In continuation with previous post Part 1 , we will now perform the datacenter failover and failback. In the first scenario, we will bring the production site down and activate the DR site. Later, we will bring up the production site and failback the resources to the production Exchange server.
Failover
Step1: Shutdown Exchange in primary site
Step2: Outlook Client & OWA status
Step3: Run Stop-DatabaseAvailabilityGroup -Identity DAG-Exch2019 ActiveDirectorySite Prod
Step4: Stop cluster service on DR server
Step5: Restore-DatabaseAvailabilityGroup -Identity DAG-Exch2019 -ActiveDirectorySite DR -AlternateWitnessServer adc.CloudExchangers.com
Get-DatabaseAvailabilityGroup -Status |fl Name,Servers,OperationalServers,*mailboxservers,*ipv4*,*mode,*manager,*witness*
Step6: DNS change
Client machine checks
Outlook connected without restarting
New outlook profile configured – autodiscover works fine
Email Header confirmation:
Received: from EXCH2.CloudExchangers.com (10.2.0.4) by
EXCH2.CloudExchangers.com (10.2.0.4) with Microsoft SMTP Server
(version=TLS1_2, cipher=TLS_ECDHE_RSA_WITH_AES_256_GCM_SHA384) id 15.2.721.2
via Mailbox Transport; Thu, 31 Dec 2020 12:37:53 +0400
Received: from EXCH2.CloudExchangers.com (10.2.0.4) by
EXCH2.CloudExchangers.com (10.2.0.4) with Microsoft SMTP Server
(version=TLS1_2, cipher=TLS_ECDHE_RSA_WITH_AES_256_GCM_SHA384) id 15.2.721.2;
Thu, 31 Dec 2020 12:37:45 +0400
Received: from EXCH2.CloudExchangers.com ([fe80::a8b6:f3d6:5c65:55d5]) by
EXCH2.CloudExchangers.com ([fe80::a8b6:f3d6:5c65:55d5%6]) with mapi id
15.02.0721.002; Thu, 31 Dec 2020 12:37:45 +0400
Content-Type: application/ms-tnef; name=”winmail.dat”
Content-Transfer-Encoding: binary
From: User 1 <[email protected]>
To: Manager 1 <[email protected]>
Subject: Test Email from DR
Thread-Topic: Test Email from DR
Thread-Index: AdbfUDPiMUuspwhEQlCY5KAfBI6tHg==
Date: Thu, 31 Dec 2020 12:37:44 +0400
Message-ID: <[email protected]>
Accept-Language: en-US
Content-Language: en-US
X-MS-Has-Attach:
X-MS-Exchange-Organization-SCL: -1
X-MS-TNEF-Correlator: <[email protected]>
MIME-Version: 1.0
X-MS-Exchange-Organization-MessageDirectionality: Originating
X-MS-Exchange-Organization-AuthSource: EXCH2.CloudExchangers.com
X-MS-Exchange-Organization-AuthAs: Internal
X-MS-Exchange-Organization-AuthMechanism: 04
X-Originating-IP: [192.168.0.4]
X-MS-Exchange-Organization-Network-Message-Id: 6834af99-a6c5-4327-d131-08d8ad6758bd
Return-Path: [email protected]
X-MS-Exchange-Organization-AVStamp-Enterprise: 1.0
X-MS-Exchange-Transport-EndToEndLatency: 00:00:08.8593422
X-MS-Exchange-Processed-By-BccFoldering: 15.02.0721.002
We have successfully activated the DR site using Restore-DAG and tested the client connectivity and mail flow.
Now, let’s assume that the issue with primary site Exchange server has been resolved and powered on. It’s time to bring back the services to the production site.
Failback
Step1: Power on Prod servers
Step2: Stop Cluster service on EXCH1
Step3: Start-DatabaseavailabiltyGroup –Identity DAG-Exch2019 –ActiveDirectorySite Prod
Step4: Run Set-DatabaseAvailabilityGroup
Check the Database status
Step5: Move Cluster group
Step6: Move Database
DAG and Database status
Step7: DNS change
Client Connectivity checks
Email header confirmation:
Received: from EXCH1.CloudExchangers.com (10.1.0.4) by
EXCH1.CloudExchangers.com (10.1.0.4) with Microsoft SMTP Server
(version=TLS1_2, cipher=TLS_ECDHE_RSA_WITH_AES_256_GCM_SHA384) id 15.2.721.2
via Mailbox Transport; Thu, 31 Dec 2020 13:03:06 +0400
Received: from EXCH1.CloudExchangers.com (10.1.0.4) by
EXCH1.CloudExchangers.com (10.1.0.4) with Microsoft SMTP Server
(version=TLS1_2, cipher=TLS_ECDHE_RSA_WITH_AES_256_GCM_SHA384) id 15.2.721.2;
Thu, 31 Dec 2020 13:02:59 +0400
Received: from EXCH1.CloudExchangers.com ([fe80::3535:c800:f655:5750]) by
EXCH1.CloudExchangers.com ([fe80::3535:c800:f655:5750%7]) with mapi id
15.02.0721.002; Thu, 31 Dec 2020 13:02:58 +0400
Content-Type: application/ms-tnef; name=”winmail.dat”
Content-Transfer-Encoding: binary
From: User 1 <[email protected]>
To: Manager 1 <[email protected]>
Subject: Test Failback
Thread-Topic: Test Failback
Thread-Index: AQHW31O2iKlck36K4UuJthELfioJhA==
Date: Thu, 31 Dec 2020 13:02:56 +0400
Message-ID: <[email protected]>
Accept-Language: en-US
Content-Language: en-US
X-MS-Has-Attach:
X-MS-Exchange-Organization-SCL: -1
X-MS-TNEF-Correlator: <[email protected]>
MIME-Version: 1.0
X-MS-Exchange-Organization-MessageDirectionality: Originating
X-MS-Exchange-Organization-AuthSource: EXCH1.CloudExchangers.com
X-MS-Exchange-Organization-AuthAs: Internal
X-MS-Exchange-Organization-AuthMechanism: 04
X-Originating-IP: [192.168.0.4]
X-MS-Exchange-Organization-Network-Message-Id: 01d90fa1-b1e2-4f53-b105-08d8ad6ade78
Return-Path: [email protected]
X-MS-Exchange-Organization-AVStamp-Enterprise: 1.0
X-MS-Exchange-Transport-EndToEndLatency: 00:00:10.0039826
X-MS-Exchange-Processed-By-BccFoldering: 15.02.0721.002
Great!! We have successfully performed the datacenter failover and failback for Exchange 2019. We will continue with another scenario for the DR in my next post.
Happy learning!! 🙂