Planning the Exchange Server 2010 Infrastructure

Chapter Summary

• Exchange Server 2010 can be installed in an on-premises, cloud, or coexistence configuration.

• SLA requirements determine parts of your Exchange design, primarily around high-availability features such as Database Availability Groups and Client Access Server Arrays.

• In multiple-forest environments, the resource-forest topology has Exchange deployed in one forest and accessed by users in other forests. The cross-forest topology has Exchange deployed in all forests and uses Forefront Identity Life Cycle Manager for GAL synchronization.

• Ensure that there is at least one Hub Transport server in every site where there is a Mailbox server on a per-forest basis.

• ActiveSync allows supported mobile devices to access mailbox data.

• You can configure Autodiscover to automatically provision Outlook 2007 and Outlook 2010 clients.

• The Load Generator (LoadGen) tool can be used to test a CAS against a simulated client workload.

• JetStress allows you to test how well a mailbox server handles simulated load. LoadGen allows you to simulate CAS load. Both tools can be used when determining whether it is feasible to consolidate existing servers.

• When performing an upgrade, Internet-facing sites must be upgraded before sites that do not have a direct Internet connection.

• When upgrading from previous versions of Exchange, introduce CAS to a site first, then Hub Transport, and then Mailbox servers. Add Edge Transport servers at Internet-facing sites as appropriate.

• The Exchange Server Deployment Assistant can analyze a current environment prior to the introduction of Exchange Server 2010.