SME on Exchange 2010 help

[wallanetapp]

Hi

I have 2 exchange server in DAG mode.

ex01 hold the database on netapp with iscsi (Lun).

ex02 hole the database local disk.

can i install Sme only on Ex01 ?

when i try to configure it i got invalid database

(i add 2 screenshot).

thanks for help

shai

[spence]

This little thread has been going on for a while now.  You can install SME on just EX01.  When you launch SME for the first time (or subsequently) just point it to the server EX01, not the DAG name.  Now as you know the DAG DB and log paths MUST be the same on all nodes of the DAG where the DB copy resides.  Start off with suspending or removing the DB copy of any DBs between EX01 and EX02 (http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd335158.aspx).  Create the appropriate paths for the DBs and logs on each server including drive letters to match the LUNs attached to EX01.  Dismount the DBs and manually move the DBs and logs to the new paths.  Resume or add the database copy configuration previously established.  Now run SME configuration wizard and again point it to just EX01, not the DAG.  The wizard will go through and see the paths as they are and meerly record the configuration in an XML file.  At the end it will show that it is dismounting and moving in the checklist, but it won't actually do this since the target configuration matches the current config.

Now with this design SME will backup EX01 and take snapshots of EX01 DBs and DB copies, but the problem with this configuration is that you will have a problem with log truncation on EX02 since SME will not back that server up.  Not exactly sure how you want to handle that, maybe turn on circular logging or use Windows Backup on EX02.  I have not configured SME with this specific model so I honestly don't know how the logs will be handled on EX02.  It is possible that as SME truncates logs on EX01 that they will be deleted on EX02, but that brings up restore issues on EX02 with up-to-the minute restores.  Might want to play around with this in a lab first.

[wallanetapp]

Thank you.

i will try it

[patrik_gross]

Hello Shai,

fist of all you have to install SnapDrive 6.1/6.2 and SnapManager 6 on every member server of the DAG, regardles of using netapp attached storage or not.

Second you need an Exchange Admin Account for the SM-Service. For each StorageGroup on the Exchange-Server with the NetApp attached Storage you should have 2 luns, the first one für the db and the second for the logs.

//Patrik

[wallanetapp]

Hi Patrik

i insall snapdrive and sme on ex02 although ex02 hold the database local only without luns.

i want that only ex01 mount the database and ex02 hold local.

what i need to choose at "add server to manage" ?

if i choose ex01 i get invalid database.

if i choose Dag1 ,it automatically choose dag1[ex02].  (ex02 not hold lun)

thanks shai

[kevingolding]

I had exactly the same issue with SME 2010, what it says in the docs is that when it migrates the databases (both Local and remote copies) to the same path.  so, if you want the remote copy to be on a LUN with the letter E: for instance, BOTH local and remote copies HAVE to be moved (SME will do both copies) to a drive E:.  I think it is a limitation of DAG that the path has to be the same for both copies...

One thing I didn't try, which I will do, is if both copies need to be on NETAPP LUNs.  as the documentation says they need to be on the same PATH.  I would try creating disk with the same drive letter...

Kev

[wallanetapp]

Hi

Thanks for your answer.

yes but i don't want to put both copy on the netapp.

because if the Netapp will failed i lot my exchnage.

if i have one copy on my Netapp and one local copy on another server i'm more protected !

Thanks shai

[thomas_glodde]

shai,

you might have a permission issue, have you tried using the exchange management console -> Toolbox -> role based access control

Then add your SnapManager for Exchange service account to the "server management" role and restart the SME service and try again.

Kind regards

Thomas

[wallanetapp]

Hi

i add the user to "server management" and restart the service and same thing.

thanks a lot