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disaster recovery install suggestions
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disaster recovery install suggestions - 1.Nov.2006 12:34:42 PM
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rayon
Posts: 8
Joined: 1.Nov.2006
Status: offline
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I have to create a backup plan for our exchange evirorment. We will be acquiring an off-site location where if something catastrophic were to happen our off-site(dr) location would take over.
My current evirorment uses an exchange 2003 server with a 2000 domain controller. We will have a physicall connection to our DR facility via frame connection access.
At this point i'm trying to figure out what would be a good safe idea on how to go about create a DR plan for exchange. I was thinking of having another 2k DC with a 2003 exchange server simulating our current set up. But these servers would not be 'live' they would just be in standby mode. If something were to happy it would be a matter of change a few mx records to point to the new mailserver and updating email messages via tape backups.
Any suggestions as to what procedure i should look into?
Thanks in advance.
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RE: disaster recovery install suggestions - 2.Nov.2006 12:06:23 AM
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uemurad
Posts: 5571
Joined: 7.Jan.2004
From: California, USA
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What is your SLA? How soon do you have to have the DR site operational? Restoring from tapes can take a while, and that's dependent upon how quickly you can get the tapes to the site.
You've already thought of having a tape drive there, right?
How many users do you have?
What do you mean by "procedure" to look into?
_____________________________
Regards,
Dean T. Uemura
Microsoft MVP - Exchange
exchangeguy.blogspot.com
uemurad@yahoo.com
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RE: disaster recovery install suggestions - 3.Nov.2006 9:32:35 AM
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rayon
Posts: 8
Joined: 1.Nov.2006
Status: offline
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procedure.. umm options that maybe i should look into. Yes of course the DR site will have a tape drive connected to the exchange server.
I would say have the site up within 24-48 hours prior to a disaster. We have a total of around 100 users so restoring should be that bad from tapes.
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RE: disaster recovery install suggestions - 3.Nov.2006 9:53:53 AM
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uemurad
Posts: 5571
Joined: 7.Jan.2004
From: California, USA
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First, have everything written down in detail. That includes instructions for how to get the tapes to the DR site, how to mount them, how to restore the data, how to change the MX records. In the event of a real disaster, the safety of you and your family will take priority over your company's Email.
Behind that, take steps to ensure the DR Exchange server stays in step with your production server. Whenever you make a change to the production server (patches, changes to the file structure, changes to the Exchange Organization), make sure it is documented that you also have to do the same to the DR server.
Now come the questions to consider...
Will your DR site be accessible at all times? Will it have its own DC that is connected to your live environment? How will you ensure users can connect to the DR site? How do your users connect remotely now? If done through VPN, will you have a VPN device at the DR site, and how will users direct their communications to it? If you are using OWA remotely, will you have an OWA server at the DR site? When you say your DR facility has frame connection access, does that mean a point-to-point connection from your production site? If so, how do you plan to continue if your production systems are inaccessible?
_____________________________
Regards,
Dean T. Uemura
Microsoft MVP - Exchange
exchangeguy.blogspot.com
uemurad@yahoo.com
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RE: disaster recovery install suggestions - 3.Nov.2006 12:10:10 PM
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rayon
Posts: 8
Joined: 1.Nov.2006
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Thanks Documenting will be a very important factor with this project.
Now The DR facility will have a completely different IP class different from what we have. I dont think the DR servers will be synced with the production servers. I was thinking of re-creating our current structure using the same domain using one dc and the e2k3 server (new hardware of course), i would set these devices up on a private network away from the real network. Once everything was tested (restores from tapes etc.) The devices would be transfer to the DR facility, now these servers would not be true 'standby' exchange/dc servers, i would just remotely keep up with patches/updates etc.
In the event of a disaster all mail operations would be redirected to these standby servers by changing the dns mx record to point to the new class ip.
With that being said, the DR site would only be accessed to install patches and updates and maybe an occasional restore from tape to somewhat be up to date with the current servers on the prod facility. The network on the DR would have pixes routers to re-direct traffic, i would connect to the dr e2k3 through a ssh tunnel via a linux system on the DR site and would use remote desktop.
My current users connect to OWA via a public web address to our exchange server.
So basically thats the plan i have in my head, i've yet to test it but I'd like to know if its doable or if i'm just rolling a boulder uphill.
thx!
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RE: disaster recovery install suggestions - 3.Nov.2006 2:15:26 PM
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uemurad
Posts: 5571
Joined: 7.Jan.2004
From: California, USA
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Other people might have different opinions, but if the DR-DC isn't constantly connected, how are you going to ensure that everyone can authenticate when the time comes? Are you going to have to perform a restore of that as well? If it's just another DC in the domain, then all that work will be done for you on a real-time basis.
I asked about OWA because if your main office is completely offline, will you be able to keep OWA active? Will you require another server at the DR site for OWA access to be a front-end server?
Same issue with VPN if you use it. If your only VPN access point is at your main office and inaccessible, then you've lost that connection point as well.
_____________________________
Regards,
Dean T. Uemura
Microsoft MVP - Exchange
exchangeguy.blogspot.com
uemurad@yahoo.com
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RE: disaster recovery install suggestions - 6.Nov.2006 9:38:50 AM
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rayon
Posts: 8
Joined: 1.Nov.2006
Status: offline
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Yeah there will not be a vpn link btw sites. The DR site will have its own DC and i would update it when a user is edited. Are you talking about making the DR DC a global catalog server? and that would be synced correct?
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RE: disaster recovery install suggestions - 6.Nov.2006 10:10:54 AM
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uemurad
Posts: 5571
Joined: 7.Jan.2004
From: California, USA
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What I'm trying to say is that by making the DR site just another AD remote office, you'll have to perform a lot less updates. Yes, you'll want to have a GC there in case that is the only AD site you have available.
How many sites do you have currently? Just the main office? Do you have a specific objection towards having AD automatically update the DR site?
How will you keep the passwords updated? When you create a new user, are you really going to remember to update the DR site? Are you planning to manually create the account? What happens if you make a typographical error?
You're going to have enough on your mind should turning on the DR site become necessary without having to deal with individual user issues (why won't my password work?). Also, think of the poor soul that has to handle things when the disaster occurs during your vacation.
_____________________________
Regards,
Dean T. Uemura
Microsoft MVP - Exchange
exchangeguy.blogspot.com
uemurad@yahoo.com
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RE: disaster recovery install suggestions - 6.Nov.2006 1:59:18 PM
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rayon
Posts: 8
Joined: 1.Nov.2006
Status: offline
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Very good points indeed, my whole reasoning behind the not constantly updating the dr site is mainly because of the small amount of user accounts/email currently on our envirorment. So updating a user currently happens maybe 1 a month if that. I would probably restore the DR site once a month. Another reason why i'm not thinking of keeping it 'synced' is the fact that how would i keep both locations working if both locations have the same domain name? I currently only have a DC, an e2k3 and a blackberry server, no GC. Should my DR envirorment be a GC and e2k3 and a blackberry server?
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RE: disaster recovery install suggestions - 7.Nov.2006 10:31:57 AM
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uemurad
Posts: 5571
Joined: 7.Jan.2004
From: California, USA
Status: offline
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I forgot to ask - are you using SBS? If so, you won't be able to create a second DC and will have to scrap everything I've said so far. Otherwise, I'm suggesting that you create a second DC at the DR site and that you let AD keep it current. When the time comes to activate the DR site, you'll know that that part is ready and can concentrate on restoring Exchange.
It sounds as though you've thought these things out already so I'll stop trying to convince you to change your plan.
_____________________________
Regards,
Dean T. Uemura
Microsoft MVP - Exchange
exchangeguy.blogspot.com
uemurad@yahoo.com
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RE: disaster recovery install suggestions - 7.Nov.2006 11:31:05 AM
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jchong
Posts: 2516
Joined: 1.Dec.2005
From: Centreville, Virginia
Status: offline
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Yes it would be much easier and would eliminate some potential issues if you kept the dc synched from your primary and DR site. If your Exchange went down and wanted to restore the backup to your DR site or say you just wanted to do something like a dialtone on the DR Ex server and re-home all your user's mb to the DR site, it will use your local DR DC since it's within the same site. Because your DR wasn't synched you may run into some issues or will make the whole restore more difficult to do if the DC's are synched. So at that point you would have to force replication. Also can you explain what you mean by this below? What same domain name?
>Another reason why i'm not thinking of keeping it 'synced' is the fact that how >would i keep both locations working if both locations have the same domain >name?
_____________________________
James Chong
MCSE | M+, S+, MCTS, Security+
msexchangetips.blogspot.com
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RE: disaster recovery install suggestions - 8.Nov.2006 11:28:24 AM
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rayon
Posts: 8
Joined: 1.Nov.2006
Status: offline
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I have Enterprise ed.
What I meant about the same domains was creating a DC @ the DR site without replicating. As if i was starting from scratch setting up a DC and the exchange server, i believe i would have a problem creating a dc with the same domain name as the current live DC.
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RE: disaster recovery install suggestions - 8.Nov.2006 11:42:40 AM
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rayon
Posts: 8
Joined: 1.Nov.2006
Status: offline
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Uemurad i'm going to try to follow your suggestion, i believe it would be the best thing to do in my situation. I just got to see if i can get both sites to talk, i havent yet addressed the connectivity yet for our DR site which i'll do in a month or so. Hoping that the network connectivity is straight forward i should have no problem creating a second DC to connect to the Primary DC and keep the directory synced.
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