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Creating Replication and High Availability Scenarios › Create an Exchange High Availability Scenario

Create an Exchange High Availability Scenario

Creating scenarios is covered in full detail in the Arcserve RHA Administration Guide. This section provides additional information specific to a Microsoft Exchange Server High Availability scenario. The Scenario Creation Wizard guides you through the steps required to create a high availability scenario. When completed, run your scenario to start data synchronization. Synchronization could take a while, depending on database size and network bandwidth. After synchronization completes, your high availability scenario maintains the Replica server so that it can take over for the Master the moment a failure is detected.

Read the entire procedure, including cross-referenced information, if applicable, before you proceed.

To create an Exchange Server high availability scenario

  1. From the Arcserve RHA Manager, click Scenario, New, or click the New Scenario button.
  2. When the Welcome dialog opens, select Create New Scenario and click Next.
  3. When the Select Scenario Type dialog opens, select Exchange, High Availability (HA) Scenario, and Replica Integrity Testing for Assured Recovery (optional). For more information about Assured Recovery, see the Arcserve RHA Administration Guide.
  4. When the Master and Replica hosts dialog opens, name your scenario and provide the hostname or IP address for the Master and Replica servers. If either server is an MSCS cluster, enter the cluster resource virtual server name or IP address. Click Next. For more information, see Redirection Methods.
  5. Wait for Engine Verification to complete. If needed, click Install to upgrade the Engine on one or both servers and then click Next.
  6. The Database for Replication dialog opens, listing all auto-discovered results for the specified Master. By default, all mailbox stores are included. Change selections if desired and then click Next.

    Important! If the replicated Exchange Server 2007 scenario has a copy of a public database and a role of Offline Address Book or Schedule+ Free Busy master required by Outlook 2003 and older clients, then include the public database in the replication scenario.

  7. From the Replica Configuration dialog, click Next to automatically configure Exchange on the Replica to match the Master.

    Arcserve RHA auto-configuration component verifies that the Exchange Server configuration on the Master and Replica servers are identical during the replication procedure. If there are discrepancies, Arcserve RHA performs the required actions: deletes storage groups, public folders or mailbox stores from the Replica, creates new ones and modifies existing ones. The actions performed during the configuration process are indicated in the Action column on the right.

    With Exchange Server 2010/2013, mailbox database names cannot be identical. The Replica database name is shown as <MasterName>_<XXXX>, where <XXXX> represents a random number. For Exchange Server 2013, the database name does not change during switchover.

    You can perform these auto-configuration tasks:

  8. Click Next when done.
  9. When the Scenario Properties dialog opens, configure additional properties, if needed. Click Next. For more information, see Scenario Properties or the Arcserve RHA Administration Guide.
  10. If you are running Exchange Server 2010, set the following property in the ws_rep.cfg file: ExDisableRedirectDNS=True (default setting). For more information, see the topic, Disable Redirection.
  11. Enable the DNS redirection in the following cases:
  12. The Master and Replica Properties dialog opens. Accept default settings or make the desired changes and click Next.
  13. Wait for the Switchover Properties dialog to retrieve information. Configure the desired redirection properties and click Next. For more information, see Switching Over and Switching Back.
  14. From the Switchover and Reverse Replication Initiation dialog, choose automatic or manual switchover, and automatic or manual reverse replication, as needed.

    We recommend that you do not set both options to Automatic. For more information, see Scenario Properties or the Arcserve RHA Administration Guide.

  15. Click Next to initiate scenario verification. If errors are reported, resolve them before continuing. At successful verification, click Next to complete scenario creation.
  16. Choose Run Now or Finish, as desired. Run Now starts synchronization. Finish allows you to run the scenario later. See Run the Scenario from Outside the Wizard.