Exchange Server virtualization provides flexibility, lower operational costs and has other benefits, but virtualizing this mission-critical application makes some administrators nervous.
If you’re intrigued by Exchange Server virtualization, but not sure where to begin, you’ve come to the right place. This guide provides information for every skill level -- from server virtualization basics to tips and tricks for optimizing virtual Exchange 2007 or Exchange Server 2010 environments.
Table of contents:
Exchange Server virtualization -- Getting started
Exchange
virtualization explained
If you are new to the world of Exchange Server virtualization, read this tip to learn which server
roles to virtualize, how to prevent a failure and much more.
Hyper-V
versus VMware for Exchange virtualization
Deciding between VMware vSphere and Microsoft Hyper-V for Exchange virtualization can be
difficult. Use this tip to compare how the two server virtualization products stack up in terms of
cost, features and support.
How to build a virtual Exchange test
lab
Virtual test labs provide a way to learn about new versions of
Exchange Server without incurring the cost of physical labs. Here's how to create your own virtual
Exchange lab.
Exchange 2010 virtualization
Do
this before virtualizing Exchange Server 2010
Creating a virtual Exchange server is similar to creating a physical one, but there are
some important differences to be aware of. Use these five steps before virtualizing Exchange Server
2010.
Virtualizing
Exchange 2010: Hardware requirements
Make sure you meet these hardware requirements for virtual Exchange Server 2010 to ensure optimal
email performance.
Prioritize
backups for virtualized Exchange 2010 servers
Exchange admins focus on the backup half of backup and restore, but determining which
restores are most important and how quickly they should complete can save you valuable time when
virtualizing Exchange 2010 servers.
High-availability
mistakes to avoid when virtualizing Exchange 2010
Exchange 2010 includes many high-availability options, but they aren’t easy to piece together
correctly. Don’t make these four mistakes when creating a highly available virtual Exchange Server
2010 environment.
Advice
for virtualizing Exchange 2010 server roles
Proper Exchange 2010 server role configuration makes all the difference in virtualization
performance. Follow our expert's advice to get it right.
Preventing
fragmentation issues on virtualized Exchange 2010 mail servers
Keeping your virtualized Exchange 2010 mailbox server defragmented is easy if you know
where to look. Here’s where fragmentation occurs and how to keep it from impacting I/O.
Exchange
Server 2010 on VMware: Why daily monitoring is a must
Monitoring Exchange Server 2010 on VMware vSphere will ensure you benefit from virtualization.
Learn which components you should keep a close eye on.
Five
steps to preparing for Exchange virtualization failures
It’s inevitable -- your virtualized Exchange servers will break down. Prepare for the worst
with these steps to making the recovery process quick.
Common
virtualized Exchange breakdowns
Your virtualized Exchange Server is bound to fail at some point. Learn some common causes of
failure to resolve virtualized Exchange problems quickly.
Free virtual appliance helps load
balance Exchange 2010 deployments
Looking for an effective -- and free -- tool to load-balance your Exchange 2010 environment? If
you're Linux-savvy, you're in luck. If not, you can still use this virtual appliance in your lab
environment.
Exchange 2007 virtualization
How
to consolidate workloads through Exchange Server 2007 virtualization
If you want to consolidate Exchange Server 2007 workloads using
virtualization, you need to plan properly. Follow these steps to learn the art of Exchange Server
consolidation.
Top
Exchange Server 2007 virtualization considerations
Learn why grouping externally facing servers is a good safety precaution when consolidating
workloads and how Exchange 2007 server roles play into your virtualization project.
Five
tips to keep in mind before virtualizing Exchange 2007
Be sure to take support and server consolidation ratios and these other factors into account before
virtualizing Exchange Server 2007.