Exchange Support for Virtualization

Server Virtualization is nowo a hot topic. Lots of customer is consolidating thier servers.

Few projects that we involved have the same trend too. Working with one of the principle, they are core pushing it, whithout knowing the consequences, as always quote: "You need to size it correctly". How about from a Technical point, let say Microsoft Infrastucture point of view?

Till date, we will not recommended for DB type server, or any server that is high in IO, which include Exchange & SQL. We will recommend individual box with scale out method.

Another thing will be support. In an Enterprise environment, you will not want to take your business into a risk. Please glance through the following links for more information.

How about AD?
See this URL - http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=64DB845D-F7A3-4209-8ED2-E261A117FC6B&displaylang=en

If you say, we still want to virtualize it, do remember:

• Don't use them where important services like Exchange/SQL/Apps
• Don't use them to on FSMO
• Don't use them as GC

You will then ask, why i need to virtualize? However, this will be good for branch deployment method...

Lastly, when you still ask, whether it works? The answer is YES. Some of our customers successfully implemented. But, again, this message has to be clearly convey and documented to the customer.

More info:
Support policy for Microsoft software running in non-Microsoft hardware virtualization software: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/897615/

NOTE: Poo, look, Virtualization is still our goal and roadmap, what to do now?Our advise, look into Windows 2003 Virtualization, you will know why we say so, kindly visit one of my new blog, mention only Windows 2008. For vritualization, visithttp://windowserver.blogspot.com/search/label/Virtualization

ReadyBoost - Enhanced your Vist performance!

Recently, we bought a Thumb drive that is ready for BOOST up Windows Vista. Cool huh? Ya. Its only about 20% more expensive than normal Thumb drive.

What is ReadyBoost? Windows ReadyBoost can use storage space on some removable media devices, such as USB flash drives, to speed up your computer.

When you insert a device with this capability in Windows Vista, the AutoPlay dialog will offer you the option to speed up your system using Windows ReadyBoost. If you select this option, you can then choose how much memory to use for this purpose.

Some universal serial bus (USB) storage devices contain both slow and fast flash memory, and Windows can only use fast flash memory to speed up your computer. So if your device contains both slow and fast memory, keep in mind that you can only use the fast memory portion for this purpose.

The recommended amount of memory to use for this acceleration is one to three times the amount of random access memory (RAM) installed in your computer. For instance, if your computer has 1GB of RAM and you plug in a 4 GB USB flash drive, setting aside from 1GB to 3GB of that drive will offer the best performance boost. The minimum size for any USB flash drive to work is 256 MB.

Exchange 2007 Tour - First round

Guys,

We are currently running Exchange 2007 Tour. If you are interested for your company, do let us know. We do not charge anything.

Topic covers:

1) Exchange 2007 Introduction (With OWA Demo)

2) Exchange 2007 and its clients

3) Exchange 2007 and UM (With live UM Demo)

4) Others

5) Q&A

The total duration covered is about 1 hour. Those are in Malaysia, do send us e-mail.

Exchange PowerShell - Advanced Formatting

In this sample, we would like to share, if your Employer would like to know when your employee join the company (Assume that you create the e-mail address at the day the employee join the company).

The sample command show like this:

At the command prompt, type the following command, and then press ENTER:

get-mailbox sort-object whencreated format-table @{expression=″whencreated″;width=25; label=″Employee Join Date″}, @{expression=″name″;width=20; label=″User name″} > users.txt

Using Pipe in Exchange Management Shell

This session, we will learn about a subset of the users that match the criteria we enter – in this case, a name that is like max solution and anything (in other words, it starts with max solution). By the way, the $_.name means this object’s name. The where-object command goes through all objects and checks each one’s name against the criteria defined.

At the command prompt, type the following command, and then press ENTER:
get-user where-object {$_.name –ilike ″max solution*″}

In this command, we would like to have a result where users is not start with max solution.

At the command prompt, type the following command, and then press ENTER:
get-user where-object {$_.name –inotlike ″max solution*″}

To only get the users that have mailbox in Exchange, at the command prompt, type the following command, and then press ENTER:
get-user where-object {$_.recipienttype –eq ″mailboxuser″}

How to fight SPAM

Guys,

Good day. Fighting SPAM is always the task for every administrators. Is Technology the part that needed to be enhance all the time? How about People and Process??

Read an interesting article from Microsoft. Perhaps have to educate your users in the company.

Read this:

http://www.microsoft.com/protect/yourself/email/spam.mspx

MVP for Exchange

..

Guys,

Good day. We got an e-mail from Microsoft - a good news.

We are recognised as MVP for Exchange (Most Valuable Professional). We would like to extend this honor to all of you.

To the thousands of wonderful people reading, giving comments on this blog over these many years, thank you for your time. Your support is greatly appreciated and is not taken for granted.

Hope you all continuing support. Salute the spirit of community and enhancing people’s lives and the industry’s success everyday.

Thanks!

Disclaimer in Exchange 2000 and 2003

Guys, one of our peers asking if you can add disclaimer for Exchange 2000 or Exchange 2003 using native tool?

There is a work around for the event sink, yes, it is FREE... however, you will need to register the event sink.

An MS KB article that explain on adding or removing disclaimers:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/317327

For Exchange 2007, things become easier... using Transport Rules.