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Exchange Server 2013 - Disaster recovery Setup

Question
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Hi Team,
I am new to Exchange Server 2013 and Would like to know the detailed Procedure to setup High Availability or DR site for Exchange 2013. This would be our site -B
Current setup in Main Site- A
1. Single Forest , Single Domain in Windows 2012
2. 2x CAS servers and 2 X Mailbox Servers
Appreciate Your support to setup the High Availability replication from the start.
Regards
Ahmed123
iahmed123
All replies
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Here are the highlights for HA.
Determine a third site in which to locate the file share witness server or identify an existing server in a third site. This site must have independent network connectivity to each of the two Exchange sites.
Build exactly two mailbox servers in Site-B. Microsoft's Preferred Architecture calls for you to install both the CAS and Mailbox roles on these servers unless you have some compelling reason for separating the CAS role (such as using NLB, which I wouldn't recommend you use, by the way).
Deploy some flavor of geographic load balancing so that if one site fails, traffic is routed to the other site.
For DR, all you need is a minimum of one server in the other site that has a copy of all databases.
Ed Crowley MVP "There are seldom good technological solutions to behavioral problems."
Celebrating 20 years of providing Exchange peer support!- Edited by Ed CrowleyMVP, Moderator Friday, May 3, 2019 6:15 PM
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Dear Ed/Team,
Thanks for the reply.
Can I use Witness server which is in main Site while Configure in DR setup?
I am planning to build 1x CAS Server and 1 X mail box Servers at Site-B ( Dr-Site) and load balance the traffic with F5.
Is there a Link/ video where it detailed to install, configure the CAS and Mailbox server and replicate the database
Appreciate your support.
iahmed123
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Hi iahmed123,
For more details about Exchange 2013 DR site design, you could refer to the following articles:
Exchange 2013 DAG: Datacenter Failover and Disaster Recovery
Regards,
Kelvin Deng
Please remember to mark the replies as answers if they helped. If you have feedback for TechNet Subscriber Support, contact tnsf@microsoft.com.
Click here to learn more. Visit the dedicated forum to share, explore and talk to experts about Microsoft Teams.- Edited by ThinkCenterMicrosoft contingent staff Monday, May 6, 2019 8:43 AM
- Proposed as answer by ThinkCenterMicrosoft contingent staff Wednesday, May 8, 2019 5:53 AM
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Hi iahmed123,
I am writing here to confirm with you how the thing going now?
If the above suggestion helps, please be free to mark it as an answer for helping more people.
Regards,
Kelvin DengPlease remember to mark the replies as answers if they helped. If you have feedback for TechNet Subscriber Support, contact tnsf@microsoft.com.
Click here to learn more. Visit the dedicated forum to share, explore and talk to experts about Microsoft Teams. -
Hi Kelvin,
This is slight confusing. the below link says I can Use 3 Node DAG ( 2x mailbox in HQ and 1x mailbox in DR) using Dynamic Quorum and it can support 2 nodes failure at the same time
http://techgenix.com/exchange-2013-dag-dynamic-quorum-part2/
Some says, the best practice is to use (2x mailbox in HQ and 2x mailbox in DR) for Active/Active configuration.
My requirement is , if the Exchange is down at the HQ site , the Traffic should be automatically routed to DR site and the users should not face any down time, We have Ironport for SMTP and F5 for load balancing and reverse proxy. Need support for a better design.
Regards
iahmed123
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Hi Kelvin,
This is slight confusing. the below link says I can Use 3 Node DAG ( 2x mailbox in HQ and 1x mailbox in DR) using Dynamic Quorum and it can support 2 nodes failure at the same time
http://techgenix.com/exchange-2013-dag-dynamic-quorum-part2/
Some says, the best practice is to use (2x mailbox in HQ and 2x mailbox in DR) for Active/Active configuration.
My requirement is , if the Exchange is down at the HQ site , the Traffic should be automatically routed to DR site and the users should not face any down time, We have Ironport for SMTP and F5 for load balancing and reverse proxy. Need support for a better design.
Regards
iahmed123
Then, as Ed mentions, you need a 3rd datacenter for the File share Witness and an even number of MBX servers in the DAG in each Datacenter if you want automatic failover. A DR site implies manual failover, not automatic. Automatic failover means the DataCenters are peers.
- Edited by Andy DavidMVP, Moderator Saturday, May 11, 2019 7:22 PM
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Hi iahmed123,
Any update this thread now?
Regards,
Kyle Xu
Please remember to mark the replies as answers if they helped. If you have feedback for TechNet Subscriber Support, contact tnsf@microsoft.com.
Click here to learn more. Visit the dedicated forum to share, explore and talk to experts about Microsoft Teams.
- Proposed as answer by ThinkCenterMicrosoft contingent staff Tuesday, May 21, 2019 6:09 AM
- Unproposed as answer by ThinkCenterMicrosoft contingent staff Tuesday, June 4, 2019 8:20 AM
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Hi Ed,
Hope you are doing well.
Finally creating a Run book for DR Drill .
My HLD is as below
1. Main Site 2xCAS and 2 x Mail Box ( Witness share is configured on One of the CAS)
2 DR Site(B) 1 X CAS and 2 X Mailbox ( Alternate FWS will be configured on DR Domain Controller)
LTM and GTM will take care of Routing the CAS Traffic for Drill or if the main Site is down
I have the below three Scenario to test
1. Both CAS are Down at main Site
2. Both Mail Boxes are down at Main Site
3. Both CAS and MailBoxes are down at the Main site .
Please Note we do not have any third site and have to manage within these two sites to test the above scenario. However I have the flexibility to test/bring down the servers one by one which ever order which has least impact
Appreciate if you could provide the Fail over and fail back steps for the above Three scenario for me to get approved by CAB.
iahmed123
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Hi Ed,
Hope you are doing well.
Finally creating a Run book for DR Drill .
My HLD is as below
1. Main Site 2xCAS and 2 x Mail Box ( Witness share is configured on One of the CAS)
2 DR Site(B) 1 X CAS and 2 X Mailbox ( Alternate FWS will be configured on DR Domain Controller)
LTM and GTM will take care of Routing the CAS Traffic for Drill or if the main Site is down
I have the below three Scenario to test
1. Both CAS are Down at main Site
2. Both Mail Boxes are down at Main Site
3. Both CAS and MailBoxes are down at the Main site .
Please Note we do not have any third site and have to manage within these two sites to test the above scenario. However I have the flexibility to test/bring down the servers one by one which ever order which has least impact
Appreciate if you could provide the Fail over and fail back steps for the above Three scenario for me to get approved by CAB.
iahmed123
We cant provide that. You need to test those out yourself and document.
Use this as a guide