Implementing a Two Node Cluster with Windows 2003 Enterprise 2

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Windows 2003 Cluster Setup

I will not explain every step for installing a Windows 2003 Cluster. For detailed information click the following link.
I will show you only a few pictures.

Figure 1: Create a new Cluster

The Windows 2003 Cluster administrator after successful installation.

Figure 2: Cluster Administrator

Exchange 2003 Cluster Setup

Before we install Exchange 2003, we must create a MS-DTC (Distribution Transaction Coordinator) resource.
In Windows 2003, Microsoft recommends installing the DTC as a separate Cluster Group containing a Physical Disk, Network Name and IP address resource and then adding the MSDTC resource to the cluster group.
For more in formation how to setup the MS-DTC in a Windows 2003 Cluster, read the following Knowledge Base article.
The second step is to install Exchange 2003 and all required hotfixes on each node. You MUST install Exchange one after the other. After installing Exchange, you can deploy Exchange 2003 SP1 on every cluster node. For more information on how to deploy Exchange 2003 SP1 into a cluster environment read the following article.
Once the Exchange 2003 binaries have been installed on the cluster Node we can now create an Exchange Virtual Server.
The Exchange Virtual Server creation process is much the same as for Exchange 2003. First we need to create a cluster group for the Exchange Virtual Server. The group must have at least one physical disk resource, at least one IP address resource, and a network name resource. The network name resource must have a dependency on the IP address resources in the cluster group.
When all resources are online, we must create the System Attendant resource. The System Attendant Resource (SA) creates all the other Exchange 2003 cluster resources automatically.
To do this, right click the Exchange 2003 cluster group and choose New Resource and then choose the Microsoft Exchange System Attendant. You must name the SA.

Figure 3: Exchange System Attendant

Add the Nodes that will be possible owners of the System Attendant Resource. A possible owner is a node in the cluster on which the resource can be brought online. These Nodes will also be added as a possible owner of all the other Exchange resources that are automatically created. A Node must be specified as a possible owner of a resource in order for us to failover to that Node.

Figure 4: Possible owners of the EVS

You must set the dependencies on the System Attendant Resource. The dependencies are the following:

• Network Name resource
• All disk resources (that Exchange 2003 should use - this includes Mount Point disks which will contain Exchange 2003 data)

Figure 5: SA – Resource dependencies

Like a normal Exchange installation you must select the administrative group where the Exchange virtual server is created.

Figure 6: Chose the administrative Group for the EVS

Within the chosen Administrative Group you now have to choose a Routing Group where the Exchange Virtual Server will be located when more than one Routing Group exists at the time of EVS creation. You can change the server location in the Routing Group after installation.

Figure 7: Select the routing group for the EVS

Please read the wizard's summary carefully.

Figure 8: Exchange 2003 Wizard summary

Click Finish to start the creation process. This may take a while because the setup process actually creates all Exchange 2003 cluster resources. When the process is complete you will see the following message:

Figure 9: DONE

The following picture shows the Cluster Administrator tool after EVS installation. Note that all Exchange resources are NOT online.

Figure 10: Cluster Administrator after EVS installation

Exchange 2003 no longer creates a POP3 and IMAP cluster resource. This is part of Microsoft's Trustworthy initiative and it is also true for a “normal” Exchange 2003 installation.
Next, we have to bring the System Attendant resource online. To do so, right click the EVS System Attendant and click “Bring Online”.

Figure 11: You have to bring the System Attendant Online.

Exchange 2003 Resource dependencies

Microsoft has changed the Exchange 2003 resource dependencies to allow a faster failover/failback.

In Exchange 2000 there are the following dependencies:IP Address > Network Name > System Attendant
Physical Disk > System Attendant
Routing Engine > System Attendant
Information Store  > System Attendant
MTA > System Attendant
MS Search > Information Store
POP3 > Information Store
SMTP > Information Store
IMAP4 > Information Store
Beginning with Exchange 2003 Microsoft has changed the Resource dependencies:IP Address > Network Name > System Attendant
Physical Disk > System Attendant
Routing Engine > System Attendant
Information Store  > System Attendant
MTA > System Attendant
MS Search > System Attendant
POP3 > System Attendant
SMTP > System Attendant
IMAP4 > System Attendant

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