and Exchange Server 2007 RTM and SP1 and compatible mobile devices.

Download Guidance
There are three versions of the Exchange Server ActiveSync Web Adminstration Tool that you may download depending on the version of Exchange deployed in your organization.

First, for Exchange Server 2003 SP2 only deployments, please select the downloadable file named "MobileAdmin (Ex2003).exe".

Second, for Exchange Server 2007 only or mixed Exchange environments (Exchange Server 2007 and 2003 SP2) where this tool will be installed on a 32-bit Windows Operating System, please select the downloadable file named "MobileAdmin (32-bit).msi".

Third, for Exchange deployments similiar to the second deployment scenario above, but this tool will be installed on a 64bit Windows Operating System, please select the downloadable file named "MobileAdmin.msi".

Email Prioritizer - como gerir a sobrecarga de email

Os Microsoft Office Labs lançaram recentemente um protótipo de uma ferramenta que permite gerir a sobrecarga de correio electrónico: Email Prioritizer.

"Email Prioritizer is a plug-in for Microsoft Office Outlook 2007 (running on Exchange Server) that helps you manage email overload. This concept test provides a “do not disturb” button that temporarily pauses new email arrival, and prioritizes email with a 0-3 star rating system. We hope this prototype helps you focus on the emails that are most important to you."

Requisitos: Esta ferramenta requer o Outlook 2007 e uma conta Exchange Server.

Links Relacionados:

• FAQ
• Microsoft prototype judges e-mail's importance
• Microsoft experimenting with a pause button for incoming e-mail

Exchange 2007 Mailbox Server Role Storage Requirements Calculator v15.6

O Ross Smith IV anunciou no Microsoft Exchange Team Blog que a ferramenta Exchange 2007 Mailbox Server Role Storage Requirements Calculator v15.6 foi disponibilizada publicamente.

De acordo com a página de updates no blog You Had Me At EHLO, as principais alterações têm a ver com correcção de bugs e incluem também alguns melhoramentos.

Para obter instruções detalhadas sobre a utilização da ferramenta, consultem Exchange 2007 Mailbox Server Role Storage Requirements Calculator.

Exchange 2003 Powerpack for PowerGUI

Esta dica obtive-a no site Pro-Exchange: o Exchange 2003 Powerpack for PowerGUI está disponível para download.

O autor desta fantástica ferramenta, Jonathan Medd, decidiu que já era tempo de poder administrar o Exchange Server 2003 com o PowerShell!

"Since I'm not lucky enough to work with Exchange 2007 yet and the fact that I seem to be able to use Powershell for pretty much everything else I need to do I decided to make a stab at an Exchange 2003 powerpack so that I could use Powershell easily to manage Exchange 2003."

Dmitry Sotnikov escreve:

"His powerpack for Exchange 2003 has 53 (!) different nodes/links/ actions exposing features ranging from mailbox and server management to address books and message queues.

And because this is a PowerGUI pack, you can see all the PowerShell code behind each and every item by just clicking the PowerShell Code tab, or even tweak the things a bit by going into the Properties."

Do que é que estão à espera?

Exchange 2003 System Manager for Windows Vista

Embora seja possível instalar no Windows Vista as ferramentas de gestão remota do Exchange Server 2007 desde o lançamento do Service Pack 1, ainda não era possível, até hoje, a instalação do Exchange 2003 System Manager no mesmo sistema operativo.

A partir de hoje, quem quiser administrar o Exchange Server 2003 a partir do seu desktop com Vista, já pode fazer download do Exchange System Manager for Windows Vista.

Brief Description
Exchange System Manager for Exchange Server 2003 running on the Windows Vista operating system

Overview
This download will allow installing and operating the Exchange System Manager for Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 on Windows Vista OS

Queiram por favor ler com atenção as Release Notes que acompanham este software, pois, entre outras coisas, estão lá especificados os pré-requisitos:

• Must be run on a computer in a domain that has Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 (SP2) installed.
• Must be installed on Windows Vista or Windows Vista Service Pack 1 (SP1).
• The following must be installed by a user who has Administrative rights. Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1 Administration Tools Pack or Windows Server 2003 R2 Administration Tools Pack (x86). We recommend installing R2.
• Windows Server 2008 is not supported.

Exchange Server 2007 MP for OpsMgr 2007 v6.0.6363.0

O recentemente (re)lançado Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 Management Pack for System Center Operations Manager 2007 sofreu uma pequena actualização para a versão 6.0.6363.0.

Overview
The Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 management pack is designed to be used for monitoring Exchange 2007 events, collecting Exchange component-specific performance counters in one central location, and for raising alerts for operator intervention as necessary. By detecting, sending alerts, and automatically responding to critical events, this management pack helps indicate, correct, and prevent possible service outages or configuration problems, allowing you to proactively manage Exchange servers and identify issues before they become critical. The management pack monitors and provides alerts for automatic notification of events indicating service outages, performance degradation, health monitoring, and centralized management.
This Management Pack requires Operations Manager 2007 Service Pack 1.
This Management Pack requires the Operations Manager 2007 updates specified in Knowledge Base articles 950853, 951979 and 951380 (see the Management Pack Guide for details).

Release History:

• 10/12/2007 - Original Release, version 6.0.5000.0
• 6/22/2008 - Updated Release, version 6.0.6278.12
• 7/24/2008 - Updated Release, version 6.0.6363.0

Exchange Server Jetstress Tool v08.02.0060

Uma nova actualização (v08.02.0060) da ferramenta Microsoft Exchange Server Jetstress Tool está disponível para download:

• Microsoft Exchange Server Jetstress Tool (32 bit)
• Microsoft Exchange Server Jetstress Tool (64 bit)

Brief Description
Simulate disk I/O load on a test server running Exchange to verify the performance and stability of your disk subsystem before putting your server into a production environment.

Overview
Use Jetstress to verify the performance and stability of a disk subsystem prior to putting an Exchange server into production. Jetstress helps verify disk performance by simulating Exchange disk Input/Output (I/O) load. Specifically, Jetstress simulates the Exchange database and log file loads produced by a specific number of users. You use Performance Monitor, Event Viewer, and ESEUTIL in conjunction with Jetstress to verify that your disk subsystem meets or exceeds the performance criteria you establish. After a successful completion of the Jetstress Disk Performance and Stress Tests in a non-production environment, you will have ensured that your Exchange disk subsystem is adequately sized (in terms of performance criteria you establish) for the user count and user profiles you have established. It is highly recommended that the Jetstress user read through the tool documentation before using the tool.
Jetstress 2007 (08.02.0060) Updates: Configuration files and databases created with 08.01.0177 release of Jetstress will not work with version 08.02.0060 . A new configuration file and new databases must be created when using the 08.02.0060 release.

Ferramenta grátis de monitorização do Exchange

A SolarWinds disponibilizou recentemente uma ferramenta grátis de monitorização do Exchange.

"SolarWinds free Exchange Monitor is a clever desktop dashboard that continuously monitors Microsoft Exchange to deliver real-time insight into Exchange services, mail queue sizes, and host server health.

SolarWinds free Exchange Monitor makes it easy to:

• Quickly identify and troubleshoot Exchange server problems, preventing email delays and calendaring issues
• Spot growing mail queues that can indicate bigger issues, like transport failures, Internet connection failures, and virus activity
• Leverage out-of-the-box settings based on best practices to start monitoring Exchange immediately
• Prevent performance issues before they impact users with built-in red, yellow, and green health indicators
• Monitor critical server health indicators, including disk space, CPU utilization, and memory utilization to ensure optimal hardware functionality."

Este é o aspecto da ferramenta:

Na primeira vez que corremos a ferramenta aparece uma janela para definição dos limites dos alertas e quais os serviços a monitorizar:

Links relacionados:

• Sneak Peak - New Free Tool for Monitoring Microsoft Exchange Servers
• SolarWinds Marks First Year of Growing User Community Site with Release of Free Microsoft Exchange Monitoring Tool

Exchange 2007 Mailbox Server Role Storage Requirements Calculator v14.7

O Ross Smith IV anunciou no Microsoft Exchange Team Blog que a ferramenta Exchange 2007 Mailbox Server Role Storage Requirements Calculator v14.7 foi disponibilizada publicamente e que esta versão contém grandes modificações.

De acordo com a página de updates no blog You Had Me At EHLO, algumas das novas funcionalidades são:

• Usability enhancements 
• New Storage Design worksheet 
• Bug fixes

Para obter instruções detalhadas sobre a utilização da ferramenta, consultem Exchange 2007 Mailbox Server Role Storage Requirements Calculator.

Mailbox Size GUI Script for Exchange 2007

No seguimento do meu post de ontem sobre uma ferramenta gráfica, gostaria de voltar ao assunto, anunciando a mais recente contribuição do Glen Scales: Version 5 of the Mailbox Size Gui Script for Exchange 2007 (clique na imagem para aumentar).

No velhinho Exchange 2003 System Manager era realmente fácil obter uma lista de todas as mailboxes e o respectivo tamanho. Esta é sem dúvida uma das funcionalidades que os messaging administrators por esse Mundo fora mais sentem falta na consola de administração do Exchange Server 2007.

Claro que para os viciados em PowerShell, esta é uma tarerfa básica (consultem este post do Devin Ganger ou este outro no site dos ExchangeNinjas), mas para quem prefere ferramentas gráficas (como eu), esta ferramenta do Glen é uma verdadeira pérola.

Exchange Server Error Code Look-up

A Microsoft disponibilizou uma versão actualizada (v6.0.4011.0) da ferramenta Exchange Server Error Code Look-up.

Overview
Use the Error Code Lookup tool to determine error values from decimal and hexadecimal error codes in Microsoft Windows® operating systems. The tool can look up one or more values at a time. All values on the command line will be looked up in Exchange’s internal tables and presented to you. If available, informational data associated with the value or values will also be shown.

Aqui ficam 2 exemplos do output desta ferramenta:

C:\temp\Err>err 0x8004010f
# for hex 0x8004010f / decimal -2147221233 :
  ecNotFound                                     ec.h
  ecAttachNotFound                               ec.h
  ecUnknownRecip                                 ec.h
  ecPropNotExistent                              ec.h
  MAPI_E_NOT_FOUND                         mapicode.h
# 5 matches found for "0x8004010f"

C:\temp\Err>Err.exe -528
# for decimal -528 / hex 0xfffffdf0 :
  JET_errMissingLogFile                     esent98.h
# /* Current log file missing */
# 1 matches found for "-528"

O site TechRepublic tem um excelente artigo sobre esta matéria: Quickly identify problems using the Exchange Error Code Look-up tool.

PowerShell Scriptomatic

Conhecem o Scriptomatic, a ferramenta que escreve scripts de WMI? É que existe uma nova versão da mesma, Windows PowerShell Scriptomatic, que tem as mesmas funcionalidades, mas em que o resultado são scripts de PowerShell.

Agora já podem utilizar mais frequentemente o WMI para gerir o Exchange Server.

Overview
A new utility that writes Windows PowerShell scripts that harness the power of WMI (Windows Instrumentation Management) for use in system management and administration. This tool was created by Microsoft consultant and author Ed Wilson.

System Requirements

• Supported Operating Systems: Windows Server 2003; Windows Server 2008; Windows Vista; Windows XP
• Requires Windows PowerShell 1.0 or later to run the scripts created by the Scriptomatic.

Exchange Server 2007 Management Tools (32-Bit)

Embora o Exchange Server 2007 só seja suportado em plataformas de 64 bit, isso não quer dizer que não possa ser gerido a partir de sistemas operativos de 32 bit (incluindo Vista!). Para tal, é apenas necessário utilizar as Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 Management Tools (32-Bit), que foram recentemente actualizadas para a versão 685.25.

Brief Description
Exchange Server 2007 is a native 64-bit application that includes 64-bit management tools. You can use the management tools to administer your Exchange Server environment remotely. If the remote computer is running a 32-bit operating system, you will need to download the 32-bit management tools.

Overview
The Exchange management tools include the Exchange Management Console, the Exchange Management Shell, the Exchange Help file, the Microsoft Exchange Best Practices Analyzer Tool, and the Exchange Troubleshooting Assistant Tool.
The new Exchange Management Console (formerly named Exchange System Manager) provides Exchange administrators with a graphical user interface (GUI) to manage the configuration of Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 organizations. For more information about the improvements to the Exchange Management Console, see New Administration Functionality in the Exchange Management Console.
The Exchange Management Shell is a new Exchange-specific command-line interface based on Microsoft Windows PowerShell, formerly codenamed “Monad”. You can use the Exchange Management Shell to run a single command or a series of multiple commands for managing your Exchange Server 2007 servers and objects. For more information about the Exchange Management Shell, see Using the Exchange Management Shell.

ActiveSync IIS Log Tool (GUI)

O Glen Scales desenvolveu uma ferramenta gráfica para extrair informação dos logs de IIS referente ao tráfego ActiveSync.

O aspecto desta ferramenta desenvolvida em PowerShell é o seguinte:

Para fazer download do código e para saber mais informações, leiam por favor ActiveSync IIS Log Tool / Powershell GUI Version 1.

Mailbox Server Role Storage Requirements Calculator - v13.7

A equipa de Exchange da Microsoft acaba de disponibilizar a Mailbox Server Role Storage Requirements Calculator - v13.7. Esta folha de Excel é absolutamente fundamental para dimensionar o storage de servidores Exchange 2007 com o papel de Mailbox.

De acordo com o post no blog the You Had Me At EHLO, algumas das novas funcionalidades são:

• Projected Number of Mailboxes Growth
• Network Failure Tolerance
• Multiple Mailbox Server Support

Para uma lista completa das actualizações, consultem Updates to the Mailbox Server Role Storage Requirements Calculator.

Para obter instruções detalhadas sobre a utilização da ferramenta, consultem Exchange 2007 Mailbox Server Role Storage Requirements Calculator.