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best SBS 2003 install in my case ?

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best SBS 2003 install in my case ? - 6.Jun.2007 12:00:34 PM

Alex S

Posts: 10
Joined: 6.Jun.2007
From: UK
Status: offline

hi guys,

a bit of a history.

i am a small company and currently have a linux box email server that is serving us fine. i want to move to exchange for a few reasons:

1) i don't know linux but i want to control my server myself. until now i have it installed and maintained by the guy who i don't want to depend on all the time. i am more familiar with widows than linux although so far linux was running flawlessly (knocking on the wood as it is still our current mailserver).

2) i want to have an access to contacts/calendar from anywhere apart from my office (e.g. home, abroad, etc with my laptop) and i know it is easier to do with exchange.

so i purchased an SBS 2003 (not R2) from a local supplier and will be deploying it shortly. i didn't have a chance to install and configure exchange before so i would really appreciate some advices on my newbie questions below:

Q1. I understand it is not recommended to have exchange and PDC on the same machine. i read it loads the machine and adds some issues like inability of making the server a member or moving exchange out. well at least something like that. now i am a small company with only 5-7 emails - am i still recommended to have a separate machine (non pdc) for exchange ?

Q2. i also read from microsoft that i can't run outlook on the same machine with exchange for some MAPI incompatibility reasons. since outlook comes with an SBS will this be relevant ?

Q3. I have a Win2K SBS machine that i plan to use as a PDC in case if Q1 is confirmed. it is currently running an SQL application. any issues on having Win2K as a PDC and Win2003 as a member? i know that i will need to modify a registry for exchange 2003 under win2K PDC server. anything else? will the whole setup of Win2K SBS + SQL and Win2003 SBS + Exchange run fine?

Q4. since microsoft recommends 3 partitions for exchange (binnaries/logs/database), what HDD sizes are the best to go for providing i will use mirrored HDDs instead of partitions: is 36Gb/36Gb/36Gb OK ? or can i use smaller drive for the logs ?

Sorry for the bunch of queries. Ideally i would like to have all on one machine, but it seems a little dangerous in terms of backup/disaster recovers. what will be the best configuration for myself today and for the next few years to come ?

thanks a lot
Alex

< Message edited by Alex S -- 6.Jun.2007 12:06:37 PM >

Post #: 1

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RE: best SBS 2003 install in my case ? - 9.Jun.2007 2:40:46 PM

shoemakerna

Posts: 122
Joined: 3.May2007
Status: offline

alex,

i will do my best to answer some of these questions for you...

A1.) even though you are a small company, i would still recommend to host your pdc and exchange on seperate machines. #1, you will avoid the known issues involved with the two on the same box. #2, if your company begins to grow, you will need to move exchange to a seperate box anyways. might as well set it up right the first time and save the heartache later...

A2.) you are correct, you are not supposed to run outlook on your exchange server due to mapi issues. but i am not sure why outlook would come in the sbs package. i would definitely either call microsoft and ask this question prior to installation, or do not install outlook when you load the server, to prevent issues.

A3.) i would not think there would be any issues with this setup, just make sure you run /adprep, /forestprep, and then /domainprep on the pdc, and you should be fine.

A4.) this is a really hard question to answer as there are a lot of factors that could effect the outcome. the answer that i have found to this (and it helps when the company truely supports IT), always buy bigger than what you think you need. it is easier to grow into the environment than it is to start small and always be chasing problems with storage.

hope this helps!

nick

_____________________________

Nicholas Shoemaker

Systems Engineer

(in reply to Alex S)

Post #: 2