Need Help on Designing Exchange 2010 Email Solution for 4000 Users

[Maksudur Rahman]

Project Background:

I am trying to design a Exchange 2010 Email Solution with High availability feature covering a DC and DR Site for 4000 users.

The solution will implement archival and replication feature.

One FC SAN storage will be allocated for DC and also one for DR for storage consodilation that will be connected to:

Oracle Database Servers, Application Servers, E-Mail Servers , Domain Controller Servers, Web Servers, Anti-Virus Servers, Proxy Servers, Backup Servers (to be configured across DC and DR Sites)

Dark Fiber connectivity and WAN Connectivity will be established between DC and DR.

Things that I Considered for far for Designing:

I want to propose 4 Servers in DC: 2 Servers for CAS Array, HUB Array and Edge Array + 2 Servers for acting Mailbox Server(s) at DC and an identical quantity in DR.

Exchange Replication will be through 3rd Party Software to FC SAN Storage from DC and DR.

Exchange Archival will be through 3rd Party Software to FC SAN Storage in DC, later to be stored in Tape Library in DC .

I want to propose 2 Servers for acting as Mailbox Server(s) to create redundant sets of 01 Mailbox (Note: There will be 01 mailbox database to cover 4000 users (covering both head office & remote branch office users).

I want to propose 2 Servers for CAS Array, HUB Array and Edge Array for High Availability.

I want to propose 01 Hardware Network Load Balancer Device for DC and 01 for DR.

My Queries:

Query A:

Can I recommend CAS Array, HUB Array & Edge Array be configured all-together on 2 (two) servers (for higher availability of CAS,HUB and Edge)?

Query B:

Which connectivity option shall I recommend/consider in my design:

Option A: a direct connectivity of the mailbox server(s) to CAS/HUB/Edge servers through dedicated NIC Cards placed in these Servers

Option B: All servers are to connected through a Gigabit Switch?

Query C:

Where will I place the hardware NLB for load-balancing in case of Option A and Option B mentioned under Query B:

Please Help Me.

You can also reach me at my alternate email address: maksud1982@gmail.com

 

[Gavin-Zhang]

Hi Maksudur,
Per your description, it is big project, right? and you have little knowledge about the exchange server 2010, right?
I would suggest that you could turn to help from MS partner or call MS support, you will get more help and good suggestion from their, because it is difficult to describle a detailed planning for you on the forum, yet, just my suggestion, it will reduce the cost time on the planning and deployment on the project.
Query A:Can I recommend CAS Array, HUB Array & Edge Array be configured all-together on 2 (two) servers (for higher availability of CAS,HUB and Edge)?
Answer: you could install the edge server on any other cas/hub/mailbox/um server, you could install the cas and hub on one box, you also have two boxs act as a cas array, note: you just need manually configure the cas array, hub and edge server both all could achieve HA by default.
Query B:Which connectivity option shall I recommend/consider in my design:Option A: a direct connectivity of the mailbox server(s) to CAS/HUB/Edge servers through dedicated NIC Cards placed in these ServersOption B: All servers are to connected through a Gigabit Switch?
Answer: you could use a gigabit Switch connect all the servers
Query C:Where will I place the hardware NLB for load-balancing in case of Option A and Option B mentioned under Query B
A: If you use third pary LB, there are some DOC from their vender, you could according to those.
Best regards!
Gavin