Using Windows PowerShell commands to export and import Forefront Protection 2010 for Exchange Server configuration settings in a multi-server environment
If you have multiple instances of Forefront Protection 2010 for Exchange Server (FPE) installed in your messaging environment, you can use Windows PowerShell commands in the Forefront Management Shell to manage FPE configuration settings among multiple servers. Each instance of FPE must be installed individually and Windows PowerShell provides a mechanism with which you can configure and then deploy different FPE configuration settings (policies) to different FPE servers using simple export and import commands.
Note: Alternatively, if you are managing FPE on multiple Exchange servers, you can use the Microsoft Forefront Protection Server Management Console (FPSMC) to manage your FPE instances. You can download FPSMC from the Microsoft Download Center at the following location: Microsoft Forefront Protection Server Management Console (FPSMC). Documentation for FPSMC can be found in the TechNet library at Forefront Protection Server Management Console.
1. On each Exchange server in your environment, install each instance of FPE individually by performing the following steps. (If you have already installed multiple instances of FPE, you can proceed to step 2.)
Note: To run the FPE installation program on Exchange Server 2007, you must have Local Admin privileges. For information about the security credentials required when installing FPE on Exchange Server 2010, see Security credentials required for installing on Exchange Server 2010.
a. Double-click the forefrontexchangesetup.exe file in order to launch the Setup Wizard.
b. Read and accept the license agreement.
c. Optionally specify the Program Folder and Data Folder if you will not be using the defaults.
d. If you will be using a proxy server for engine and definition updates, specify this information.
e. If you plan to enable antispam protection on this server, it is recommended that you do so now.
f. Optionally opt-in to use Microsoft Update to check for updates, and to join the Customer Experience Improvement Program.
g. Review and confirm your selected settings and begin the installation. After installing FPE, you can optionally launch the Forefront Online Protection for Exchange gateway installation program.
2. Configure an instance of FPE on one of your Exchange servers. Although FPE offers malware protection “out-of-the-box,” you will likely want to configure certain FPE settings so that it will perform optimally within your Exchange environment.
Tip: If you want to deploy different FPE configurations (policies) to different servers, you may want configure multiple FPE servers, each with different configuration settings, and then perform a series of exports and imports to various target servers.
3. On the configured FPE server, using Windows PowerShell commands in the Forefront Management Shell, export your FPE configuration settings by performing the following steps:
a. Create a new folder for your settings (for example: **C:\**ConfigSettings).
b. Access the Forefront Management Shell by clicking Start, pointing to All Programs, pointing to Microsoft Forefront Server Protection, and then clicking Forefront Management Shell.
c. To export the configuration file to an .xml file, enter the following Windows PowerShell command, using the -path parameter to identify the name of the .xml file to be created and the folder into which it should be placed:
Export-FseSettings -path c:\ConfigSettings\Export.xml
Note: Extended options are not included when running this command.
d. If you have set any extended options, you can export these settings to a text file that can be referenced if you will be configuring extended options on the target computer. To export all extended options to a text file called Extended.txt, type the following Windows PowerShell command (the "*" value of the -name parameter causes all extended options to be exported):
Get-FseExtendedOption -name * >> c:\ConfigSettings\Extended.txt
**4. ** You can import the configuration settings from the server specified in step 3 to additional FPE servers.
CAUTION: When importing and exporting configuration settings from one server to another, all of the settings on the target computer will be overwritten. It is recommended that you only export and import configuration settings onto computers with similar role configurations. For example, use settings from one Exchange Edge server to configure FPE on other Edge servers.
a. On the target server, access the Forefront Management Shell by clicking Start, pointing to All Programs, pointing to Microsoft Forefront Server Protection, and then clicking Forefront Management Shell.
b. To import the configuration file, enter the following Windows PowerShell command (where path is the location and name of the .xml file created in the previous procedure):
Import-FseSettings -path c:\ConfigSettings\Export.xml
c. To list all of your current extended options, along with their values, enter the following Windows PowerShell command:
Get-FseExtendedOption -name *
d. Compare your current extended options to the options you previously exported to the Extended.txt file.
e. If you want to modify any of your current extended options, enter the following Windows PowerShell command:
Set-FseExtendedOption -name name -Value value
Where name is the parameter name and value is the new parameter value. You must enter each extended option separately.
f. If you want to recreate extended options that do not exist on your current system, enter the following Windows PowerShell command:
New-FseExtendedOption -name name -Value value
Notes:
· If you are using the export/import functions as part of a backup and/or disaster recovery plan for your FPE installations, you should consult the Backing up and restoring FPE topic in the TechNet library.
· Forefront Online Protection for Exchange (FOPE) credentials must be entered prior to importing configuration settings that include FOPE configuration settings. This can be done by running the following Windows PowerShell command from the Forefront Management Shell: Set-FseHostedServicesCredentials
More information:
Installing Forefront Protection 2010 for Exchange Server