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Hi,
We have Exchange 2013 configured in a DAG using JBOD disks. I want to introduce some new Exchange 2013 servers into the DAG and at the same time I would like to purchase bigger JBOD disks in the new servers only.
Will the DAG still be ok with the databases spread over JBOD disks of different sizes?
Thank you
Hi,
To my knowledge, yes, exchange 2013 mailbox server part of the DAG can have bigger storage than the other servers. However, the requirement for the mailbox database copies is to have the identical configuration in the DAG members. For instance, if the mailbox database is active on Member1 and has the database & log location in E:\ then the member2 where the copy needs to be added should also have the same drive letter E:. Additional drives can be added in the member2.
Exchange Server storage configuration options
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/exchange/plan-and-deploy/deployment-ref/storage-configuration?view=exchserver-2019
Hi AshokM-8240,
That is what I thought and was hoping someone else would confirm.
We will eventually rebuild these new servers as Exchange 2019 with multiple databases per disk (Therefore the larger size required). So I can get the new servers now with the increased disk size and integrate to our existing Exchange 2013 DAG. I will then also be ok moving forward with Exchange 2019.
Thank you for your advice
Hi,
So, you will be installing Exchange 2013 and add it to the DAG. In future, the same servers will be used for Exchange 2019. Please correct me if i misunderstood. If this is the plan, then I would like to highlight that In-Place upgrade is not possible in Exchange. Also, Exchange 2019 requires Windows server 2019. So, ideally, you have to build a new servers for Exchange 2019 and perform the migration from Exchange 2013 meeting the other pre-requisites and requirements.
Hi AshokM-8240,
Yes my intention is to rebuild them as Windows 2019 and Exchange 2019.
I will (hopefully) be getting another batch of new servers next year of the same spec as the ones I am hoping to order this year. The intention is to build the servers purchased next year as Windows 2019 and Exchange 2019. I will then rebuild the servers I am purchasing this year as Windows 2019 and Exchange 2019 and migrate the users to Exchange 2019. Something like that, but that is the plan. Our existing servers are old and we need new ones and can't afford to order enough new servers in one go.
Thank you.
Thanks for sharing the information. Understood, you can rebuild and plan for the migration from exchange 2013 to 2019. Please make use of the deployment assistant for the migration https://assistants.microsoft.com/
Hi,
I just found out that the disks in my original Exchange 2013 servers that hold the databases are 512n, the disks I was going to put into the new servers are 512e. According to the Microsoft link that AshokM-8240 added:
Exchange 2013 and later supports native 4-kilobyte (KB) sector disks and 512e disks. Support requires that all copies of a database reside on the same physical disk type. For example, it is not a supported configuration to host one copy of a given database on a 512-byte sector disk and another copy of that same database on a 512e disk or 4K disk.
So lucky I raised this thread otherwise I would have carried on and hit issues.
Looks like I won't be Expanding Exchange 2013 with new servers after all but use the new servers dedicated to Exchange 2019.
As for disks. The ones I intend to use are 10Tb 512e. is 512e ok to use or should I be trying to get 4k native these days and for future compatibility?
Thank you.