Has anybody run Exchange on a VM hosted by a AD/SQL Microsoft 2012 R2 server?
I am proposing a major upgrade for one of my clients.
Up till now, we have been using a 3rd party registrar for business emails. Lately my client continues to ask for additional emails accounts to be setup - exceeding our purchased quota. I have also been pressed for synchronization on inboxes with iphones. For the time I have been configuring via IMAP. Needless to say, they have out grown this basic email package.
Yes I have considered Office 365 Business, and Premium w/ Exchange, but, I want to investigate my options in-house. I can't seem to get past that reoccurring annual charge.
We currently have a 1 Dell PE R320 running Windows Server 2012 R2 Standard. There are 13 users in the office environment, 10 out in the field. We have a 3rd party business application running off of SQL on this same server. Our system comes with the ability to created 2 VM'S, running the Server 2012 R2 Standard. I'm thinking great, I don't have to spend another 2,500 on a server, I'll use what I already have. Then I read the following on Microsoft:
• Only management software (for example, antivirus software, backup software, or virtual machine management software) can be deployed on the physical host machine. No other server-based applications (for example, Exchange, SQL Server, Active Directory, or SAP) should be installed on the host machine. The host machine should be dedicated to running guest virtual machines.
So, that is the warning. Has anybody actually tried to do this, and was successful? Am I asking for trouble running Exchange 2019 on a VM?
In the mean time, I am investigating refurbished servers to lower the cost. I am thinking MS Essentials Server 2019 which includes 25 user CAL'S (only 15 LAN users).
Any insight would be greatly appreciated!!!
Thank you
Up till now, we have been using a 3rd party registrar for business emails. Lately my client continues to ask for additional emails accounts to be setup - exceeding our purchased quota. I have also been pressed for synchronization on inboxes with iphones. For the time I have been configuring via IMAP. Needless to say, they have out grown this basic email package.
Yes I have considered Office 365 Business, and Premium w/ Exchange, but, I want to investigate my options in-house. I can't seem to get past that reoccurring annual charge.
We currently have a 1 Dell PE R320 running Windows Server 2012 R2 Standard. There are 13 users in the office environment, 10 out in the field. We have a 3rd party business application running off of SQL on this same server. Our system comes with the ability to created 2 VM'S, running the Server 2012 R2 Standard. I'm thinking great, I don't have to spend another 2,500 on a server, I'll use what I already have. Then I read the following on Microsoft:
• Only management software (for example, antivirus software, backup software, or virtual machine management software) can be deployed on the physical host machine. No other server-based applications (for example, Exchange, SQL Server, Active Directory, or SAP) should be installed on the host machine. The host machine should be dedicated to running guest virtual machines.
So, that is the warning. Has anybody actually tried to do this, and was successful? Am I asking for trouble running Exchange 2019 on a VM?
In the mean time, I am investigating refurbished servers to lower the cost. I am thinking MS Essentials Server 2019 which includes 25 user CAL'S (only 15 LAN users).
Any insight would be greatly appreciated!!!
Thank you
ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
membership
This solution is only available to members.
To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.
You maybe interested in these Articles, about Hyper-V.
https://www.experts-exchange.com/articles/13256/Some-Hyper-V-Hardware-and-Software-Best-Practices.html
https://www.experts-exchange.com/articles/31442/Practical-Hyper-V-Performance-Expectations.html
https://www.experts-exchange.com/articles/13256/Some-Hyper-V-Hardware-and-Software-Best-Practices.html
https://www.experts-exchange.com/articles/31442/Practical-Hyper-V-Performance-Expectations.html
ASKER
Hey Andrew,
That's all I needed to hear!!! Yep, I was feeling this approach can't be healthy. Thank you for confirming that truth. I also get the impression, based on your response, never enable Hyper-V within a live server OS, utilize a separate standalone bare metal Hyper-visor instead- correct?
Thank you
That's all I needed to hear!!! Yep, I was feeling this approach can't be healthy. Thank you for confirming that truth. I also get the impression, based on your response, never enable Hyper-V within a live server OS, utilize a separate standalone bare metal Hyper-visor instead- correct?
Thank you
You really need to plan a Hypervisor, specify the correct server build, CPUs, Memory, Storage.
then install server OS and Enable, and then create VMs.
VMs can solve all you problems, in terms of backup, recovery, and you should not really be installing anything else other than virtual.
Maybe it's time to advise them to purchase a new larger server, see Philips Articles above, they are top notch!!!
then install server OS and Enable, and then create VMs.
VMs can solve all you problems, in terms of backup, recovery, and you should not really be installing anything else other than virtual.
Maybe it's time to advise them to purchase a new larger server, see Philips Articles above, they are top notch!!!
SOLUTION
membership
This solution is only available to members.
To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.
ASKER
Hey Arnold,
Thanks for your quick response.
I assume your response was out of concern for a potential lack of HW resources, and that I never intended to run Exchange on the host 2012 OS build, containing SQL, hence my question regarding Exchange on a VM. I was looking to separate the two, but you are correct, I would need the hardware to support it.
I believe the safer choose is to purchase a new, or refurbished Windows server. Then run it as a member server specifically for Exchange.
I will also look into your suggested mail services.
Thank you
Thanks for your quick response.
I assume your response was out of concern for a potential lack of HW resources, and that I never intended to run Exchange on the host 2012 OS build, containing SQL, hence my question regarding Exchange on a VM. I was looking to separate the two, but you are correct, I would need the hardware to support it.
I believe the safer choose is to purchase a new, or refurbished Windows server. Then run it as a member server specifically for Exchange.
I will also look into your suggested mail services.
Thank you
Everything you have can run in A VM environment. DC/DNS/DHCP SQL app, exchange.
All can be run on a single host properly cpu/ram storage....
Sorry skipped that answer.
All can be run on a single host properly cpu/ram storage....
Sorry skipped that answer.
Regarding the MS EULA saying the host must not run non-management tasks just make a VM of the current server, test it works on a network isolated PC, wipe current system and install a clean OS copy for your hypervisor and import the original. As it involves a long downtime you may think of upgrading RAM and disk.
You probably can run SQL on the host even if illegally, you could run it on Storage Server which had similar EULA restrictions because legal software such as anti-virus and backup software sometimes has SQL embedded in it.
You probably can run SQL on the host even if illegally, you could run it on Storage Server which had similar EULA restrictions because legal software such as anti-virus and backup software sometimes has SQL embedded in it.
ASKER
Good Advice Lee,
My Dell PE R320 definitely has room to grow. I had all intentions of adding memory and Hard drives, if I were to go the VM route.
You, and Andrew are dead on as it relates to the proper planning/required knowledge base before I proceed with virtualization. I am of that same mind set, hence my start with a question in Expert Exchange. I am just working on the global picture in an effort to derive a solid solution. Then I will do all that is required to implement in a safe, secure, structured manner.
Thank you all
My Dell PE R320 definitely has room to grow. I had all intentions of adding memory and Hard drives, if I were to go the VM route.
You, and Andrew are dead on as it relates to the proper planning/required knowledge base before I proceed with virtualization. I am of that same mind set, hence my start with a question in Expert Exchange. I am just working on the global picture in an effort to derive a solid solution. Then I will do all that is required to implement in a safe, secure, structured manner.
Thank you all
Unfortunately, the first foray into virtualization is often capital intensive as commonly more complex when there is a single server environment.
If memory serves, your server is a single CPU depending on which, both SQL and Exchange are memory consumers they will take as much as you will give them.
Best option if you have a resource either a Windows 10 workstation with hyper-v or a server platform where you can download a Windows server 2019,2016 eval version to test/practice with.
Andrew has many articles on Vmware as that is what I used. Though I think he may also have for hyper-v, click on his name and search through his articles.
If memory serves, your server is a single CPU depending on which, both SQL and Exchange are memory consumers they will take as much as you will give them.
Best option if you have a resource either a Windows 10 workstation with hyper-v or a server platform where you can download a Windows server 2019,2016 eval version to test/practice with.
Andrew has many articles on Vmware as that is what I used. Though I think he may also have for hyper-v, click on his name and search through his articles.
What Microsoft is saying by the Hyper-V host should only be using that role ONLY is that if you don't you burn one of the Virtual OS licenses. This evens out the field between hyper-v, ESXI, LVM's
Look at hmailserver, mercury mail, if UNIX/Linux is an option, there are many possibilities there.
Commonly, SQL is a resource intensive. What is the storage infrastructure.
What does the SQL host do?
Backup solutions in place to preserve....