Exchange 2007 SCC/SCR standby server

yes.
The source is a 3 node A/A/P SCC cluster.

The source is a 3 node A/A/P SCC cluster.
can the target be a standalone box having CAS/HT roles installed?
if I use the target box in the case of DR, and run the "Setup /RecoverCMS", what would happen to the CAS/HT role?

Heh now I'm a little confused.

If it was installed as an SCR target why would you run RecoverCMS on it?

In DR, if you are failing over to the SCR target then the cluster is presumably lost?

An SCR target cannot stop being an SCR target and start participating in a cluster unless you start reinstalling things. It can become an active stand-alone mailbox server (other roles as well if you wish).

Chris

Okay, I see what you're doing now.

This is the article you need:

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb691321.aspx

You wouldn't add the HT and CAS roles in this environment because...

"The reason for this is that a standalone Mailbox server has its own Mailbox server identity which must first be removed (by uninstalling Exchange) so that Setup /RecoverCMS can be run."

So, the Mailbox Role as well as the HT and CAS roles are removed during activation.

Chris

that clears my doubts about HT and CAS role
however, can the target be a passive node of a 3 node A/A/P node SCC cluster?

Only after the current mailbox instance is removed. Clean it off as an SCR target completely, then reinstall as a passive node.

In effect using the SCR instance for the database files and log files only.

Chris

for now lets forget about the standalone server.
i have a 3 node SCC cluster in datacenter 1 and a 3 node SCC cluster in datacenter 2.
i enable SCR for s storage group in datacenter 1 setting the target as the passive node of datacenter 2.
now datacenter 1 goes down.
will the passive node in datacenter 2 take over?

No, as far as I'm aware a passive node cannot be an SCR target, only a full mailbox server can be an SCR target.

Chris

the passive node will already have the mbx server role installed.
i also read on the MS site that the target can be a part of a cluster but should not hold any mailboxes.

can the SCR target be a single node cluster?

A here we go, it's stated here:

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb676502.aspx

The SCR target can be:

*  Stand-alone Mailbox server that does not have LCR enabled for any storage groups
*  A standby cluster, which is a failover cluster where the Passive Clustered Mailbox role is installed, but no clustered mailbox server (e.g., no Active Clustered Mailbox role) has been installed in the cluster

So as long as its part of another cluster and doesn't have a CMS within that cluster...

Chris

so can the passive node of the 3 node SCC cluster act as a target?

Not if it contains an active CMS. It would be the same cluster as above?

Chris

so, according to you. what does the following statement mean?
> A standby cluster, which is a failover cluster where the Passive Clustered Mailbox role is installed, but no clustered mailbox server (e.g., no Active Clustered Mailbox role) has been installed in the cluster

That you can use a Passive Cluster Node as an SCR Target. But only if the Cluster for that node doesn't contain an active Clustered Mailbox Server.

Chris

a passive node has to have an active node which would hold all the mailboxes for the EVS.
so how can one have only a passive node and not an active node unless it is a single node cluster?

It looks like the standby cluster is a single node cluster. I cannot find anything that would demonstrate multiple passive nodes for the standby cluster.

Chris

ok. it i would assume that the target has to be a standby single node cluster and not a standalone mbx server, as that would increase the recovery time because Setup /RecoverCMS switch would remove the mbx role from the standalone standby server whereas the single node cluster standby should do fine.
and also that the HT and CAS roles cannot be installed on a server that is clustered.

Yep, but then considering the reason for having the service there it probably makes sense to minimise changes during DR. In which case, removing the HT and CAS roles as well would be a bit over the top if it were installed as a standalone mailbox server.

Chris

Setup /RecoverCMS would remove the roles
then there is no point having HT/CAS on the target box as during DR they would be removed which might cause issues with the designed configuration.
so, idealy, the target should be a single mbx cluster box.
if that is the case, then why would MS issue the following statement?
"  A standby cluster, which is a failover cluster where the Passive Clustered Mailbox role is installed, but no clustered mailbox server (e.g., no Active Clustered Mailbox role) has been installed in the cluster"

can you share the "other" articles before we close this question?

thanks.

will check this and let you know by tomorrow.

No worries :)

Chris