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How to Build a SAN

I have just finished taking a Win2K3 Server & Win2K3 Exchange class.

I am interested in building a 3 server Exch cluster, so that I can test failover.

I have doing some research, and searching ebay for used hardware.

The problem is, I am still not sure what all I need.

Any Suggestions, again I just need the least expensive way to set it up.

Thanks
-Chris

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gjohnson99

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Chris Miller

ASKER

Thanks, I have downloaded and looked over there website.

Just to understand,

Ex:

build a 2003EE svr DC

build three 2003EE svr w/exch2003 on each

build a mem 2003EE svr
( this server to be used as the shared resource )

ALL computers are Dell 360 Precision Workstations
all have 1 each EIDE-100G
********************************************

or do I just install this software on each 2003EE svr w/exch2003
and connect them to the DC

gjohnson99

To set up iSCSI

You just plug the shared Drives in Shard resource system

Run the target software, setup each drive you want to use the as iSCSI drive (with Wintarget they must be formated as an iSCSI drive)

On your two other system run the Initiator and attach the drives to each system. When Attach they Show up as new disk drives formate them or what ever. Window cluster work fine with them. It will see them as a share Resource.

It is a very Easy setup.

Chris Miller

ASKER

Thanks, I will try to set it up

Member_2_231077

Exchange 2003 on Windows 2003 can be clustered on NAS if you just want to play and aren't worried about performance.

Chris Miller

ASKER

andyalder, have you seen this work,

according to M$ web site it wont work with a nas, besides I dont have one of those either.

Member_2_231077

I haven't set it up myself and I don't like NAS but I watched the webcast at http://support.microsoft.com/kb/838612 a couple of times and it takes away the single point of failure of the quorum drive and lets you put a decent distance between the servers without the cost of fibrechannel or iSCSI TOE cards. Exchange has been supported on NAS for a while now although you wouldn't normally do it for performance reasons. A 2003 server will do for the NAS box so you do do have one of those.

Chris Miller

ASKER

yes, how would I set up the 2003 server