Exchange 2. 01. 3 Server Role Requirements Calculator – You Had Me At EHLO. No, that isn’t a mistake, the calculator has been rebranded. Originally, marketing wanted to brand it as the Microsoft Exchange Server 2. Client Access and Mailbox Server Roles Theoretical Capacity Planning Calculator, On- Premises Edition. There are very few reasons you would need to deploy dedicated Client Access servers (CAS); CPU constraints, use of Windows Network Load Balancing in small deployments (even with our architectural changes in client connectivity, we still do not recommend Windows NLB for any large deployments) and certificate management are a few examples that may justify dedicated CAS. When deploying multi- role servers, the calculator will take into account the impact that the CAS role has and make recommendations for sizing the entire server’s memory and CPU. So when you see the CPU utilization value, this will include the impact both roles have! When deploying dedicated server roles, the calculator will recommend the minimum number of Client Access processor cores and memory per server, as well as, the minimum number of CAS you should deploy in each datacenter. Transport. Now that the Mailbox server role includes additional components like transport, it only makes sense to include transport sizing in the calculator. This release does just that and will factor in message queue expiration and Safety Net hold time when calculating the database size. The calculator even makes a recommendation on where to deploy the mail. Multiple Databases / JBOD Volume Support. Exchange Server 2010's design is fairly unique among major enterprise applications. Compared with other applications. Use Microsoft Exchange Load Generator 2010 (LoadGen) as a simulation tool to measure the impact of MAPI, OWA, ActiveSync, IMAP, POP and SMTP clients on Exchange 20 servers. LoadGen allows you to test how a server. Amazon Web Services – Implementing Microsoft Exchange Server 2010 in the AWS Cloud July 2013 Page 7 of 31 Role-Specific Processor Sizing Considerations Initial sizing for all other Exchange Server roles is typically based on. Exchange 2. 01. 0 introduced the concept of 1 database per JBOD volume when deploying multiple database copies. However, this architecture did not ensure that the drive was utilized effectively across all three dimensions – throughput, IO, and capacity. Typically, the system was balanced from an IO and capacity perspective, but throughput was where we saw an imbalance, because during reseeds only a portion of the target disk’s total capable throughput was utilized. In addition, capacity on the 7. K disks continue to increase with 4. TB disks now available, thus impacting our ability to remain balanced along that dimension. In addition, Exchange 2. IO when compared to Exchange 2. Naturally, the concept of 1 database / JBOD volume needed to evolve. As a result, Exchange 2. ESE, and HA architecture to support multiple databases per JBOD volume. If you would like more information, please see Scott’s excellent Tech. Ed session in a few weeks on Exchange 2. High Availability and Site Resilience or the High Availability and Site Resilience topic on Tech. Net. By default, the calculator will recommend multiple databases per JBOD volume. Exchange Server Deployment Assistant; Exchange Server 2013 hosting solutions and guidance; Exchange Server 2010 hosting solutions and guidance; Exchange 2010 load balancer deployment; Exchange Solution Reviewed. This architecture is supported for single datacenter deployments and multi- datacenter deployments when there is copy and/or server symmetry. The calculator supports highly available database copies and lagged database copies with this volume architecture type. The distribution algorithm will lay out the copies appropriately, as well as, generate the deployment scripts correctly to support Auto. Reseed. High Availability Architecture Improvements. The calculator has been improved in several ways for high availability architectures: You can now specify the Witness Server location, either primary, secondary, or tertiary datacenter. It’s been a long road, but the initial release of the Exchange Server Role Requirements Calculator is here. No, that isn’t a mistake, the calculator has been rebranded. Yes, this is no longer a Mailbox server. The Exchange Jetstress tool is designed to perform this type of testing on Exchange databases. Jetstress is not installed with Exchange. You will need to download the tool from the Exchange Server 2010 TechCenter and install. A healthy Exchange Server environment depends on the successful configuration and interaction of multiple variables. If even one aspect of your Exchange Server organization isn't set up or maintained properly, it can create a. The calculator allows you to simulate WAN failures, so that you can see how the databases are distributed during the worst failure mode. The calculator allows you to name servers and define a database prefix which are then used in the deployment scripts. The distribution algorithm supports single datacenter HA deployments, Active/Passive deployments, and Active/Active deployments. The calculator includes a Power. Shell script to automate DAG creation. In the event you are deploying your high availability architecture with direct attached storage, you can now specify the maximum number of database volumes each server will support. For example, if you are deploying a server architecture that can support 2. Restore Volume, and 1 disks as a spare for Auto. Reseed). Additional Mailbox Tiers (sort of!)Over the years, a few, but vocal, members of the community have requested that I add more mailbox tiers to the calculator. As many of you know, I rarely recommend sizing multiple mailbox tiers, as that simply adds operational complexity and I am all about removing complexity in your messaging environments. While, I haven’t specifically added additional mailbox tiers, I have added the ability for you to define a percentage of the mailbox tier population that should have the IO and Megacycle Multiplication Factors applied. In a way, this allows you to define up to eight different mailbox tiers. Processors. I’ve received a number of questions regarding processor sizing in the calculator. Instead, it’s just a collection of rules of thumb that will, hopefully, speed up this specific part of the planning process of the different Exchange server roles. Figure 1: Exchange 2. Server Roles. General Guidelines. Although CPU and memory play a crucial role in performance, increasing any of these 2 doesn’t necessarily mean a faster system. The following table shows the recommend memory and CPU for single role servers and for multiple role servers: Role. Recommended. Max Processor Configuration Recommended. Processor Configuration. Recommended. Max Memory Configuration. Recommended Memory Configuration. Hub Transport. 12 cores. GB1 GB per core or 8. GB (minimum)Client Access Server 1. GB2. GB per core or 8. GB (minimum)Mailbox. GB4. GB plus 2- 1. MB per mailbox. Unified Messaging. GB2. GB per core or 4. GB (minimum)Multiple Role Server. GB8. GB plus 2- 1. MB per mailbox. Table 1. There are also some role ratio guidelines that should be met: CAS : Mailbox. It’s one of the three mandatory roles (the other ones are CAS and Hub) and it’s where all the user data will be stored. Before entering technical details, I strongly advise you to use the Exchange 2. Mailbox Server Role Requirements Calculator to size the Mailbox role. If you prefer to do it manually, then continue reading. User profile usually determines resource requirements, but you should take into account some factors that influence sizing, such as: Number of mailboxes. Security/auditing mechanisms. Use of mobile devices. Outlook mode (online/cached). Archiving/Messaging Record Management. High Availability (DAG)CPUEstimated Per- Mailbox CPU Consumption: Messages Sent+Receivedper mailbox per day (~7. KB average message size)Megacycles for active or stand- alone mailbox(increase by 1. Megacycles for passive mailbox. Table 3. Memory. To size the necessary amount of RAM, first determine the amount of required database cache by multiplying the mailbox count by the memory requirements based on the user profile. The following table provides estimated values of database cache per mailbox, based on message activity: Messages Sent+Receivedper mailbox per day (~7. KB average message size)Database cache per mailbox (MB)5. Table 4. After determining the database cache size, the next step is to determine the necessary RAM per server to ensure the database cache size requirements can be met. Server Installed Physical Memory. Database Cache Size (Mailbox Role Only)Database Cache Size (Multi- role)2. GB5. 12. MBNot supported. GB1. GBNot supported. GB3. 6. GB2. GB1. GB1. 0. 4. GB8. GB2. GB1. 7. 6. GB1. 4GB3. GB2. 4. 4. GB2. 0GB4. GB3. 9. 2. GB3. 2GB6. GB5. 3. 6. GB4. 4GB9. GB8. 2. 4. GB6. 8GBTable 5. For example: 1. 00. MB per mailbox): 1. MB = 3. GB. 3. GB fits in 3. GB default cache. Deploy 8. GB of RAMNetwork. Gbit minimum. DAG - each server should have at least two networks: a single MAPI network and a single Replication network. Disk. The storage for the Mailbox role must be sized for. Capacity (GB). Performance (IOPS)Capacity is sized based on user mailbox size (read Understanding Mailbox Database and Log Capacity Factors for details on required overhead). Mailbox Size = Mailbox Limit + Whitespace + Dumpster. Performance sizing is based on user profile (message activity). Database Volume I/O = Number of Mailboxes x IOPS Profile. The following table provides per mailbox estimated IOPS based on user profile and message activity. Messages Sent+Receivedper mailbox per day (~7. KB average message size)Estimated IOPS: Single database copy. Estimated IOPS: Multiple database copies. Table 6. Hub & Edge Role. CPUWith A/V and A/SWithout A/V and A/SRecommended processor cores / server 8 4 Hub Cores : mailbox server cores ratio. Table 7. Memory. 4GB min, 8. GB max. 1. GB/core. Disk. Use battery- backed write cache disk controllero Disk I/O can be a bottleneck on an un- tuned Hubo Log I/O becomes virtually free with a BBWC controller. Size storage capacity for queue requirements. Capacity = average message size x maximum queue. Separate mail. que and logs from system disks (RAID 1. Back Pressure: 5. MB minimum free space. Network. CAS Role. CPU and memory are key for CAS. Performance impact on CAS server is dependent on user profiles and mix of workloads. CPU and memory scale guidance for CAS based on assumptions of a mixed- protocol heavy information worker profileo Consider other workloads and adjusto Remember all MAPI traffic now affects CAS. Use Windows Server 2. R2 for best CAS scaleo Major improvements in rpcproxy (Outlook Anywhere)CAS Workload Relative Cost Comparison. Workload. CPU Cost (MHz/user)Network Cost (Kbytes/sec/user)Outlook. Outlook Anywhere. Exchange Active. Sync(delta from Outlook)1. Exchange Web Services (Microsoft Entourage)0. Outlook Web Access. IMAP4*0. 8. 60. 1. POP3*0. 3. 30. 7. Table 8. CPU2 core minimum. Up to 1. 2 cores. CAS: Mailbox cores. Memory. 2GB/core. GB min, 1. 6GB max. Disk. There are no special needs regarding the disk subsystem. Network UM Role. CPU and network are key for UM. Scale out UM servers based on concurrent call requirements. Size CPU based on requirements for Voice Mail Preview: ~1 message/min/core. TCO. Default 1. 00 concurrent calls/server (inbound or outbound)CPU2 core minimum. Up to 1. 2 cores. Memory. 2GB/core (4. GB minimum). 8. GB maximum. Disk. UM doesn’t have significant storage requirements. Network. Virtualization. Since virtualization is becoming popular in Exchange deployments, here are a few guidelines and recommendations: Validating the Solution. Before putting your newly sized servers in production, maybe you want to spend some time validating the deployed configuration. There are some tools from Microsoft that can help you with that task: Microsoft Exchange Server Jetstress. Jetstress simulates the Exchange database and log file loads produced by a specific number of users, thus allowing you to verify the performance and stability of your disk subsystem before putting your server into a production environment. This workload can be used to evaluate how Exchange performs, and can also be used to analyze the effect of various configuration changes on Exchange behavior and performance while the system is under load. The documentation for Load. Gen describes how to configure and execute a load test against an Exchange server. Load. Gen is capable of simulating Microsoft Office Outlook 2. Outlook 2. 00. 7 (online and cached), POP3, IMAP4, SMTP, Active. Sync, and Outlook Web App client activity. It can be used to generate a single- protocol workload, or these client protocols can be combined in some form to generate a multi- protocol workload. The collected data can be used for such tasks as analyzing the performance and health of a server that has mailboxes, improving capacity planning models, and improving testing methodologies and tools. Below you can find some of these tools from 2 of those hardware vendors (descriptions taken from the vendors’ website). Dell Exchange 2. 01. Advisor – The Dell Exchange Advisor tool is subject to change without notice and is provided as- is without warranty of any kind, express or implied. Dell does not make any representations regarding the use, validity, accuracy or reliability of the tool or the results of the use of the Tool. The entire risk arising out of the use of this tool remains solely with the customer. In no event shall Dell be liable for any direct, consequential, incidental, special, punitive or other damages, even if Dell is negligent or has been advised of the possibility of such damages, arising from use of the tool or the information provided herein. This tool is not for use by or for Individual/Consumer purposes. HP Sizer for Microsoft Exchange Server 2. Microsoft. HP has developed the HP Sizer for Microsoft Exchange Server 2. Exchange Server 2. The algorithms developed and implemented in this tool are based upon extensive testing of Exchange Server 2. HP’s deep experience with Microsoft Exchange, and intricate knowledge of server CPU, memory, and I/O subsystems. This tool is free to download and use, and is designed to simplify configuration across a broad range of deployments. This newest Microsoft Exchange Server Sizer provides support for multiple site deployments, varied client types and access methods, all Exchange Server 2. Database Availability Group (DAG) high availability options, choice of tower, rack mounted, or HP Blade. System server platforms, and either direct attached or SAN- based storage solutions. Based on your input, the tool provides a comprehensive bill of materials along with a deployment overview of the Exchange Server 2. Once this Sizer is installed, updates can be downloaded automatically to the underlying software engines that are necessary to provide support for HP server and storage product information details. Conclusion. Exchange sizing and performance tuning can be a complex job, fortunately there are several tools provided by Microsoft and third- parties that can assist you with that task. Although manually sizing an Exchange infra- structure can be fun, my advice is to use all the technical tools available, but always with the vague knowledge of the algorithms that support them.
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