Clustering required for setting up multiple FE? 1

[M3John]

I'm in the process of setting up multiple FrontEnd and was wondering if clustering is required? I wasn't able to add more than 1 virtual SMTP configuration. Thanks for your help.

 

[xmsre]

Why would you want more than 1 SMTP virtual server on the front end? If it's owa only, you dismount the stores anyway. You can use NLB to load balance multiple frontends [for OWA], but if you also use them as your smtp bridgehead, you would have one smtp virtual server on each and use MX records to load balance.

 

[dmcse]

Hi xmsre,

Wondered whether you had any links to articles re FE Clustering for OWA...

Wouls greatly appreciate some

Thanks

 

[AndyPeck]

So you what to load balance OWA/SMTP/POP3 between 2 FE Exchange servers.

Start here

How To Set Up TCP/IP for Network Load Balancing in Windows Server 2003 :

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/323431/EN-US/

How To Configure Network Load Balancing Parameters in Windows Server 2003:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;323437

I would recommend the Multiple nic's route, I can't get the single nic setup to work the way I want it.