Jason Slater Weblog

The Challenge: To reduce the number of physical servers in operation from 10 to 4.

The Reason: Four reasonably new HP DL380 64-bit Servers versus a rag-tag bunch of disparate 32-bit servers that are all pretty much five years old trying to keep up with newer 64-bit servers. Also, trying to reduce power requirements to maximise the uptime of the UPS equipment.

The method: Microsoft Virtual Server R2

Here we go. First off - some caveats that slap me right in the face at the outset. Firstly, one of the 64-bit Servers is configured as an AD Master and as far as I can ascertain that does not play very well with Virtual Server. Also another one of the HP Servers is a Storage Server which is limited in what it can do outside of File Storage.

So what have we got?

NEW KIT

1 x 64-bit Server acting as AD Master

1 x 64-bit Server running Exchange Server 2007

1 x 64-bit Server running Microsoft Office Sharepoint Server 2077

1 x Storage Server acting as File Server

OLD KIT

1 x HP LPR Server running Exchange 2000 (was AD - already removed)

1 x HP LPR Server running Terminal Services with Office 2000

1 x HP LPR Server running Terminal Services with Office 2000

1 x HP TC Series Server acting as Print Server and Firewall Viewpoint Server

1 x HP TC Series acting as Time and Attendance Controller (and other minor duties)

1 x HP TC Series acting as Web Server/EDI Server and FTP/Mailsweeper/SQL/HP Jetadmin/WiFi Admin

In addition one of the 64-bit Servers above was in operation as a Backup AD and the File Server remains in constant use with little alteration and the Sharepoint Server and Exchange 2007 Server are in use too. According to my fingers that adds up to 10.

GO GO GO

The computer room is quite tight for space so reducing the equipment is a plus and maximising the UPS uptime is another bonus. These, together with gaining advantages of more recent Windows versions and improved hardware are all positive reasons to go ahead with the virtualisation project.

Negatives that I face are the new-ness of VS especially as odd problems still crop up as I’ve reported before on my Blog and the thought of re-engineering a network that is in use pretty much 24×7 fills me with more than a little dread but hey lets be optimistic here because once this is done I can sit back in all my Virtual Glory and start planning my MOSS roll out - something to look forward to.

STEP 1

I need some Virtual Images, these are now built and run as follows:

64-bit server 1 - Primarily Running MOSS 2007:

Virtual: Backup Active Directory

Virtual: Print Server

Virtual: SQL 2000

Virtual: Web Server

64-bit server 2 - Primarily Running Exchange 2007:

Virtual: Backup Active Directory

Virtual: Two Virtual Images for the new Time and Attendance System to replace the older one

To be addressed later

Firewall - Viewpoint

Mailsweeper

HP Jetadmin

Wifi Admin

EDI/FTP

Now some of you may be thinking why two Backup Active Directory images? Well, let me tell you a little story about when we didn’t have a backup AD and the primary AD died irrecovably. It’s a fairly short story but one with a very very long ending.

This should allow me to instantly remove the old Print Server,bring my old quota down to 9. Now, just five more to go.

What’s the next easy one? Getting all the old Exchange 2000 users migrated to Exchange 2007 - that should take a few days whilst I wait for the appropriate number of licenses to arrive then I’ll be down to 8.

Before I can offline the old Webserver I need to address a number of programs including EDI/FTP/Jet Admin and Mailsweeper. For the EDI software I’m looking at an alternate way of processing EDI which will eliminate the need for the software altogether and for Mailsweeper I am looking to Microsoft Exchange Edge Server to see if there is any functionality to be had in the product. If so, that could get me down to 7.