Actually people are successfully running MS Exchange 5.5 on filers right now. No, Microsoft does not officially support Exchange on NAS (though Microsoft DOES support SQL 7 on Filers). So we have worked out additional agreements with IBM to support Exchange issues when the databases are on the filer.

Some IT groups are not allowed, by company policy, to do anything that is not officially supported by their vendors. For those it is too bad. Others get the benefits of the filer and SnapManager for Exchange. Of course the decision is yours - or your CIO's, managers, etc.

Check out the following white papers, see what you think. If you have any questions please feel free to ask...

Microsoft Exchange and NetApp Filers : An Overview http://www.netapp.com/tech_library/3067.html

Technical Installation and Integration Supplement http://www.netapp.com/tech_library/3054.html

Recommendations for Deployment http://www.netapp.com/tech_library/3074.html

These Press Releases are also relevant :

NetApp Unveils First Online Backup and Rapid Data Recovery Solution for MS Exchange http://www.netapp.com/news/press/news_rel_20000207.html

NetApp Taps IBM for Microsoft Exchange Support Services http://www.netapp.com/news/press/news_rel_20000207a.html

As far as Exchange 2000 on the filer, so far as I know, MS does not support that either. I know of one customer that was setting it up on the filer . He didn't call back with any problems so chances are its running smoothly. (I do tech support so I only hear from customers that have questions *grin*) On a side note, the customers I talk to that have contacted Microsoft about Exchange issues with their databases on the filer have not been 'hung up on' so to speak.

BTW. If you want to talk to an Exchange Admin who LOVES Exchange on the filer let me know privately. I will not post his name or number here, but he is usually willing to talk to people about it.

[of course this is only personal experience as I do not speak for MS or NetApp]

Anissa

:-----Original Message----- :From: Martin Hannigan [mailto:hannigan@world.std.com] :Sent: Friday, November 03, 2000 6:52 PM :To: rdobbins@netmore.net :Cc: toasters@mathworks.com :Subject: Re: Exchange 2k : : :> :> :> For both performance and supportability reasons, it is :extremely inadvisable to put Exchange mailboxes/private stores/public stores on

:anything other than a filesystem which is directly-connected to the NT :server in question. :> :> People do all sorts of odd things with NetApps just because :they can - and don't get me wrong, I love my F740 - but this is just plain :crazy. For your own peace of mind, don't do it.