These are the steps I followed to set up a new exchange server which will eventually replace the original exchange server.
Before installation, decide on the best partitioning strategy available with the given hardware. Raid 1 (Mirroring) should be the minimum for redundancy purposes. Raid 5 is generally not the best because of the additional work of calculating parity. Consider these options:
RAID 1 = System volume, operating system, Exchange Server binaries
RAID 1 = Pagefile
RAID 0+1 = SMTP and MTA queues
RAID 1 = Log files from one Exchange Server storage group
RAID 0+1 = Exchange Server databases from storage group
If drives are scarce, attempt to at least keep the Log files, DBs, and Pagefile on separate partitions.
Use DISKPART to create the partition that will hold the DB:
CREATE PARTITION PRIMARY ALIGN=64
See http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa995867(EXCHG.65).aspx
Install the current sever OS, Service Packs, and updates used by the organization (i.e. Server 2003, SP2)
Set Paging file to the same size as the amount of RAM installed (i.e. 2046 for 2GB RAM)
Add the following to the boot.ini file: /3GB /USERVA=3030 /BASEVIDEO
See http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa996130.aspx for 3GB and USERVA=3030
See http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=815372 for BASEVIDEO
Change video driver to Standard VGA Graphics Adapter (uses less memory)
Under Add/Remove Programs -> Windows Components -> Application Server -> IIS: Add ASP.NET, NNTP, SMTP, and World Wide Web Services.
Use Exdeploy.exe to guide you through the installation of Exchange
See http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=271e51fd-fe7d-42ad-b621-45f974ed34c0&displaylang=en
You may need Windows Support Tools and Windows Resource Kit Tools to run some of the tests. Do not skip this step.
Move the Exchange database and log files to their separate partitions. Note the information on folder permissions.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/821915
When installing Antivirus, there are some folders, files and processes that need to be excluded.
- Use wildcard for the folder Exchsrvr as it exists in several places. *\exchsrvr\*
- Same for inetsrv. *\inetsrv\*
- All files of type .CHK
- Folder c:\Windows\IIS Temporary Compressed Files\
- Processes: Cdb.exe Cidaemon.exe Store.exe Emsmta.exe Mad.exe Mssearch.exe Inetinfo.exe W3wp.exe
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/823166
Install Microsoft Update (not Windows Update) to recieve updates for Exchange as well as Windows.
Install and run Microsoft Exchange Server Jetstress to test the performance of the system before putting it into production.
If there are problems running Jetstress you may have to copy a few files to the Jetstress installation directory. First run “unlodctr ESE” from the command prompt. The program will tell you which files but do not copy the from the CD. Copy them from the currently installed exchange directory because it has the most updated files from the service packs. \Program Files\Exchsrvr\bin\
See http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555554
Replicate Public Folders
From http://support.microsoft.com/kb/822895
Find PFMigrate.wsf in Support\ExDeploy
Run Cscript pfMigrate.wsf /S:oldsrv /T:newsrv /A /SF /N:100 /F:c:\PF01.log where oldsrv is the old server with public folders, newsrv is the new server you want to replicate to, 100 is the number of folders you want to move (max), c:\PF01.log is where you want the log of the transaction to be placed.
Change the server that is responsible for creating the offline address list.
From http://support.microsoft.com/kb/822931
Start Exchange System Manager, expand Recipients, and then click the Offline Address Lists container.
In the right pane, right-click Default Offline Address List, and then click Properties.
In the Default Offline Address List Properties dialog box, the server that is going to be removed from the administrative group will be in the Offline address list server list.
Click Browse, and then type the name of the server that the replica of the Offline Address Book was added to in the “Rehome the Offline Address Book folder” section.
Click OK.
Check that the performance and configurations have all been reviewed and applied if necessary – Exchange Performance Configurations
Run Exchange Best Practices Analyzer Tool (from any workstation) and check any of the configurations it recommends.