Ok to put exchange server on PDC?

[stech1]

We have an old Win 2000 network that supports 12 people. The server is only used as a pdc and a file server. We are getting ready to get a new 2003 server and replace the old one. We want to add an exchange server to the network.

Is it OK to put exchange server on the PDC? How will an exchange server that supports 10 to 20 people affect performance? What would be recommended Hardware requirements for a PDC/exchange server versus the hardware requirements for a server that only has exchange on it?

TIA

 

[LeonBar]

I just installed a new server in our public works department. It supports 15 users and I added Exchange. They wanted to have the ability to send files between all users sort of like a paperless office. All users have internet. Only 5 of the users have email. That is handled through out ISP and the outlook in those computers has a POP account running. The Server is a Dell with a Xeon processor with 1gig or ram and a raid 5. They primarily use the server as a file server; it also stores all of the cad files. Quite a bit of storage is used. And all of the printers are connected through it. The system has been in for about 6 months now. The only strange issue related to exchange is rebooting the system. Without exchange the system boots normal time. After exchange was installed and setup the boot took about 15 minutes. I don’t know if that is a standard problem but it is happening with both servers I have now. This July I am replacing the main server that has 80 users. I will install exchange on that PDC also. We don’t have the money for a separate server.

We don’t have a problem with performance. Even if all users are surfing the net sending files back and forth I have not had any complaints about the network lagging.

Watch I will go back to work Monday and get some calls about speed issues. We had a PII 500mhz with 128meg of ram. A nice upgrade.

Leon B

 

[nsantin]

FYI, according to Microsoft, exchange on a PDC is not supported unless running SBS.

With that said, my backup exchange server is running fine on a PDC.

 

[NortonES2]

Regarding the reboot time, if you stop all the Exchange services first the server will reboot a lot quicker.

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If it doesn't leak oil it must be empty!!

 

[LeonBar]

I will try and shut down the exchange services next time updates requre a reboot. Thanks

Leon

 

[58sniper]

Read

http://www.petri.co.il/problems_with_exchange_2003_installed_on_domain_controllers.htm

and then install the nice little utility mentioned at the bottom of

http://www.petri.co.il/slow_shutdown_of_exchange_2003_server_installed_on_dc.htm

Pat Richard, MCSE(2) MCSA:Messaging, CNA(2)