Sometimes, it is a great relief when a user of your software gives it a tough test and then reports that it just works automatically without the users even knowing about it. Once again, Exchange Server Archiver just quietly gets on with its job.… Read more
Jaap takes a first look at the new Beta 1 of Exchange Server 2010, which is now available for download, and likes what he sees, especially with Outlook Live, mailbox replication, and the 'self-healing' of the database. Much will change before the release, but there is already a lot of new features that are worth a look..… Read more
'Where did my mail go?' In order to answer this question, to troubleshoot mail problems and to analyse mail flow, the Exchange administrator can use message-tracking logs. Ben Lye elaborates on these essential logs and explains how you can use Powershell commands to search them for those emails that have gone adrift.… Read more
With an Exchange Server, how do you measure performance? How, in particular do you do about measuring your disk subsystem's performance? Whereas the CPU Usage and Memory usage are both easy to measure, the measurement of disk performance is often described as a 'black art'. In fact it isn't so difficult, as Michael Smith explains… Read more
Brien Posey ponders an 'off the cuff' remark that Exchange 2007 runs so well with a default configuration that you don't even have to worry about optimizing Exchange any more. He decides that there is actually plenty that can be done to help Exchange to perform even better… Read more
In this new column giving practical advice on all things Sys Admin related, Ben Lye takes on the often difficult task of keeping track of mobile device activity… Read more
In Exchange Server 2007, Information Rights management is easy to set up once you have set up the prerequisites. It is also much cheaper, and easier to use. This is just as well, because of the increasing statutory regulations to prevent the mishandling of confidential information in emails… Read more
In Exchange 2007, you can now classify your messages in any way you wish, so that, for example, you can flag messages as being sensitive information that should not be sent outside the company. You can also create transport rules for all messages of a particular category. It is an easy way of implementing email policies within a company: Neil Hobson shows you how ...… Read more
One of the most misunderstood technologies in Exchange Server, regardless of its version, is the database technology. Most people, even Exchange administrators know it is something to do with ESE and tools like ESEUTIL, but once it's running they leave it that way for the rest of their lives. It's too difficult and you'd better not touch it in case it breaks....… Read more
The original, rather complex, Exchange clustering, 'Single Copy Cluster', protects you against a server failure but not a database failure. 'Local Continuous Replication' protects you from database failure, but not server failure. The more simple 'Clustered Continuous Replication' protects against both. If you use it with Transport Dumpster, you won't lose emails.… Read more
Neil Hobson writes about the ways that MS Exchange 2007 can ensure that your organisations messaging remains available. He looks at the way that the Mailbox Server role can be made more available using features as Single Copy Clusters, Local Continuous Replication, and Clustered Continuous Replication. He also discusses ways of improving the resilience of the other server roles.… Read more
