Configuring the Network Interface for Each Node
When you start the servers that are to be the nodes in the cluster, begin by naming the
machines EDFS07 and EDFS08 or whatever naming scheme you want to use. (These names
have nothing to do with the Exchange server name that your clients will be configured to
connect to later.) Now name the two network connections Public and Private (see Figure
8.30) for the external and the internal networks, respectively. Remember to do this on both
nodes.
Figure 8.30 Network Connections. (Click on image for enlarged view.)
- Click Advanced -> Advanced Settings. If it's not already the case, make sure
Public is listed first on the binding order list, then Private, and Remote Access
Connections last. Also make sure that you clear the File and Printer Sharing
check box for Microsoft Networks for the Private network connection, as shown
in Figure 8.31.
Figure 8.31 Binding Order. (Click on image for enlarged view.)
- Now configure the Public network with the TCP/IP settings that should be used
in your environment (see Figure 8.32).
Figure 8.32 Configuring the Public Network Interface. (Click on image for enlarged view.)
We also need to configure the Private network with an IP address and a subnet mask, as
shown in Figure 8.33. Nothing else is required, since this network is used only for communication
(heartbeats) between the nodes in the cluster.
Figure 8.33 Configuring the Private Network Interface. (Click on image for enlarged view.)
- Click Advanced, then select the DNS tab. Here you should clear both the Register this connection's addresses in DNS and Use this connection's DNS suffix check boxes, as shown in Figure 8.34.
Figure 8.34 Configuring DNS Settings for the Private Network Interface. (Click on image for enlarged view.)
- Click the WINS tab. Clear the Enable LMHOSTS lookup option and select Disable NetBIOS over TCP/IP, as shown in Figure 8.35.
Figure 8.35 Configuring WINS Settings for the Private Network Interface. (Click on image for enlarged view.)
- Click OK three times and close the Network Connections window.
Adding the Servers to the Active Directory Domain
Since a CCR setup requires both nodes to be part of the same Active Directory domain,
now would be a good time to make this the case. You can add the nodes to the domain by
right-clicking My Computer and selecting Properties in the context menu. Now click the Computer Name tab (see Figure 8.36), then the Change button, and specify the domain.
Figure 8.36 Adding the Nodes to the Domain. (Click on image for enlarged view.)
When you have added both servers to the domain as well as rebooted each, we can
move on to creating the necessary cluster service account.
Creating a Cluster Service Account
Because each node belonging to the cluster needs to use the same account, we need to
create a cluster service account.
The cluster service account must be a member of either the Exchange Server
Administrators (ServerName) group or the Exchange Organization Administrators group. In
addition, it must be a member of the local administrators group on each node in the cluster.
For our purposes, we'll add it to the Exchange Organization Administrators group.
To create the cluster service account:
- Log onto a domain controller in the respective Active Directory domain, then
click Start -> Run and type DSA.msc to open the Active Directory Users and
Computers MMC snap-in. Now right-click the Organizational Unit (OU) in
which you want the service account to be created, then choose New -> User in
the context menu. Give the account a meaningful name and user logon name
(such as Cluster Service Account and svc-cluster), as shown in Figure 8.37.
Now click Next.
Figure 8.37 Creating the Cluster Service Account. (Click on image for enlarged view.)
- Give the service account a complex password and uncheck User Must change
password at next logon, then check Password never expires, as shown in
Figure 8.38. Click Next.
Figure 8.38 Specifying the Password for the Cluster Service Account. (Click on image for enlarged view.)
On the New User object completion page click Finish.
- Now we need to give the new cluster service account the appropriate permissions. To do so, open the Properties page for the user object and select the Member Of tab. Make sure it's the respective Active Directory domain that's shown in the From this location field, then click the Add button and type Exchange Organization Administrators, as shown in Figure 8.39. Click OK.
Figure 8.39 Adding the Cluster Service Account to the Exchange
Organization Administrators Group. (Click on image for enlarged view.)
- Now switch over to the server that will be the first node in the cluster and click
Start -> Run. Type compmgmt.msc. Expand Local Users and Groups and select the Groups container. Open the Properties page for the Administrators group object in the right pane, then click the Add button. Make sure that the Active Directory domain is shown in the From this location field, as shown in Figure 8.40, and type Cluster Service Account (or whatever name you gave the
account in your setup), click Check Names to verify that it resolves successfully.
Click OK and close the Computer Management MMC snap-in.
Figure 8.40 Adding the Cluster Service Account to the Local
Administrators Group. (Click on image for enlarged view.)
- Repeat Steps 1-4 for the server that will be the second node in the cluster.
Managing an Exchange 2007 Cluster Continuous Replication (CCR) setup
Part 1: Exchange 2007 Cluster Continuous Replication requirements
Part 2: Setting up Cluster Continuous Replication in Exchange 2007
Part 3: Creating a Windows 2003 cluster for an Exchange 2007 CCR setup
Part 4: Using a file share witness with Exchange 2007 CCR
Part 5: Enable the Transport Dumpster on the Hub Transport server
Part 6: Installing Exchange 2007 on the active node and passive node
Part 7: Testing clustered mailbox server functionality in a CCR setup
Part 8: Exchange 2007 Cluster Continuous Replication (CCR) setup overview
