Jetstress 2010 & LoadGen 2010 RTM

Posted on June 16, 2010 by Michel de Rooij

In the long list of recent Exchange news today Microsoft published the RTM versions of Exchange Jetstress 2010 and Load Generator AKA LoadGen 2010.

Both tools are now at version 14.01.0180.003.

Jetstress can be used to check performance and stability of storage under load. It simulates Exchange I/O behaviour for Exchange 2003, 2007 or 2010 in order to verify dimensioning and check if storage meets performance expectations for a certain number of users with a certain I/O profile.

LoadGen can be used to simulate MAPI, OWA (2007, 2010 or 2010SP1), EAS, IMAP, POP and SMTP client load against Exchange 2007 or 2010 servers. LoadGen will use real clients to simulate the load and, like Jetstress, LoadGen can be used to verify dimensioning and check if the design meets performance expectations.

Unlike Jetstress, which can be used to verify things from a database perspective, LoadGen can be used to verify things from a client (handling) perspective.

You can download the Jetstress 2010 here and LoadGen 2010 here (x64, x86 version here).

Note: If you used the beta version of JetStress you should recreate the databases for the RTM version as Doug Gowans found out.

BlackBerry Enterprise Server Express

Posted on February 16, 2010 by Michel de Rooij

Today at the Mobile World Congress, RIM announced the BlackBerry Enterprise Server Express (BESE). BESE is positioned by RIM as a free(!) alternative for small to medium sized companies which require BlackBerry’s security and manageability, but don’t require all enterprise funtions. For example, this also means lack of advanced monitoring and high availability options found in the enterprise product. BESE will work with Exchange 2003 SP2, 2007 SP1 and 2010 in combination with Windows SBS 2003 and 2008. Very helpful is the BlackBerry comparison chart you can download here (PDF).

You can read the full press release here. BESE is scheduled for release in March. BESE has its own webpage on RIM’s website here.

Exchange virtualization

Posted on January 13, 2010 by Michel de Rooij

A much asked question these days, is Exchange supported in a virtualized environment? As in many cases, the answer is “it depends”. Microsoft supports virtualized Exchange under the following conditions:

Hardware virtualization software used is one of the following products:
- For Exchange 2007 or Exchange 2010: Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2008 R2 with Hyper-V, Hyper-V Server 2008 or Hyper-V Server 2008 R2;
- For Exchange 2003: Virtual Server 2005 R2;
- In general, any validated 3rd party hypervisor (check for ESX, XenServer versions etc.). Click here for the list.
Exchange guest
- Exchange 2003 SP2 (or later)
  - Virtual Machine Additions and Virtual Machine PCI SCSI driver required;
  - Exchange 2003 clusters aren’t supported;
- Exchange 2007 SP1 (or later)
  - is running on Windows Server 2008;
  - support for Windows Server 2008 R2 expected with Exchange Server 2007 SP3 (no date announced yet);
  - No Unified Messaging role (due to real-time requirements by UM role);
  - Meets all of the Exchange 2007 SP1 specific requirements (here).
- Exchange 2010
  - is running on Windows Server 2008 SP2 or Windows Server 2008 R2;
  - No Unified Messaging role (due to real-time requirements by UM role);
  - Meets all of the Exchange 2010 specific requirements (here);
  - HA features (DAG) aren’t supported in combination with virtualization clustering or high-available solutions.
- Earlier versions of Exchange than Exchange 2003 are not supported

Exchange versions, builds and dates

Posted on January 13, 2010 by Michel de Rooij

(content moved to a dedicated page, located here)

Some numbers

Posted on January 9, 2010 by Michel de Rooij

After a post today from the Certified Master team I wondered, how does the number of Exchange MCA’s compare to the number of MCITP’s, MCTS’es etc. Finding any current information on the latter proves to be difficult. They used to be on this page of the Certification site, but now this redirects to the main portal. I don’t know why Microsoft doesn’t want to disclose this information since then.

I did find cached copies, someone who kept track of numbers until Augustus 2008 and a version on the Aussie pages of April 2nd, 2008; If someone has information about the blanks, contact me so I can update this information.

Certification	Jan 2008	Mar 2008	Aug 2008	Jan 2010
MCA Messaging 2003		61	65	67
MCA Messaging 2007				17
MCM Exchange 2003				146
MCM Exchange 2007				131
MCITP: Enterprise Messaging Administrator		1468	2748
MCTS Microsoft Exchange Server 2007: Configuration		4729	9069
MCSE Messaging 2003	9116	9719	10632
MCSA Messaging 2003	57972	64162	78041