This post contains the Interview questions related to Exchange Server 2010 Overview, which deals with the new features, installation requirements etc
1. What is Exchange Server 2010?
Exchange Server is an email, calendaring and address book systemapplication that runs on Windows Server 2008 operating system. In Exchange 2010, Microsoft focus on security, scalability, reliability, mobility and unified communication
2. What are the Exchange Server 2010 editions available and their functionality?
We have to editions introduced in Exchange 2010, Standard and Enterprise Edition.
Standard Edition – limited to have 5 databases, can be installed in Windows server 2008 Sp2 X64 Machine and Supports DAG (Standard edition exchange 2010 can be a member of DAG) if it is installed in Windows Server 2008 SP2 X64 enterprise edition operating system. No size limit for database, limited only by the hardware
Enterprise Edition– Limited to have 100 databases, installed on Windows server 2008 Sp2 X64 Machine and Support DAG. Only be installed in Windows Server 2008 SP2 X64 enterprise edition operating system. No size limit for database, limited only by the hardware
3. What is same between Exchange Server 2003/2007 and Exchange Server 2010?
- Core Infrastructure of Exchange Server 2003 or 2007 versus Exchange server 2010 in same, Microsoft continued to use the JET EDB database as the main database engine
- Exchange 2010 still use the concept of mailbox servers to hold us the user mailboxes and public folders
- Users can access their email using Outlook, OWA and Active Sync Clients
- Exchange 2010 uses the VSS API to freeze the exchange database to perform a backup of exchange server database
- Even if transition of mailbox from exchange server 20032007 occurs, older client access emails using outlook or OWA won't feel much difference on their client perspective, there is no compulsion of upgrading to Exchange 2010
- Exchange Server 2007 5 roles architecture is not changed in Exchange Server 2010. But the MAPI endpoint on Mail Server role is moved to client access server role, where in Exchange Server 2010, All the Exchange Server clients will connect CAS to access the mailbox and the public folders access will be directly threw or to Mailbox Database
4. What is missing in Exchange Server 2010 that are available in previous version?
A few of the missing features that are available in Exchange Server 2003 or 2007 are
- Storage Groups and Recovery Storage Groups are removed and the concept of mailbox database and Recovery mailbox database is available
- STM database has been removed, so it's just moved to EDB database as like exchange 2000 and the STM database concept is incorporated with EDB database
- Administrative Group and Routing Groups is been completely removed. Routing Groups are replaced with Active Directory sites and services to define organizational Sites and routing of messages to those sites
- EXOLEDB, WEBDAV, CDOEX and the Store Events are gone; exchange 2010 uses the new Exchange Web Services as the primary method to provide web services to client system
- Public Folders are still announced in a de emphasized state
- Other features like front and back end architecture has been removed, New Management tools EMC and Exchange Management Shell are introduced.
- Normal Permission Model is replaced with powerful or granular permission model named Role Based Access Control
5. Explain the Exchange 2010 Server roles and their functions in short?
- Mailbox Server: This server hosts mailboxes and public folders.
- Client Access Server: This is the server that hosts the client protocols, such as POP3, IMAP4, HTTPS, Outlook Anywhere, Availability service and Autodiscover service. The Client Access Server also hosts Web services.
- Unified Messaging Server: This is the server that connects a Private Branch eXchange (PBX) system to Exchange 2010.
- Hub Transport Server: This is the mail routing server that routes mail within the Exchange organization.
- Edge Transport Server: This is the mail routing server that typically sits at the perimeter of the topology and routes mail in to and out of the Exchange organization.
6. How the Mail flow has been changed respect to the introduction of Servers roles in Exchange Server 2010?
- An incoming message from the Internet first goes to the Edge Transport server.
- The Edge Transport server performs first-level recipient validation, as well as spam and virus filtering. The message is then passed on to the Hub Transport server.
- The Hub Transport server performs compliance content assessment and then looks at the internal routing for messages and forwards the message to another Hub Transport server or directly to a Mailbox server.
- The Mailbox server places the incoming message into the user's mailbox and notifies the user that a message has arrived.
- The user launches Outlook, OWA, their Windows Mobile device, or another client system and connects to the client access server. The client access server confirms the destination point of the user's mailbox and provides the user access to their mailbox data.
- In parallel, if a voice mail message comes in for a user, the Unified Messaging server processes the incoming voice message, and then takes the message and places the voice message into the user's mailbox residing on the Mailbox server for the recipient
7. What Microsoft tries to focus to deliver on Exchange Server 2010?
Three important focuses on the release of Exchange Server 2010 are
- Increase operational flexibility through easier deployment, high availability and simplified administration
- Support to larger and better organized mailboxes using Archive mailbox, Discovery Mailboxes etc
- Provides control with protected communication, built in compliance and archiving functionality like Retention and Legal hold
8. How to prepare an Exchange Server 2010 Installation?
If we are going to install an new installation or a transition from earlier version, we have to follow the below steps in preparing an Exchange Server 2010 installation
- Run the EXBPA to identify the problems
- Check whether all the perquisites and the hot fixes are installed
- Active directory to be raised to Windows Server 2003 forest functional level, better to have Active Directory and Global Catalog Server on 64 bit server with Windows Sever 2003 Sp1 or later
- Remove any Exchange Server 2000 or earlier version prior to the Exchange 2010 installation
- If we have Exchange Server 2007 in place, that need to be update with Exchange Server 2007 SP2
- Decide which versionedition of Exchange Server 2010 we are going to install based on the business requirement
9. What version of Windows Server is supported for Exchange Server 2010 installation?
Windows Server 2008 SP2 or R2 version was the only supported version of Windows Servers to Install Exchange Server 2010.
Note: Windows Server 2008 Datacenter Edition was not certified to install Exchange Server 2010 and also the Windows Server 2008, core edition and web editions are also not supported
10. Why we need to update Exchange Server 2007 to SP2 before installation Exchange Server 2010?
Main reason is, while update Exchange Server 2007 with SP2 will modify the Active Directory Schema to allow Exchange Server 2007 and Exchange Server 2010 to co exists in same Exchange organization
11. Is it possible to install Exchange Server 2007 in a fresh installation of Exchange Server 2010 environment?
No is the answers and it's not possible to install Exchange Server 2007, if Exchange Server 2010 got installed at the first place.
If we plan to deploy exchange Server 2007 on Exchange Server 2010 deployed environment. We have to prepare the Exchange environment with Exchange Server 2007 installation media and then if we install Exchange Server 2010, on the later, we have an option to introduce Exchange Server 2007.
12. What are the Exchange Server 2010 Version or Edition?
We have two Edition introduced in Exchange Server 2010
Standard Edition – which provides the basic functionality of Exchange server, limited to have 5 Databases, includes public folder database. Supports DAG and there is no limit for Database Size
Enterprise Edition – Designed for large organization with the 100 Database as the limit. Support DAG and there is no limit for database size
13. Where Exchange Server stores the Exchange related information in Active Directory?
Exchange Server stores the Exchange related information in Active Directory partitions, following are the details
Domain Partition – Mail enable recipient, groups and contact related to domain level are stored
Configuration Partition – Stores the Exchange configuration information like, policies, global settings, address list, connecters and it contains the information related to forest level
Schema Partition – stores the Exchange specific classes and attributes
14. What are the types of Active Directory deployment that server supported in Exchange Server 2010 deployment?
Single Forest – simplest design, both the AD account and mailbox resides on the same forest
Multi Forest – Two or more forest that operate independently from each other in terms of the accounts of application deployed in each forest
Resource Forest – User accounts and groups are deployed in root forest and applications like Exchange are deployed in special resource forest. Each mailbox exists in resource forest and use the disabled user accounts that belongs to root forest
15. What will happen if you run the prepare schema and prepare AD switches?
Prepare Schema – After running the Prepare Schema switch, the Active directory will contain the classes and attributes required to support Exchange environment
Prepare AD – after running the Prepare AD switch, new container will be created to hold the details of the information from server to databases to connectors. This process also created universal security groups to manage Exchange and sets appropriate permissions on objects to allow them to be managed
16. What are the prerequisites to install Exchange Server 2010?
Software:
- Windows Server 2008 SP2 or R2 with x64 bit version
- .Net framework 3.5 with SP1
- Windows Remote Management Shell
- Power shell 2.0
Rest of the Windows components related to Exchange Server installation can be installed using the below command
Setup /mode:install /roles:"C,H,T" /InstallWindowsComponents
17. How to recover a failed Exchange Server 2010 Server?
Let us assume the functional exchange server 2010 server got crashed due to hardware failure, here are the steps that need to build the server again
- Arrange a new Server with the same operating system as like the failed server and assign the same drive letter for the databases and the log files directory
- Reset the Active Directory Account for failed server
- Install and configure the perquisites that are needed to install Exchange Server 2010
- Ensure the network connectivity and configure the new computer with the correct IP address
- Join the new computer with the domain controller with the same computer name as a failed server
- Run the setup Mode:recoverserver
- Restore databases on the location of the new Disks
- If it is non mailbox servers, restore the configuration files from back backup or from other servers
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Update questions and Answers on Exchange Server 2010 Service Pack 1
18. What’s New in Exchange Server 2010 SP1 in Client Access Server Level?
Client Access Server level improvements in Exchange Server 2010 Sp1
Federation certificates, Exchange ActiveSync, SMS Sync, Integrated Rights Management, Microsoft Office Outlook Web App, and virtual directories.
- Federation certificates can be a self signed certificate instead of a certificate issued by a CA to establish federation trust.
- Exchange Active sync devices can be managed using Exchange Control Panel like manage default access level for all phones, set up and email alert when a device is quarantined and create and manage active sync device access rules
- SMS sync is a new feature is exchange active sync that works with Windows mobile 6.1 with outlook mobile update and windows mobile 6.5, it will give an ability to synchronize messages between a mobile phone or a device and exchange 2010 inbox
- New outlook feature like OWA themes (27) and an option to customize the themes. User will have an option to reset the expired password from OWA
- Reset OWA Virtual directory wizard will resolve the damaged file on a virtual directory
- Client throttling policies will help you manage performance of your Client Access servers. Only the policies to limit the number of concurrent client connections were enabled by default. Exchange 2010 SP1 all client throttling policies are enabled by default.
19. What are the new Transport Server level features in Exchange Server 2010 SP1?
Below are the new Transport functionality
- MailTips access control over organizational relationships
- Enhanced monitoring and troubleshooting features for MailTips and Message Tracking
- Message throttling enhancements
- Shadow redundancy promotion
- SMTP failover and load balancing improvements
- Support for extended protection on SMTP connections
- Send connector changes to reduce NDRs over well-defined connections
20. What are the Mailbox Server and database level improvements in Exchange Server 2010 SP1?
New shell command New-MailboxRepairRequest to detect and repair mailbox and database corruption issues.
New script introduced to control excessive log growth of mailbox database mentioned as Troubleshoot-DatabaseSpace.ps1
Public Folder client permissions support is added to EMC
21. Inform some High Availability improvements in Exchange Server 2010 SP1
Below are the new features on the high availability
- Continuous replication - block mode: This mode will allow the passive mailbox copies are up to date, as the active database is updated; each update written to the database log file is also shipped to the passive mailbox copies. In the event of a failure, the passive database copy is updated with the latest log updates which minimizes data loss
- Improved client experience for cross-site failover: Admin can now control if Outlook will redirect cross-site or if it is automatically connected
- Improved support for 2-node Datacenter resilient topologies ( Now supports Datacenter Activation Coordinator mode (DAC) Mode with two servers in a DAG )
- Faster failovers with improved post-failover client experience (Failover drives the database to a clean shutdown by playing all logs. The mount process then simply brings database up, with no recovery required, which speeds up the failover time. )
- Mailbox database redistribution (New script which can move active mailbox databases back to the copy with the highest activation preference)
22. Inform some Recipient Level improvements in Exchange Server 2010 SP1
In Outlook 2010 and Outlook 2007, Autodiscover automatically loads any mailbox for which a user has been granted full access permission. Users can’t control or disable this behavior.
- Calendar Repair Assistant supports more scenarios than were available in Exchange 2010 RTM.
- Mailbox Assistants are now all throttle-based (changed from time-based in Exchange 2010 RTM).
- Internet calendar publishing allows users in your Exchange organization to share their Outlook calendars with a broad Internet audience.
- Importing and exporting .pst files now uses the Mailbox Replication service and doesn't require Outlook.
- Hierarchical address book support allows you to create and configure your address lists and offline address books in a hierarchical view.
- Distribution group naming policies allow you to configure string text that will be appended or prepended to a distribution group's name when it's created.
- Soft-delete of mailboxes after move completion
23. Inform some Unified Messaging Server level changes in Exchange Server 2010 SP1?
- UM reporting The reports for Call Statistics and User Call Logs found in the Exchange Management Console are displayed in the Exchange Control Panel.
- UM management in the Exchange Control Panel You can use the ECP to manage UM components in a cross-premises environment.
- Cross-Forest UM-enabled mailbox migration In Exchange 2010 SP1, you can use the New-MoveRequest cmdlet with the Mailbox Replication Service (MRS) to move a UM-enabled mailbox within a local forest and multiple forests in an enterprise.
- Outlook Voice Access improvements Outlook Voice Access users can log on to their Exchange 2010 mailbox and choose the order to listen to unread voice mail messages, from the oldest message first or the newest message first.
- Caller Name Display support Exchange 2010 SP1 includes support for enhanced caller ID resolution for displaying names for voice mails from unresolved numbers using Caller Name Display (CND).
- Test-ExchangeUMCallFlow cmdlet With this Exchange 2010 SP1 cmdlet, you can test UM connectivity and call flow.
- New UM Dial Plan wizard An additional page has been added to the New UM Dial Plan wizard that allows you to add a UM server to the dial plan.
- Lync Server 2010 Support Migrating SIP URI dial plans and Message Waiting Indicator (MWI) notifications in a cross-premises environment has been added.
- Secondary UM dial plan support You can add a secondary UM dial plan for a UM-enabled user.
- UM language packs added New UM language packs are now available in Exchange 2010 SP1. In addition, the Spanish (Spain) (es-ES) UM language pack available for Exchange 2010 SP1 now includes Voice Mail Preview, a feature that wasn’t available in the Exchange 2010 RTM release of that language pack.
- Call answering rules improvements There are three updates to Call Answering Rules for UM-enabled users in SP1.
- Unified Communications Managed API/speech platform improvements Beginning with Exchange 2010 SP1, the UM server relies on Unified Communications Managed API v. 2.0 (UCMA) for its underlying SIP signaling and speech processing.
- UM auto attendant update In Exchange 2010 SP1, a UM auto attendant will play only the holiday greeting on a holiday
We will update this post with new question and answers on Exchange Server 2010 SP1 and SP2 again. Kindly leave your comments
