DVation191
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Exchange Email High Availability
I work for a small business with a small budget. We are still running SBS 2003 in house.
The nature of our business requires high availability for our email applications. A free way that we've helped accomplish this is to use Google Apps to host our domains MX records. We then use a POP connector to download the emails and deliver them to exchange.
We do this because we only have one server running SBS 2003 and if that server goes down, we don't want email to bounce. We also only have a cable internet connection (much cheaper and faster than a T1) but that isn't always reliable. We also host our blackberry server internally, need activesync access, OWA access, OutlookAnywhere access and also require that all email is archived (regulatory reasons - we use GFI MailArchiver for this).
The POP connector has proved to be flaky at best. I've tried various programs and there's always something that doesn't work the way we want.
I need to look at options for higher availability of Exchange. I've considered looking at hosted exchange, but I can't give up all the freedom we have (blackberry server connections, archiving, full management of exchange etc). Are there any other options I should consider?
The nature of our business requires high availability for our email applications. A free way that we've helped accomplish this is to use Google Apps to host our domains MX records. We then use a POP connector to download the emails and deliver them to exchange.
We do this because we only have one server running SBS 2003 and if that server goes down, we don't want email to bounce. We also only have a cable internet connection (much cheaper and faster than a T1) but that isn't always reliable. We also host our blackberry server internally, need activesync access, OWA access, OutlookAnywhere access and also require that all email is archived (regulatory reasons - we use GFI MailArchiver for this).
The POP connector has proved to be flaky at best. I've tried various programs and there's always something that doesn't work the way we want.
I need to look at options for higher availability of Exchange. I've considered looking at hosted exchange, but I can't give up all the freedom we have (blackberry server connections, archiving, full management of exchange etc). Are there any other options I should consider?
Gladys Kerns
Not too dissimilar situation - We use Postini for our incoming mail... it filters for spam and viruses and then it's configured to SMTP relay our mail to our server if our server is online. If our server is not online then it will spool our messages and try again every 5 minutes or so. It does cost a little money, but it works perfectly. If you want you can use it for an outbound host as well.
You don't have to give up blackberry access for hosted exchange but you would probably setup your PDA's on the hosts server rather than your own BES.
some reputable hosting options:
http://www.mailstreet.com/
http://www.microsoft.com/online/exchange-hosted-services.aspx
If you want to run your own exchange server you need T1 or fractional T at least for stable internet connectivity. You can keep your cable connection and get an internet firewall that supports dual WAN's (then setup rules to route web traffic over cable modem for speed and email traffic over t1 for stability)
there are a lot of different vendors that sell this type of bandwidth so I won't bother to list. there is no cheap way to host your own Exchange server, especially if you demand high availability. Hosted solutions may be better for you depending on your size.. chances are they will support your archiving requirements.
I have used the Google Apps connector for Outlook and it is flaky. I didn't know they had one for Exchange but it may have similar issues or it may just be your bandwidth. Cable modems are generally fast but as you know the speed is variable.
some reputable hosting options:
http://www.mailstreet.com/
http://www.microsoft.com/online/exchange-hosted-services.aspx
If you want to run your own exchange server you need T1 or fractional T at least for stable internet connectivity. You can keep your cable connection and get an internet firewall that supports dual WAN's (then setup rules to route web traffic over cable modem for speed and email traffic over t1 for stability)
there are a lot of different vendors that sell this type of bandwidth so I won't bother to list. there is no cheap way to host your own Exchange server, especially if you demand high availability. Hosted solutions may be better for you depending on your size.. chances are they will support your archiving requirements.
I have used the Google Apps connector for Outlook and it is flaky. I didn't know they had one for Exchange but it may have similar issues or it may just be your bandwidth. Cable modems are generally fast but as you know the speed is variable.
Also - I just migrated from a single SBS2003 box to a Hyper-V HA Failover Cluster (two new servers and a decent iSCSI box)... so my new Exchange 2010 server sits as it's own VM without any interference and it's clustered at the HOST level meaning the server itself is completely unaware of the clustering service but the entire VM will failover given hardware issues, etc...
ASKER
Is Postini the same as Google Apps Premiere or is this a different service? Does Google have any documentation on how to set this SMTP relay/gateway up with Exchange?
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Also look at MX Logic. Regardless of what product you go with (hosted or not) you can setup MX Logic as your spam filter / DR solution. For several dollars per user per month you route your mail through this spam filter and if they detect that your mail server has gone down they will start pooling your mail until it comes back up. I have used it for years.
http://www.mxlogic.com
http://www.mxlogic.com
ASKER
After considering all options, I believe we will try the Postini option. I still haven't seen any documentation on how to set it up as an SMTP relay with Exchange though - all I can find is information that is for a full migration.
I say split evenly between otter, myself, sun, and rr since it sounds like he considered all of our suggestions while making his decision.
ASKER
I'd love to award points, but I can't say if Postini is actually the best answer without knowing if it's possible to set it up that way. I haven't been able to find any documentation on how to set this up.
If I can't find any documentation on using Postini in this way, I don't know if it's even a possible solution!
If I can't find any documentation on using Postini in this way, I don't know if it's even a possible solution!
When you say "I still haven't seen any documentation on how to set it up as an SMTP relay with Exchange though" - are you planning on using Postini to receive your mail, filter the junk and then pass on the good stuff to yourself?
Alan
Alan
Postini General Info: http://www.google.com/postini/
Configure Postini: http://www.google.com/support/a/bin/static.py?hl=en&page=guide.cs&guide=22229&topic=22392#
Contact Postini Sales: http://www.google.com/support/appsecurity/bin/request.py?contact_type=sales
Configure Postini: http://www.google.com/support/a/bin/static.py?hl=en&page=guide.cs&guide=22229&topic=22392#
Contact Postini Sales: http://www.google.com/support/appsecurity/bin/request.py?contact_type=sales
ASKER
"When you say "I still haven't seen any documentation on how to set it up as an SMTP relay with Exchange though" - are you planning on using Postini to receive your mail, filter the junk and then pass on the good stuff to yourself?" - Yes!
ASKER
Thanks for the links ob1_, but I didn't see anything in the ' Configure Postini' section that was related to how Postini mail would get forwarded to my Exchange server. Would you mind providing further clarification?
looks like you need to configure an SMTP connector in Exchange System Manager to use Postini as a smarthost: http://www.google.com/support/appsecurity/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=139138
you might try searching Postini Help for "SMTP connector"
- ob1
you might try searching Postini Help for "SMTP connector"
- ob1
Okay - if that is what you are planning on doing with Postini - that is exactly what it does and it will be fine for your purposes.
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ASKER
Awesome documentation. Thanks guys.
Am I wrong in thinking that this is just the outbound configuration, though? Setting up exchange as a smarthost will allow me to send our mail out through the postini servers, right? But how do I configure Postini to forward mail to Exchange? Or did I miss that in the instructions you posted?
Am I wrong in thinking that this is just the outbound configuration, though? Setting up exchange as a smarthost will allow me to send our mail out through the postini servers, right? But how do I configure Postini to forward mail to Exchange? Or did I miss that in the instructions you posted?
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ASKER
You guys are awesome. I really appreciate your patience and persistence.
ASKER
Thank you to all who contributed and especially those who provided the Postini documentation.