Office 365 Guides

Here is a comprehensive list of guides for different suites of Office 365 cloud services published by Microsoft till date. I intend to update this list with new releases as they occur. Hope this list is helpful to Office 365 users and prospective customers.

Name	Description	Includes
Office 365 Guides for professionals and small businesses	Step-by-step instructions for setting up and using a Plan P1 trial account for Office 365 from Microsoft Online Services.	Microsoft Office 365 Customer Purchase and Support Guide.docx Office 365 Trial Guide.docx
Microsoft Office 365 Guides for midsize business and enterprises	Microsoft Office 365 Guides for midsize business and enterprises	Microsoft Office 365 Purchase and Support Guide.docx Microsoft Office 365 Trial Guide.docx
Office 365 Deployment Guide for Enterprises	This document is intended to help you understand the requirements and workflows for onboarding your organization to Microsoft Office 365 enterprise plans.	Microsoft_Office_365_Deployment_Guide.pdf
Office 365 White Paper: Guidance for Office Development in Office 365	This white paper explains the primary differences between developing Microsoft Office client solutions for Microsoft SharePoint Online in Office 365 and for the on-premises version of SharePoint 2010	GuidanceForOfficeDevelopmentInOffice365.docx
SharePoint Online for Office 365: Developer Guide	Use the SharePoint Online for Office 365 Developer Guide to gain knowledge and understanding of SharePoint Online within Microsoft Office 365, and the rich features available to developers and designers.	SPO_DevGuide.pdf SPO_DevGuide.xps
Migrate from Exchange Public Folders to Microsoft Office 365	This document outlines these considerations, discusses the most common public folder scenarios and how they are represented in Office 365 services. It also provides the information you need to decide whether Office 365 is a good match for you based on your current public folder usage.	Migrate from Public Folders to Office 365.docx
Office 365 for Enterprise Service Descriptions	Office 365 is a suite of Internet-based services that are designed to help meet your needs for robust security, 24/7 reliability, and user productivity. This set of documents provides service descriptions for the components of the suite.	Microsoft Exchange Online Archiving Service Description.docx Microsoft Exchange Online for Enterprises Service Description.docx Microsoft Lync Online for Enterprises Service Description.docx Microsoft Office Professional Plus Service Description.docx Microsoft Office Web Apps Service Description.docx Microsoft SharePoint Online for Enterprises Service Description.docx Office 365 for Enterprises Support Service Description.docx Office 365 Identity Service Description.docx Office 365 Mobility Solutions Service Description.docx Office 365 Security and Service Continuity Service Description.docx Office 365 Support for Apple Mac and iOS Devices.docx

Automating with Windows Powershell

Windows PowerShell™ is a task-based command-line shell and scripting language designed especially for system administration. Built on the .NET Framework, Windows PowerShell™ helps IT professionals and power users control and automate the administration of the Windows operating system and applications that run on Windows.

Built-in Windows PowerShell commands, called cmdlets, let you manage the computers in your enterprise from the command line. Windows PowerShell™ providers let you access data stores, such as the registry and certificate store, as easily as you access the file system. In addition, Windows PowerShell™ has a rich expression parser and a fully developed scripting language.

Windows PowerShell™ includes the following features:

• Cmdlets for performing common system administration tasks, such as managing the registry, services, processes, and event logs, and using Windows Management Instrumentation.
• A task-based scripting language and support for existing scripts and command-line tools.
• Consistent design. Because cmdlets and system data stores use common syntax and naming conventions, data can be shared easily and the output from one cmdlet can be used as the input to another cmdlet without reformatting or manipulation.
• Simplified, command-based navigation of the operating system, which lets users navigate the registry and other data stores by using the same techniques that they use to navigate the file system.
• Powerful object manipulation capabilities. Objects can be directly manipulated or sent to other tools or databases.
• Extensible interface. Independent software vendors and enterprise developers can build custom tools and utilities to administer their software.

Watch this video to see how easily you can automate IT Tasks with Windows Powershell:

 

Technorati Tags: Powershell,Windows 7,Windows Server 2008,R2,exchange,scripting

How to Access/Configure different features in Exchange 2010

I found the following table quite useful as it has organized the Exchange 2010 features accessed by EMC, alphabetically by feature. It includes the click path that shows you how to get to the feature and the related topics that explain how to manage the feature

Exchange 2010 features managed in the EMC and Shell

Feature	How to get there in the Exchange Management Console	Related management topics
Accepted domains	Organization Configuration > Hub Transport > Accepted Domains tabEdge Transport > Accepted Domains tab	Managing Accepted and Remote Domains
Address lists	Organization Configuration > Mailbox > Address Lists tab	Managing Address Lists
Archive quotas, apply to mailbox	Recipient Configuration > Mailbox > (Select Mailbox) > Properties > Mailbox Settings tab > Archive Quota > Properties	Configure Personal Archive Quotas for a Mailbox
Best Practices Analyzer	Toolbox > Best Practices Analyzer > Open Tool	Microsoft Exchange Analyzers
Calendar settings, apply to mailbox	Recipient Configuration > Mailbox > (Select Mailbox) Properties > Calendar Settings tab	Managing User Mailboxes
Client Access server settings	Server Configuration > Client Access > (Select Server) > Properties	Managing Client Access Servers
Content filtering	Edge Transport > (Select Server) > Anti-spam tab > Content Filtering	Configure Content Filtering Properties
Customer Experience Improvement Program, opt-in or opt-out organization	Microsoft Exchange On-Premises > Customer Feedback tab	Opt-in or Opt-out of the Customer Experience Improvement Program
Customer Experience Improvement Program, opt-in or opt-out servers	Server Configuration > (Select Server) > Properties > Customer Feedback Options tabServer Configuration > (Select Server Role Node) > (Select Server) > Properties > Customer Feedback Options tab	Opt-in or Opt-out of the Customer Experience Improvement Program
Database availability group networks	Organization Configuration > Mailbox > Database Availability Groups tab > (Select Database Availability Group) > Networks tab	Create a Database Availability Group NetworkConfigure Database Availability Group Network Properties
Database availability groups	Organization Configuration > Mailbox > Database Availability Groups tab	Managing Database Availability Groups
Database copies	Organization Configuration > Mailbox > Database Management tab > (Select Mailbox Database) > Database Copies tab	Managing Mailbox Database Copies
Database switchover	Organization Configuration > Mailbox > Database Management tabOrganization Configuration > Mailbox > Database Management tab > (Select Mailbox Database) > Database Copies tab	Switchovers and Failovers
Databases	Organization Configuration > Mailbox > Database Management tab	Managing Mailbox DatabasesManaging Public Folder Databases
Details Templates Editor	Toolbox > Details Templates Editor > Open Tool	Managing Details Templates
Diagnostic logging	Server Configuration > Mailbox > (Select Server) > Manage Diagnostic Logging Properties	Manage Diagnostic Logging Levels
Distribution groups	Recipient Configuration > Distribution Group	Managing Distribution Groups
Dynamic distribution groups	Recipient Configuration > Distribution Group	Managing Distribution Groups
Edge Subscriptions	Organization Configuration > Hub Transport > Edge Subscriptions tab	Managing Edge Subscriptions
Edge Transport server settings	Edge Transport > (Select Server) > Properties	Managing Transport Servers
E-mail address policies	Organization Configuration > Hub Transport > E-mail Address Policies tab	Managing E-Mail Address Policies
E-mail addresses, apply to public folder	Toolbox > Public Folder Management Console > Default Public Folders > (Select Mail-Enabled Public Folder) > Properties > E-Mail Addresses tab	Configure Public Folder Properties
E-mail addresses, apply to recipient	Recipient Configuration > (Select Recipient) > Properties > E-Mail Addresses tab	Configure User and Resource Mailbox PropertiesConfigure Mail User Properties Configure Mail Contact Properties Configure Distribution Group Properties Configure Dynamic Distribution Group Properties
Exchange ActiveSync mailbox policies	Organization Configuration > Client Access > Exchange ActiveSync Mailbox Policies tab	Managing Exchange ActiveSync with Policies
Exchange ActiveSync mailbox policies, apply to mailbox	Recipient Configuration > Mailbox > (Select Mailbox) > Properties > Mailbox Features tab > Exchange ActiveSync > Properties	Add Users to an Exchange ActiveSync Mailbox Policy
Exchange Control Panel Web site	Server Configuration > Client Access > Exchange Control Panel tab > (Select Web Site) > Properties	Configure ECP Virtual Directory Properties
External Client Access domains	Server Configuration > Client Access > Configure External Client Access Domain	Configure External Client Access Namespaces
Federation trusts	Organization Configuration > Federation Trust tab	Managing Federation
Full Access permission, mailbox	Recipient Configuration > Mailbox > (Select Mailbox) > Manage Full Access Permission	Manage Full Access Permissions
Hub Transport server settings	Server Configuration > Hub Transport > (Select Server) > Properties	Managing Transport Servers
IMAP4, configure	Server Configuration > Client Access > POP3 and IMAP4 tab > IMAP4 > Properties	View or Configure IMAP4 Properties
IMAP4, enable, disable, or specify the MIME format for a mailbox	Recipient Configuration > Mailbox > (Select Mailbox) > Properties > Mailbox Features tab > IMAP4	Enable or Disable IMAP4 Access for a User
IP Allow List providers	Edge Transport > (Select Server) > Anti-spam tab > IP Allow List Providers	Configure IP Allow List Providers Properties
IP Allow lists	Edge Transport > (Select Server) > Anti-spam tab > IP Allow List	Configure IP Allow List Properties
IP Block lists	Edge Transport > (Select Server) > Anti-spam tab > IP Block List	Configure IP Block List Properties
IP Block List providers	Edge Transport > (Select Server) > Anti-spam tab > IP Block List Providers	Configure IP Block List Providers Properties
Journal rules	Organization Configuration > Hub Transport > Journal Rules tab	Managing Journaling
License, input key	Server Configuration > Enter Product Key Group	Enter Product Key
License, view server and client licensing information	Microsoft Exchange On-Premises > Collect Organizational Health Data tab	Collect Organizational Health Data
Mail contacts	Recipient Configuration > Mail Contact	Managing Mail Contacts and Mail Users
Mail Flow Troubleshooter	Toolbox > Mail Flow Troubleshooter > Open Tool	NA
Mail users	Recipient Configuration > Mail Contact	Managing Mail Contacts and Mail Users
Mailbox server settings	Server Configuration > Mailbox > (Select Server) > Properties	Managing Mailbox Servers
Mailboxes, configure	Recipient Configuration > Mailbox	Managing User Mailboxes
Mailboxes, disconnected	Recipient Configuration > Disconnected Mailbox	Connect to the Disconnected Mailbox ServerConnect a Disconnected Personal Archive
Mailboxes, move	Recipient Configuration > Mailbox > (Select Mailbox) > New Local Move Request or New Remote Move Request	Managing Move Requests
MAPI, enable or disable for mailbox	Recipient Configuration > Mailbox > (Select Mailbox) > Properties > Mailbox Features tab > MAPI	Enable or Disable MAPI for a User Mailbox
Message delivery	Organization Configuration > Hub Transport > Global Settings tab > (Select Transport Settings) > Properties > Message Delivery tab	Configure Transport Settings Properties
Message delivery restrictions, apply to recipient	Recipient Configuration > (Select Recipient) > Properties > Mail Flow Settings tab > Message Delivery Restrictions > Properties	Configure Message Delivery Restrictions
Message size restrictions, apply to recipient	Recipient Configuration > (Select Recipient) > Properties > Mail Flow Settings tab > Message Size Restrictions > Properties	Configure Message Size Limits for a Mailbox or a Mail-Enabled Public Folder
Message tracking	Toolbox > Message Tracking > Open Tool > (Log On to Outlook Web App) > (Select to Manage My Organization) > Reporting > Delivery Reports tab	Track Messages with Delivery Reports
Move request, view or remove	Recipient Configuration > Move Request	Managing Move Requests
Offline address book virtual directory, configure	Server Configuration > Client Access > Offline Address Book Distribution tab	Configure Offline Address Book Distribution Properties
Offline address books (OABs)	Organization Configuration > Mailbox > Offline Address Book tab	Managing Offline Address Books
Organization relationships	Organization Configuration > Organization Relationships tab	Managing Federated Sharing
Organizational health, update	Microsoft Exchange On-Premises > Organizational Health tab> Collect Organizational Health Data	Collect Organizational Health Data
Organizational health, view	Microsoft Exchange On-Premises > Organizational Health Data tab	Collect Organizational Health Data
Outlook Anywhere, configure	Server Configuration > Client Access > (Select Server) > Properties > Outlook Anywhere tab	Managing Outlook Anywhere
Outlook Anywhere, enable or disable	Server Configuration > Client Access > (Select Server) > Enable Outlook Anywhere	Enable Outlook AnywhereDisable Outlook Anywhere
Outlook Web App mailbox policies	Organization Configuration > Client Access > Outlook Web App Mailbox Policies tab	Managing Outlook Web App Mailbox Policies
Outlook Web App mailbox policies, apply to mailbox	Recipient Configuration > Mailbox > (Select Mailbox) > Properties > Mailbox Features tab > Outlook Web App > Properties	Apply an Outlook Web App Mailbox Policy to a Mailbox
Outlook Web App virtual directories, configure	Server Configuration > Client Access > Outlook Web App tab	Managing Outlook Web App Virtual Directories
Performance Monitor	Toolbox > Performance Monitor > Open Tool	Performance and Reliability Monitoring Step-by-Step Guide for Windows Server 2008
Performance Troubleshooter	Toolbox > Performance Troubleshooter > Open Tool	NA
Personal archive, disconnected	Recipient Configuration > Disconnected Mailbox	Connect a Disconnected Personal Archive
Personal archive, enable or disable	Recipient Configuration > Mailbox > (Select Mailbox) > Enable ArchiveOR Recipient Configuration > Mailbox > (Select Mailbox) > Properties > Mailbox Features tab > Archive > Enable or Disable	Enable a Personal Archive for a New MailboxEnable a Personal Archive for an Existing Mailbox
POP3, configure	Server Configuration > Client Access > (Select Server) > POP3 and IMAP4 tab > POP3 > Properties	Managing POP3 and IMAP4
POP3, enable or disable for mailbox	Recipient Configuration > Mailbox > (Select Mailbox) > Properties > Mailbox Features tab > POP3	Enable or Disable POP3 Access for a User
Public folder databases	Organization Configuration > Mailbox > Database Management tab	Managing Public Folder Databases
Public folder replication	Toolbox > Public Folder Management Console > Default Public Folders > (Select Public Folder) > Properties > Replication tab	Configure Public Folder Replication
Public folders	Toolbox > Public Folder Management Console > Default Public Folders	Managing Public Folders
Queue Viewer	Toolbox > Queue Viewer > Open Tool	Using Queue Viewer
Receive connectors	Server Configuration > Hub Transport > Receive ConnectorsEdge Transport > Receive Connectors	Managing Connectors
Recipient filtering	Edge Transport > (Select Server) > Anti-spam tab > Recipient Filtering	Managing Anti-Spam and Antivirus Features
Remote Connectivity Analyzer	Toolbox > Remote Connectivity Analyzer > Open Tool	Exchange Remote Connectivity Analyzer Tool
Remote domains	Organization Configuration > Hub Transport > Remote Domains tab	Managing Accepted and Remote Domains
Resource mailbox, configure	Recipient Configuration > (Select Resource Mailbox) > Properties	Managing Resource Mailboxes and Scheduling
Role Based Access Control (RBAC) User Editor	Toolbox > Role Based Access Control (RBAC) User Editor > Open Tool > (Log On to Outlook Web App) > Administrator Roles tab and User Roles tab	Administrator Roles TabUser Roles Tab
Routing Log Viewer	Toolbox > Routing Log Viewer > Open Tool	Using the Routing Log Viewer
Send As permissions, mailbox	Recipient Configuration > Mailbox > (Select Mailbox) > Manage Send As Permission	Manage Send As Permissions for a Mailbox
Send As permissions, mail-enabled public folder	Toolbox > Public Folder Management Console > Default Public Folders > (Select Mail-Enabled Public Folder) > Manage Send As Permission	Manage Send As Permissions for Mail-Enabled Public Folders
Send connectors	Organization Configuration > Hub Transport > Send Connectors tabEdge Transport > Send Connectors tab	Managing Connectors
Send on behalf, mailbox	Recipient Configuration > Mailbox > (Select Mailbox) > Properties > Mail Flow Settings tab > Delivery Options > Properties	Configure User and Resource Mailbox Properties
Send on behalf, mail-enabled public folder	Toolbox > Public Folder Management Console > Default Public Folders > (Select Mail-Enabled Public Folder) > Properties > Mail Flow Settings tab > Delivery Options > Properties	Configure Public Folder Properties
Sender filtering	Edge Transport > (Select Server) > Anti-spam tab> Sender Filtering	Managing Anti-Spam and Antivirus Features
Sender ID	Edge Transport > (Select Server) > Anti-spam tab > Sender ID	Managing Anti-Spam and Antivirus Features
Sender reputation	Edge Transport > (Select Server) > Anti-spam tab> Sender Reputation	Managing Anti-Spam and Antivirus Features
Server switchover	Server Configuration > Mailbox > (Select Server) > Switchover Server	Perform a Server Switchover
Sharing policies	Organization Configuration > Mailbox > Sharing Policies tab	Managing Federated Sharing
Sharing policies, apply to mailbox	Recipient Configuration > Mailbox > (Select Mailbox) > Properties > Mailbox Settings tab > Federated Sharing > Properties	Managing Federated Sharing
Storage quotas, configure for a mailbox	Recipient Configuration > Mailbox > (Select Mailbox) > Properties > Mailbox Settings tab > Storage Quotas > Properties	Configure Storage Quotas for a Mailbox
Tracking Log Explorer	Toolbox > Tracking Log Explorer > Open Tool	NA
Transport dumpster	Organization Configuration > Hub Transport > Global Settings tab > Transport Settings > Properties > General tab	Configure Transport Settings Properties
Transport limits	Organization Configuration > Hub Transport > Global Settings tab > (Select Transport Settings) > Properties > General tab	Configure Transport Settings Properties
Transport rules	Organization Configuration > Hub Transport > Transport Rules tabEdge Transport > Transport Rules tab	Managing Transport Rules
Transport settings	Organization Configuration > Hub Transport > Global Settings tab	Configure Transport Settings Properties
UM auto attendants	Organization Configuration > Unified Messaging > UM Auto Attendants tab	Managing UM Auto Attendants
UM dial plans	Organization Configuration > Unified Messaging > UM Dial Plans tab	Managing UM Dial Plans
UM hunt groups	Organization Configuration > Unified Messaging > UM IP Gateways tab > (Select IP Gateway) > UM Hunt Groups tab	Managing UM Hunt Groups
UM IP gateways	Organization Configuration > Unified Messaging > UM IP Gateways tab	Managing UM IP Gateways
UM mailbox policies	Organization Configuration > Unified Messaging > UM Mailbox Policies tab	Managing UM Mailbox Policies
UM-enabled users	Recipient Configuration > Mailbox > (Select Mailbox) > Properties > Mailbox Features tab > Unified Messaging > Properties	Managing Unified Messaging Users
Unified Messaging server settings	Server Configuration > Unified Messaging > Properties	Managing Unified Messaging Servers
Unified Messaging server, enable or disable	Server Configuration > Unified Messaging > (Select UM Server) > Disable Immediately or Disable After Calls	Enable Unified Messaging on Exchange 2010Disable Unified Messaging on Exchange 2010

 

Exchange 2010 features managed only in the Shell

Feature	Manage by using
Address rewriting	AddressRewriteEntry cmdlet setSee Transport Cmdlets
Attachment filter agent	AttachmentFilterEntry cmdlet setAttachmentFilterListConfig cmdlet set See Anti-Spam Cmdlets
Client access array	ClientAccessArray cmdlet setSee Client Access Cmdlets
Database availability group network encryption and compression	Set-DatabaseAvailabilityGroup
Database availability groups: alternate witness server and alternate witness directory	Set-DatabaseAvailabilityGroup
Database availability groups: Datacenter Activation Coordination mode	Set-DatabaseAvailabilityGroup
Database availability groups: IP Address	Set-DatabaseAvailabilityGroup
Database availability groups: replication port	Set-DatabaseAvailabilityGroup
Delivery agent connectors	DeliveryAgentConnector cmdlet setSee Transport Cmdlets
Edge synchronization (EdgeSync) service settings, configure	EdgeSyncServiceConfig cmdlet setSee Transport Cmdlets
EdgeSync, forcing or testing	Start-EdgeSynchronizationTest-EdgeSynchronization
Exchange ActiveSync connectivity, test	Test-ActiveSyncConnectivity
Exchange ActiveSync log, export	Export-ActiveSyncLog
Exchange Control Panel connectivity, test	Test-EcpConnectivity
Exchange Search	Set-MailboxDatabase, with the -IndexEnabled parameterTest-ExchangeSearch Get-FailedContentIndexDocuments
Global address lists (GALs)	GlobalAddressList cmdlet setSee Mailbox Cmdlets
IMAP4 connectivity, test	Test-ImapConnectivity
Import\export mailbox data	Import-MailboxExport-Mailbox
Information Rights Management (IRM), configure	IRMConfiguration cmdlet setSee Messaging Policy and Compliance Cmdlets
IP Allow and Block List providers, test	Test-IPAllowListProviderTest-IPBlockListProvider
IP site link costs, Exchange-specific	ADSiteLink cmdlet setSee Transport Cmdlets
Message flow, test	Test-MessageTest-Mailflow
Messaging records management (MRM) 1.0: Managed folders	ManagedFolder cmdlet setManagedFolderMailboxPolicy cmdlet set Start-ManagedFolderAssistant See Messaging Policy and Compliance Cmdlets
MRM 2.0: Retention policies	RetentionPolicy cmdlet setRetentionPolicyTag cmdlet set See Messaging Policy and Compliance Cmdlets
Multi-Mailbox Search	MailboxSearch cmdlet setSee Messaging Policy and Compliance Cmdlets
Offline address book virtual directory, create	New-OABVirtualDirectory
Outlook client connectivity, test end-to-end	Test-OutlookConnectivity
Outlook Protection Rules	OutlookProtectionRule cmdlet setSee Messaging Policy and Compliance Cmdlets
Outlook Web App connectivity, test	Test-OwaConnectivity
Outlook Web App virtual directories, create or remove	New-OwaVirtualDirectoryRemove-OwaVirtualDirectory
Outlook Web services connectivity, test	Test-OutlookWebServices
POP3 connectivity, test	Test-PopConnectivity
Recovery database, create	New-MailboxDatabase
Recovery database, extract data	Restore-Mailbox
Recovery items	Set-Mailbox, using the following parameters:· RecoverableItemsQuota · RecoverableItemsWarningQuota · SingleItemRecoveryEnabled
Routing group connectors	RoutingGroupConnector cmdlet setSee Transport Cmdlets
Safelist aggregation, force	Update-SafeList cmdlet setSee Transport Cmdlets
Sender ID, test	Test-SenderId
Service e-mail channel	ServiceEmailChannel cmdlet setSee Client Access Cmdlets
Transport agents	TransportAgent cmdlet setSee Transport Cmdlets
Transport latency, calculating	MessageLatencyReport cmdlet setSee Transport Cmdlets
Transport pipeline analysis	Get-TransportPipeline
UM connectivity, test	Test-UMConnectivity
UM incoming calls, view active	Get-UMActiveCalls
Web services connectivity, test	Test-WebServicesConnectivity
X.400 authoritative domains	X400AuthoritativeDomains cmdlet set

 

Note: If you’re looking for a feature that was in Exchange Server 2007 or Exchange Server 2003 and you can’t find it in this topic, the feature may have been renamed or removed in Exchange 2010. For more information, see Discontinued Features and De-Emphasized Functionality.

Technorati Tags: Exchange 2010,Exchange Server,2010

Configuring Exchange Server 2010 for Best Performance and Scalability

Generally, the maximum level performance for a server is determined by the component that has the lowest performance—the bottleneck in the system. The key to improving performance is being able to identify bottlenecks, determine their cause, and take the appropriate corrective action.

Processor Performance

Exchange 2010 benefits significantly when running on multi-core processors.

Recommended Load - The processor usage on a server should maintain a load of about 60 percent during peak working hours. This percentage level allows room for periods of extreme load.

Bottleneck – If the processor usage is consistently greater than 75 percent, processor performance is considered a bottleneck.

Selecting the Appropriate Processor

The release to manufacturing (RTM) version of Exchange 2010 is only supported in production environments when the x64 version of Exchange 2010 is installed on a computer with x64-compatible processors running 64-bit editions of Windows Server 2008 or Windows Server 2008 R2.

Hyper-Threading

Hyper-threading causes capacity planning and monitoring challenges, and as a result, the expected gain in CPU overhead is likely not justified. Hyper-threading should be disabled by default for production Exchange servers and only enabled if absolutely necessary as a temporary measure to increase CPU capacity until additional hardware can be obtained.

Virtual Deployments

The CPU overhead associated with running a guest operating system in a virtual machine was found in testing to range between 9 percent and 12 percent. For example, a guest operating system running on a virtual machine typically had available 88 percent to 91 percent of the CPU resources available to an equivalent operating system running on physical hardware. It is recommended to reduce the user capacity of Mailbox servers by 10 percent to account for hypervisor processor overhead.

Processor configurations for Exchange 2010 server roles

Exchange 2010 Server Role	No. of Recommended Processor Cores	Notes
Edge Transport	12
Hub Transport	12	A configuration for the Hub Transport server role of 8 x processor cores is recommended in organizations where Hub Transport servers are deployed with several Mailbox servers and thousands of mailboxes. Servers with larger processor cores can be efficiently used when the Hub Transport server is configured to use antivirus and anti-spam tools. Processor utilization is based on several factors such as message rate, average message size, number of enabled transport agents, antivirus configuration, and third-party applications.
Client Access	12	In Exchange 2010 architecture, most of the client-specific functions have been moved from the Mailbox server to the Client Access server. In Exchange 2010, messages are converted on the Client Access server when they’re accessed by a non-MAPI client (for example, POP3 and IMAP4 clients). In addition, rendering for Microsoft Office Outlook Web App is performed on the Client Access server, as opposed to the Microsoft Exchange Information Store service in previous versions of Exchange. These architectural changes allow the Client Access server to offload significant processing from the Mailbox server and to effectively utilize 8 x processor cores. Servers with 2 x processor cores can be utilized for Client Access servers in organizations where there aren’t enough mailboxes or insufficient non-MAPI client traffic to warrant using 4 x processor core servers.
Unified Messaging Note: Recommendations based on Unified Messaging being deployed with the default configuration that includes Voice Mail Preview enabled.	12	A configuration for the Unified Messaging server role of 8 x processor cores is recommended. Multiple cores are used on the Unified Messaging server for several architectural functions such as .wav to Microsoft Windows Media Audio (WMA) conversions for voice mail messages. Servers with 2 x processor cores can be used for Unified Messaging servers in organizations where there aren’t enough mailboxes or insufficient Unified Messaging server activity to warrant using 4 x processor core servers.
Mailbox	12	The recommendation configuration for the Mailbox server role is based predominantly on mailbox count and user profile. A 4 x processor core server provides a good balance between price and performance, and it should be able to host several thousand mailboxes. Sizing for the Mailbox server requires an understanding of the average client user profile. This profile can be collected using transport performance counters that indicate overall message throughput within an Exchange system. You can use the Microsoft Exchange Server Profile Analyzer or third-party tools.
Client Access/Hub Transport combined role (Client Access and Hub Transport roles running on the same physical server)	12
Multiple role (Client Access, Hub Transport, and Mailbox server roles running on the same physical server)	24	As a general guideline, a multiple role server should be sized to use half of the available processor cores for the Mailbox role and the other half for the Client Access and Hub Transport roles. The maximum recommended processor core configuration is listed at 24 x processor cores for the multiple server roles configuration to indirectly provide guidance on the maximum number of users that should be hosted on a multiple role server. Although this configuration can use more than 24 x processor cores, it is not recommended.

For more information about how different processors perform, see Understanding Processor Configurations and Exchange Performance.

Memory Performance

Exchange 2010 on the 64-bit editions of the Windows Server 2008 operating system can efficiently utilize upwards of 64 GB of memory (Mailbox server role).

Different server architectures have different memory limits. It is recommended that you check the following technical specifications of the server to determine the most cost-efficient maximum memory configuration for your servers:

Memory speed – Some server architectures require slower memory modules to scale to the maximum supported amount of memory in a specific server. For example, maximum server memory could be limited to 32 GB with PC3 10666 (DDR3 1333) or 128 GB using PC2 6400 (DDR2 800). You should check with the manufacturer to ensure that the memory configuration target for Exchange 2010 is compatible in terms of speed.

Memory module size – Consider the largest memory module size that the server will support. Generally, the larger the memory module, the more expensive. For example, two 2 GB DDR SDRAM memory modules generally cost much less than one 4GB DDR SDRAM memory module and two 4 GB DDR SDRAM memory modules generally cost much less than one 8GB DDR SDRAM memory module. Make sure the maximum memory module size allows you to meet your target memory requirements for Exchange 2010.

Total number of memory slots – Consider how many memory modules that a specific server will support. The total number of slots multiplied by the maximum memory module size provides the maximum memory configuration for the server. Keep in mind that memory modules must sometimes be installed in pairs.Be aware that some servers experience a performance improvement when more memory slots are filled, while others experience a reduction in performance. Check with your hardware vendor to understand this effect on your server architecture.

Recommended Memory Configurations

The following table shows the minimum supported and recommended maximum memory configurations for Exchange 2010.

Memory configurations for Exchange 2010 servers based on installed server roles

Exchange 2010 server role	Minimum supported	Recommended maximum
Edge Transport	4 GB	1 GB per core (4 GB minimum)
Hub Transport	4 GB	1 GB per core (4 GB minimum
Client Access	4 GB	2 GB per core (8 GB minimum)
Unified Messaging	4 GB	2 GB per core (4 GB minimum)
Mailbox	4 GB	4 GB plus 3-30 MB additional memory per mailbox: The total required memory is based on the user profile and database cache size.
Client Access/Hub Transport combined role (Client Access and Hub Transport server roles running on the same physical server)	4 GB	2 GB per core (8 GB minimum)
Multiple roles (combinations of Hub Transport, Client Access, and Mailbox server roles)	8 GB	4 GB plus 3-30 MB additional memory per mailbox: The total required memory is based on the user profile and database cache size.

For more information about how different memory configurations perform, see Understanding Memory Configurations and Exchange Performance.

Network Performance

For Mailbox servers, gigabit Ethernet (1,000 megabits per second (Mbps) or 1 gigabit per second (Gbps)) is recommended.

Multiple switched fast Ethernet networks of gigabit Ethernet connections are recommended.

Storage Performance

Physical Disk Types

Supported physical disk types

Physical disk type	Description	Supported/best practices
SATA	Serial ATA (SATA) is a serial interface for ATA and integrated device electronics (IDE) disks. SATA disks are available in a variety of form factors, speeds, and capacities. In general, choose SATA disks for Exchange 2010 mailbox storage when you have the following design requirements: High capacity Moderate performance Moderate power utilization	Supported: 512 byte sector disks only. 4KB sector disks, including those which use 512-byte emulation, are currently not supported. Requires battery backed caching array controller for optimal data reliability and I/O performance. Physical disk-write caching must be disabled when used without an uninterruptable power supply (UPS). When considering SATA disks, we recommend considering Enterprise class SATA disks, which generally have better heat, vibration, and reliability characteristics.
SAS	SAS is a serial interface for Small Computer System Interface (SCSI) disks. SAS disks are available in a variety of form factors, speeds, and capacities. In general, choose SAS disks for Exchange 2010 mailbox storage when you have the following design requirements: Moderate capacity High performance Moderate power utilization	Supported: 512 byte sector disks only. 4KB sector disks, including those which use 512-byte emulation, are currently not supported. Physical disk-write caching must be disabled when used without a UPS.
Fibre Channel (FC)	FC is an electrical interface used to connect disks to Fibre Channel-based SANs. FC disks are available in a variety of speeds and capacities. In general, choose FC disks for Exchange 2010 mailbox storage when you have the following design requirements: Moderate capacity High performance SAN connectivity	Supported: 512 byte sector disks only. 4KB sector disks, including those which use 512-byte emulation, are currently not supported. Physical disk-write caching must be disabled when used without a UPS.
Solid-state drive (SSD) (flash disk)	An SSD is a data storage device that uses solid-state memory to store persistent data. An SSD emulates a hard disk drive interface. SSD disks are available in a variety of, speeds (different I/O performance capabilities) and capacities. In general, choose SSD disks for Exchange 2010 mailbox storage when you have the following design requirements: Low capacity Extremely high performance	Supported: 512 byte sector disks only. 4KB sector disks, including those which use 512-byte emulation, are currently not supported. Physical disk-write caching must be disabled when used without a UPS. In general, Exchange 2010 Mailbox servers don’t require the performance characteristics of SSD storage.

Database and log file choices for the Exchange 2010 Mailbox server role

Database and log file options	Description	Stand-alone: supported/best practices	High availability: supported/best practices
File placement: Database/log isolation	Database/log isolation refers to placing the database file and logs from the same mailbox database onto different volumes backed by different physical disks.	Best practice: For recoverability, move database file (.edb) and logs from the same database to different volumes backed by different physical disks.	Isolation of logs and databases isn’t required.
File placement: Database files/volume	Database files/volume refers to how you distribute database files within or across disk volumes.	Best practice: Based on your backup methodology.	Supported: When using JBOD, divide a single disk into two volumes (one for database, one for log stream).
File placement: Log streams/volume	Log streams/volume refers to how you distribute database log files within or across disk volumes.	Best practice: Based on your backup methodology.	Supported: When using JBOD, divide a single disk into two volumes (one for database, one for log stream). Best practice: When using JBOD, single database per log per volume.
Database size	The on disk database file size (.edb).	Supported: Approximately 16 terabytes (TB) Best practice: 100 gigabytes (GB) or less. Provision for 120 percent of calculated maximum database size	Supported: Approximately 16 TB Best practice: 2 TB or less. Provision for 120 percent of calculated maximum database size.
Log truncation method	The process for truncating and deleting old database log files. There are two mechanisms: Circular logging, in which Exchange deletes the logs. Log truncation, which occurs after a successful full or incremental Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS) backup.	Best practice: Use backups for log truncation (for example, circular logging disabled). Provision for three days of log generation capacity.	Best practice: Enable circular logging for deployments that use Exchange 2010 data protection features. Provision for three days beyond replay lag setting of log generation capacity.

 

 

 

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