Exchange "Hot Spare" 1

[striperstalker]

I just started a new gig and one of the first projects I've been tasked with is adding a standby Exchange machine. Of course clustering first came to mind as the best way to do this but we currently we dont have money in the budget for an additional server. We have purchased a product called Never Fail that will emulate a cluster (even though the backup box isnt the same as the production box from a hw standpoint). However, before we start using Never Fail, the powers that be want us to be able to have a 'hot spare' Exchange box that we can use in case never fail...well, fails. Is this as simple as building another Exchange server and simply adding it to the network when the primary box fails, then moving the the information stores and logs, etc? Of course I would rename it to match the current server and configure it with the same IP. Any input you have would be greatly appreciated.

 

[xmsre]

Is the point harware redundancy, or rapid recovery? The answer to this question will determine your strategy. If it's hardware redundancy, bite the bullet and go with an A/P cluster. If it's rapid recovery, buy Ontrack's Power Controls and be done with it.

 

[striperstalker]

The goal is to improve recovery times. I know that there are much better ways to achieve this i.e. clustering and 3rd party replication suites. However, like I said the posers that be want this 'hot spare' box. Thanks for the input. Has anyone out there ever attempted this?

 

[striperstalker]

Actually I misspoke, the goal is to have another Exchange box waiting in the wings in case the primary box fails. I know it's not the best way to achieve that goal but that's what they want.

 

[xmsre]

A disaster recovery install only takes 40 minutes or so. Simply a spare server would suffice. If you go this route, you'll want two. One to clone your AD, and the second as the DR box. That way you can practice the drill on a regular schedule.

The Ontrack tool allows you to extract mail from an offline backup or a damaged store, no exchange required. It's well worth the price, and saves a lot of time in a DR scenario.