subject: exchange

Exchange 2007 Whitepapers

2008-07-15T17:03:13Z

Microsoft released recently a couple of Exchange Server 2007 technical whitepapers:

White Paper: Continuous Replication Deep Dive - This white paper provides the technical details for a technology in Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 called continuous replication.
White Paper: Planning for Large Mailboxes with Exchange 2007 - This white paper provides an overview of the benefits of deploying large mailboxes with Microsoft Exchange Server 2007. It also provides planning guidance to help you successfully implement the deployment of large mailboxes.

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Exchange Server Jetstress Tool v08.02.0060

2008-07-15T09:09:23Z

The Microsoft Exchange Server Jetstress Tool v08.02.0060 is available to download:

Brief Description
Simulate disk I/O load on a test server running Exchange to verify the performance and stability of your disk subsystem before putting your server into a production environment.

Overview
Use Jetstress to verify the performance and stability of a disk subsystem prior to putting an Exchange server into production. Jetstress helps verify disk performance by simulating Exchange disk Input/Output (I/O) load. Specifically, Jetstress simulates the Exchange database and log file loads produced by a specific number of users. You use Performance Monitor, Event Viewer, and ESEUTIL in conjunction with Jetstress to verify that your disk subsystem meets or exceeds the performance criteria you establish. After a successful completion of the Jetstress Disk Performance and Stress Tests in a non-production environment, you will have ensured that your Exchange disk subsystem is adequately sized (in terms of performance criteria you establish) for the user count and user profiles you have established. It is highly recommended that the Jetstress user read through the tool documentation before using the tool.
Jetstress 2007 (08.02.0060) Updates: Configuration files and databases created with 08.01.0177 release of Jetstress will not work with version 08.02.0060 . A new configuration file and new databases must be created when using the 08.02.0060 release.

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Weekend reading

2008-07-12T16:41:30Z

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Update Rollup 3 for Exchange Server 2007 SP1 and Update Rollup 7 for Exchange Server 2007 RTM

2008-07-08T18:34:30Z

Microsoft has released the following Update Rollups (they're supposed to be released every 2 months) for Exchange Server 2007:

Besides all the issues these Update Rollup fix, they also address the vulnerability described in Microsoft Security Bulletin MS08-039.

Update Rollup 3 for Exchange Server 2007 SP1 Overview
Update Rollup 3 for Exchange Server 2007 Service Pack 1 (SP1) resolves issues that were found in Exchange Server 2007 SP1 since the software was released. This update rollup is highly recommended for all Exchange Server 2007 SP1 customers.
For a list of changes that are included in this update rollup, see KB949870.
This update rollup does not apply to Exchange Server 2007 Release To Manufacturing (RTM). For a list of update rollups applicable to Exchange Server 2007 RTM, refer to the section Update rollups for Exchange Server 2007 RTM in the Knowledge Base article KB937052.
This is a cumulative update rollup and replaces the following:

KB945684 Update Rollup 1 for Exchange Server 2007 Service Pack 1 (KB945684)
KB948016 Update Rollup 2 for Exchange Server 2007 Service Pack 1 (KB948016)

Update Rollup 7 for Exchange Server 2007 RTM Overview
Update Rollup 7 for Exchange Server 2007 resolves issues that were found in Exchange Server 2007 since the software was released. This update rollup is highly recommended for all Exchange Server 2007 customers.
For a list of changes that are included in this update rollup, see KB953469.
This is a cumulative update rollup and replaces the following:

KB930809 Update Rollup 1 for Exchange Server 2007 (KB930809)
KB935490 Update Rollup 2 for Exchange Server 2007 (KB935490)
KB935999 Update Rollup 3 for Exchange Server 2007 (KB935999)
KB940006 Update Rollup 4 for Exchange Server 2007 (KB940006)
KB941421 Update Rollup 5 for Exchange Server 2007 (KB941421)
KB942846 Update Rollup 6 for Exchange Server 2007 (KB942846)

This update rollup does not apply to Exchange Server 2007 Service Pack (SP1). For a list of update rollups applicable to Exchange Server 2007 SP1, refer to the section Update rollups for Exchange Server 2007 Service Pack 1 in the Knowledge Base article KB937052.

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Weekend reading

2008-07-05T12:18:19Z

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TechNet Magazine - August 2008

2008-07-03T20:58:30Z

The August edition of TechNet Magazine is now available online or, if you prefer, you can download as an HTML Help .chm file for offline reading.

Since the main subject is SQL Server, there aren't very articles I would like to highlight, besides these very interesting field notes, written by R'ykandar Korra'ti: IMAP Saves the World.

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ISA Server 2006 SP1 released

2008-07-03T20:40:22Z

The Microsoft Internet Security and Acceleration (ISA) Server 2006 Service Pack 1 was finally released.

Brief Description
Microsoft® Internet Security and Acceleration (ISA) Server 2006 Service Pack 1 introduces new features and functionality to ISA Server 2006 Standard and Enterprise Editions.

Overview
The new features focus on configuration change management and enhanced troubleshooting designed to help you identify and resolve ISA Server configuration issues within the ISA Server Management console.
The service pack includes the following new features and feature improvements:

Configuration Change Tracking—Registers all configuration changes applied to ISA Server to help you assess issues that may occur as a result of these changes.
Test Button—Tests the consistency of a Web publishing rule between the published server and ISA Server.
Traffic Simulator—Simulates network traffic in accordance with specified request parameters, such as an internal user and the Web server, providing information about firewall policy rules evaluated for the request.
Diagnostic Logging Viewer—Now integrated as a tab into the ISA Server Management console, this feature displays detailed events on packet progress and provides information about handling and rule matching.

Improvements for existing features, including:

Support for integrated NLB mode in all three modes, including unicast, multicast, and multicast with Internet Group Management Protocol (IGMP). Previously, ISA Server integrated NLB-supported unicast mode only.
Support for use of server certificates containing multiple Subject Alternative Name (SAN) entries. Previously, ISA Server was able to use either only either the subject name (common name) of a server certificate, or the first entry in the SAN list.
Support for Kerberos Constrained Delegation (KCD) cross-domain authentication. Credentials from users located in a different domain than the ISA Server, but in the same forest, can now be delegated to an internal published Web site by using KCD.
Support for client certificate authentication in a workgroup deployment. This removes the requirement to map each client certificate to an Active Directory® directory user account when forms-based authentication is used as the primary authentication method and client certificates are used as the secondary method.

For more information about this service pack, see Microsoft Article 943462.
For general information about installing ISA Server updates and hotfixes, see Microsoft Article 885957.

Hey, did you notice that SAN certificates are now fully supported?

Related links:

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Weekend reading

2008-06-27T19:18:52Z

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Free eBook - Sybex's Best of Exchange Server 2007

2008-06-25T09:10:09Z

You can download this neat eBook if you register for Simple-Talk Exchange Newsletter.

"For a limited period, we've teamed up to offer you a FREE copy of "Sybex's Best of Exchange Server 2007" e-Book, comprising 10 chapters, and 350 pages of in-depth Exchange knowledge, compiled from five of Wiley's most popular Exchange 2007 books."

Table of Contents:

Mastering Exchange Server 2007 - Barry Gerber, Jim McBee

Chapter 2: Exchange Server Architecture
Chapter 6: Scaling Upward and Outward

Exchange Server 2007 Infrastructure Design: A Service-Oriented Approach - David W. Tschanz

Chapter 4: Applying Planning Principles to Exchange Sever 2007

Exchange Server 2007 Implementation & Administration - Jim McBee, Benjamin Craig

Chapter 2: Exchange Server Administration
Chapter 4: Installing Exchange Server 2007
Chapter 12: Sizing Storage Groups and Databases

MCITP: Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 Messaging, Design and Deployment Study Guide (Exams 70-237 & 70-238) - Rawlinson Rivera

Chapter 5: Defining Policies and Security Procedures
Chapter 10: Planning a Backup and Recovery Solution for Exchange Server 2007
Chapter 15: Planning Exchange Server 2007 Security

MCTS: Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 Configuration Study Guide (Exam 70-236) - Will Schmied, Kevin Miller

Chapter 10: Creating, Managing Highly Available Exchange Server Solutions

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Updated Exchange Server 2007 MP for OpsMgr 2007

2008-06-23T08:07:11Z

The long awaited updated version (v6.0.6278.12) of the Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 Management Pack for System Center Operations Manager 2007 was finally released!

The MP comes with a nice technical guide with detailed instructions about its installation and configuration.

Brief Description
This management pack includes scripts and rules to effectively monitor Exchange 2007 and report on performance, availability, and reliability of its server roles.

Overview
The Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 management pack is designed to be used for monitoring Exchange 2007 events, collecting Exchange component-specific performance counters in one central location, and for raising alerts for operator intervention as necessary. By detecting, sending alerts, and automatically responding to critical events, this management pack helps indicate, correct, and prevent possible service outages or configuration problems, allowing you to proactively manage Exchange servers and identify issues before they become critical. The management pack monitors and provides alerts for automatic notification of events indicating service outages, performance degradation, health monitoring, and centralized management.
This Management Pack requires Operations Manager 2007 Service Pack 1.
This Management Pack requires the Operations Manager 2007 updates specified in Knowledge Base articles 950853, 951979 and 951380 (see the Management Pack Guide for details).

Release History:

10/9/2007 - Initial Release, version 6.0.5000.0
6/22/2007 - Updated Release, version 6.0.6278.12

List of updates:

All updates included in the 08.01.0240.001 version of the Exchange Server 2007 SP1 Management Pack for Microsoft Operations Manager 2005, except updates relating to reports.
Overrides were documented in the Management Pack Guide for the LDAP Search Time and Failure DSNs Total rules and monitors.
The management pack was updated to support the renamed performance counters in Exchange Server 2007 Service Pack 1. Performance counters for the Database object were renamed to MSExchange Database.
The management pack was updated to support non-default names of the Reporting data warehouse.
The OWA Connectivity performance view was updated to show performance data.
Fixed an issue where cluster virtual servers where discovered as type Microsoft Exchange 2007 Mailbox Servers Installation.
The Management Pack was updated so that alerts are correctly generated for events logged by physical cluster nodes in an Exchange Server 2007 cluster.
Fixed an issue where the Exchange cluster virtual servers were discovered as type Microsoft Exchange 2007 Mailbox Servers – Physical Computers Installation.
The Microsoft_Exchange_Server_Exchange_2007_Mailbox_Replication_Health_Test_ReplicationHealth_Events view was updated to target the Microsoft.Exchange.2007.Microsoft_Exchange_2007_Mailbox_Servers___Physical_Computers_ComputerGroup.
The reports were updated to support non-US locales on the Reporting Server.
The date/time picker was added to the reports, allowing for more flexibility in report scheduling.
The Failure and Delay DSNs Total monitors were updated to look for deltas. Previously, the monitors measured the averages for the sampling interval.
Fixed an issue where the cluster virtual servers were discovered as type Microsoft Exchange 2007 All Servers Installation.

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