How to Install the Active Clustered Mailbox Role in a CCR Environment on Windows Server 2003

Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 will reach end of support on April 11, 2017. To stay supported, you will need to upgrade. For more information, see Resources to help you upgrade your Office 2007 servers and clients.

 

Applies to: Exchange Server 2007, Exchange Server 2007 SP1, Exchange Server 2007 SP2, Exchange Server 2007 SP3

This topic explains how to install the Mailbox server role and create a clustered mailbox server (CMS) on the active node in a cluster continuous replication (CCR) environment running on the Windows Server 2003 operating system. For detailed steps about how to install the Mailbox server role and create a CMS in a CCR environment on the active node in a failover cluster running on Windows Server 2008, see How to Install the Active Clustered Mailbox Role in a CCR Environment on Windows Server 2008.

You can install the Mailbox server role and create a CMS using the command-line version of Setup (Setup.com) or by using the Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 Service Pack 1 (SP1) Setup wizard (Setup.exe). This topic contains procedures for both interfaces.

Before You Begin

Prior to performing this procedure, a Windows Server 2003 failover cluster must be formed and configured correctly. For detailed steps about how to create and configure a failover cluster for CCR on Windows Server 2003, see How to Create a Windows Server 2003 Failover Cluster for Cluster Continuous Replication.

In the Readiness Checks phase of Setup, if you do not specify an alternate path for the default first storage group and database, and you intend to use the default path of %ProgramFiles%\Microsoft\Exchange Server\Mailbox, a warning may appear in the results list that states this path must be created. This warning can be safely ignored, because Setup will create the default path automatically. However, if you are not using the default path, the path you are using must be created before you run Setup.

To install the Mailbox server role, the domain account you use must be delegated the Exchange Server Administrator role. For more information about permissions, delegating roles, and the rights that are required to administer Exchange 2007, see Permission Considerations.

Important

If you accidentally specify the cluster IP address as the IP address for the CMS, or if you accidentally specify the cluster name as the name for the CMS, you can complete the installation by performing Step 1 of the first procedure with the correct IP address and name.

Note

If the passive node is already installed, the new active node will be automatically paired with the existing passive node.

Note

CMS names must be 15 characters or less.

Procedure

To use Setup.com to install the Active Clustered Mailbox role in a CCR environment on Windows Server 2003

  1. Open a Command Prompt window, navigate to the installation files, and then run the following command:

    Setup.com /m:install /roles:mailbox /newcms /cmsname:<NameofClusteredMailboxServer> /cmsipaddress:<IPAddressofClusteredMailboxServer>
    

    Note

    If you need to place the program files in an alternate location, you can add /targetdir:<Path> to the command to specify the location. If you specify a path, it must match the path used by the passive node.

    Note

    To select a non-default location for the first storage group and mailbox database created by Setup, you can also add /CMSDataPath:<PathToTheDatabase> to the command. This path must be manually created before running Setup.

    Note

    If the Passive Clustered Mailbox role has already been installed, you can use the following command to make the passive node an active node, provided that an active node does not already exist in the cluster:

    Setup.com /newcms /cmsname:<NameofClusteredMailboxServer> /cmsipaddress:<IPAddressofClusteredMailboxServer>
    
  2. After Setup has completed successfully, a message appears indicating that a restart is required. Before you restart the node, stop the CMS. To stop the CMS, open the Exchange Management Shell from the Start menu (in the Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 program group) and run the following command:

    Stop-ClusteredMailboxServer <CMSName> -StopReason Setup -Confirm:$false
    
  3. After the CMS is stopped (offline), close the Exchange Management Shell and the Command Prompt window, and then restart the node.

  4. After the node is restarted, use the Exchange management tools to start the CMS by running the following command in the Exchange Management Shell on the active node:

    Start-ClusteredMailboxServer <CMSName>
    

    You can also use the Manage Clustered Mailbox Server wizard in the Exchange Management Console to start the CMS. For detailed steps about how to start a CMS, see How to Start a Clustered Mailbox Server in a CCR Environment.

    After the CMS is started and all resources are online, the passive Mailbox role can be installed on the second node in the failover cluster, if it is not already installed. For detailed steps about how to install the passive Mailbox role in the failover cluster, see How to Install the Passive Clustered Mailbox Role in a CCR Environment on Windows Server 2003.

To use the Exchange Server 2007 SP1 Setup wizard to install the Active Clustered Mailbox role in a CCR environment on Windows Server 2003

  1. Navigate to the installation files and run the following command:

    Setup.exe
    

    Note

    If the necessary prerequisites are installed, you can click Step 4: Install Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 SP1 to launch the Setup wizard.

  2. On the Introduction page, review the information, and then click Next.

  3. On the License Agreement page, review the license agreement. If you accept the terms, select I accept the terms in the license agreement, and then click Next.

  4. On the Error Reporting page, review the information and make your selection. Click Next.

  5. On the Installation Type page, select Custom Exchange Server Installation. Optionally, change the location for the Exchange program files. If you specify a path, it must match the path used by the passive node. Click Next.

  6. On the Server Role Selection page, select Active Clustered Mailbox Role. This automatically selects the Management Tools role, and all other roles are unavailable. Optionally, change the location for the Exchange program files. If you specify a path, it must match the path used by the passive node. Click Next.

  7. On the Cluster Settings page, select Cluster Continuous Replication, and then enter the CMS name in the Clustered Mailbox Server Name field. Optionally, change the initial location for the CMS storage group and database files, and then click Next.

  8. On the Cluster IP Address Configuration page, enter a static Internet Protocol version 4 (IPv4) address, and then click Next.

  9. On the Readiness Checks page, the status will appear as the checks are performed. After the checks complete successfully, click Install. If any of the checks fail with errors, you must correct the issues that are identified, and then you can restart the installation.

  10. The Progress page shows the steps that will be performed. Progress is shown as each step is processed, and completion status is provided as each step completes. After all steps complete successfully, clear the check box for Finalize installation using the Exchange Management Console, and then click Finish.

  11. A message appears indicating a restart is required prior to placing the server in production. Click OK to acknowledge this message.

  12. After installation and configuration are complete, you are brought back to the initial Setup page. Optionally, click Step 5: Get Critical Updates for Microsoft Exchange to download any available updates. If you install updates and those updates require a restart, do not restart the node. Instead, continue this procedure.

  13. Click Close to exit Setup.exe, and if a message appears, click Yes to confirm.

  14. After Setup has completed, but before the node is restarted, stop the CMS. To stop the CMS, open the Exchange Management Shell and run the following command:

    Stop-ClusteredMailboxServer <CMSName> -StopReason Setup -Confirm:$false
    
  15. After the CMS is stopped (offline), close the Exchange Management Shell and restart the node.

  16. After the node is restarted, use the Exchange management tools to start the CMS by running the following command in the Exchange Management Shell on the active node.

    Start-ClusteredMailboxServer <CMSName>
    

    You can also use the Manage Clustered Mailbox Server wizard in the Exchange Management Console to start the CMS. For detailed steps about how to start a CMS, see How to Start a Clustered Mailbox Server in a CCR Environment.

    After the CMS is started and all resources are online, the passive Mailbox role can be installed on the second node in the failover cluster, if it is not already installed. For detailed steps about how to install the passive Mailbox role in the failover cluster, see How to Install the Passive Clustered Mailbox Role in a CCR Environment on Windows Server 2003.