New Microsoft Exchange Server Computer Installation

The procedures in this section describe how to install Microsoft Exchange Server into a cluster. They assume that the Microsoft Exchange Server cluster is being added to a new or existing site and that Microsoft Exchange Server is not installed on the computer.

To install a new Microsoft Exchange Server computer into an existing cluster, you must perform the following tasks. Each task is described in detail later in this section.

  1. Install Microsoft Cluster Server.
  2. Create and name a cluster resource group.
  3. Create a new IP address resource.
  4. Create a new network name resource.
  5. Move the disk to the cluster resource group.
  6. Test the cluster.
  7. Install Microsoft Exchange Server on the primary node.
  8. Install Microsoft Exchange Server on the secondary node.

Note   If you want to upgrade an existing Microsoft Exchange Server installation and install it into an existing cluster, you can move all users from the existing Microsoft Exchange Server computer to a new clustered Microsoft Exchange Server computer. For more information, see "Migrating an Existing Microsoft Exchange Server Computer into a Cluster" later in this chapter.

Installing Microsoft Cluster Server

For information about installing Microsoft Cluster Server on a computer running Microsoft Windows NT Server Enterprise Edition, see your Microsoft Cluster Server documentation.

Creating and Naming a Cluster Resource Group

Before installing Microsoft Exchange Server, you must perform several steps to prepare the cluster. Use the Cluster Administrator program on the computer that owns the shared disk resource. This will be the active node.

    To create a cluster group for Microsoft Exchange Server cluster resources and name the group

  1. From the Start menu, choose Programs, choose Administrative Tools, and then choose Cluster Administrator.
  2. From the File menu, choose New, and then choose Group.
  3. In the Name box, type the name of the new cluster resource group; for example, Ex_cluster.
  4. In the Description box, type an optional description of the new cluster resource group; for example, Exchange Cluster Group.
  5. Choose Next.
  6. Choose Finish, and then choose OK.

Creating a New IP Address Resource for the Cluster

Using the Cluster Administrator program on the active node, complete the following procedure.

    To create a new IP address resource for the cluster

  1. Select the newly created cluster resource group.
  2. From the File menu, choose New, and then choose Resource.
  3. In the Name box, type the name of the new IP address resource; for example, Exchange Server IP Address.
  4. In the Description box, type an optional description of the new IP address.
  5. From the Resource Type menu, choose IP Address.
  6. Verify that the Group box contains the name of the newly created cluster resource group.
  7. Choose Next twice to accept the default settings.
  8. In the IP Address box, type the static IP address for the Microsoft Exchange Server computer.
  9. In the Subnet Mask box, type the subnet mask, and then choose Finish.
  10. Choose OK.

Creating a New Network Name Resource for the Cluster

Using the Cluster Administrator program on the active node, complete the following procedure.

    To create a new network name resource

  1. Select the newly created cluster resource.
  2. From the File menu, choose New, and then choose Resource.
  3. In the Name box, type the display name of the new network name resource; for example, Exchange Network Name.
  4. In the Description box, type an optional description of the new network name.
  5. From the Resource Type menu, choose Network Name.
  6. Verify that the Group box contains the name of the newly created cluster resource group, and then choose Next.
  7. Choose Next again to accept the default settings.
  8. In the Available Resources list, select the IP address resource created in the previous procedure. Choose Add to move the IP address to the Resource Dependencies list, and then choose Next.
  9. In the Name box, type the network name of the Microsoft Exchange Server computer, and then choose Finish.

    The name you choose must be unique within your network.

    If you are performing this procedure as part of the disaster recovery procedure, this should be the name of the computer you are upgrading or replacing.

  10. Choose OK.

Note   The network name resource becomes the cluster equivalent of your Microsoft Exchange Server name. When you administer Microsoft Exchange Server, connect to the network name resource for your Microsoft Exchange Server computer instead of the network name for the cluster.

Moving the Physical Disk Resources to the Cluster Group

Move the desired physical disk resources to the Microsoft Exchange Server cluster resource group by using the Cluster Administrator program on the active node to complete the following drag-and-drop procedure.

    To move the physical disk resources

  1. In the Disk group, select the disk you want to move into the Microsoft Exchange Server cluster resource group by pressing and holding down the left mouse button.
  2. Move the pointer to the Microsoft Exchange Server cluster resource group, and then verify that the display name of the cluster is selected.
  3. Release the left mouse button. This procedure moves the drive to the selected cluster.
  4. Choose Yes twice.

If you have more than one disk to add to the cluster, perform this procedure for each disk.

Testing the Cluster

When you have finished configuring Microsoft Cluster Server for Microsoft Exchange Server, test the cluster by completing the following procedure.

    To test the cluster

  1. On the active node, create a generic application resource for Notepad within the newly created cluster group resource. From the File menu, choose New, and then choose Resource.
  2. In the Name box, type the name of the resource.
  3. In the Description box, type an optional description of the resource; for example, Notepad resource.
  4. From the Resource Type menu, choose Generic Application, and then choose Next.
  5. Choose Next to confirm the default settings, and then choose Next again.
  6. In the Command Line box, type Notepad.exe.
  7. In the Current Directory box, type the path of your temporary directory.
  8. Select Allow application to interact with desktop, and then choose Next.
  9. You do not need to add any registry entries. Choose Finish to accept the default settings, and then choose OK.
  10. Select the newly created cluster resource group.
  11. From the File menu, choose Bring Online. The Notepad application starts automatically on this active node. Return to the Cluster Administrator program and make it the active window.
  12. Select the cluster resource group again. From the File menu, choose Move Group. This manually fails the resource group to the inactive node. Notepad shuts down on the active node and starts on the inactive node.
  13. Manually fail the group back over to the other node by choosing Move Group from the File menu.
  14. Select the cluster resource group and, from the File menu, choose Take Offline.
  15. Select the Notepad resource. From the File menu, choose Delete. This deletes the Notepad resource that you created for this test.
  16. Select the newly created cluster resource group again. From the File menu, choose Bring Online.

Installing Microsoft Exchange Server on the Primary Node

The following procedure describes how to install Microsoft Exchange Server on the primary node.

Note   All of the resources in your newly created cluster resource group, including the physical disk resource, the network name resource, and the IP address resource, must be brought online before you run Microsoft Exchange Server Setup. To bring a resource online, select the resource, and from the File menu, choose Bring Online.

    To install Microsoft Exchange Server on the primary node

  1. On the active node, run Microsoft Exchange Server Setup.
  2. Select the Microsoft Exchange Server cluster resource group you created when you configured Microsoft Cluster Server.
  3. Continue with Setup.

    You can install Microsoft Exchange Server files only on clustered drives. Setup copies files to the primary node's Windows NT System32 directory, copies files to the clustered drive, and creates resources in the Microsoft Exchange Server cluster resource group.

  4. After Setup is complete, run Microsoft Exchange Server Performance Optimizer.

    After installation is completed, Performance Optimizer runs only on the currently active Microsoft Exchange Server cluster node and limits drive analysis to shared SCSI drives.

Installing Microsoft Exchange Server on the Secondary Node

After you have installed Microsoft Exchange Server on the primary node, install it on the secondary node. Because most files have already been installed on shared cluster drives, it is much easier to install Microsoft Exchange Server on the secondary node. When you install Microsoft Exchange Server on the secondary node, installation consists primarily of installing files on local disk drives and creating the appropriate services.

Note   Performance Optimizer is disabled on the secondary node.

    To install Microsoft Exchange Server on the secondary node

  1. On the secondary node, run Microsoft Exchange Server Setup.
  2. Choose Update Node.

Setup copies files to the secondary node's Windows NT System32 directory and creates and registers services.

Whenever any of the following components are added or removed from the primary node, the secondary node must be updated using the preceding procedure.