Hi Grey,

This should not be a problem if the LUN is correctly sized and a backup retention policy is used. There is a formula in the administrator's guide specific to collocating the SnapInfo directory on the same LUN as the live Exchange transaction logs. Here it is for everyone's benefit:

transaction log & SnapInfo LUN size = ((number of transaction logs generated between backups * 5 MB) * (number of backups to keep online + 1 for the active file system))

As mentioned in my other replies to this thread, it would be a better idea to get your configuration run through our Exchange sizer by your NetApp technical sales representative. This will ensure proper sizing and performance.

That said, there are a couple of new features in SnapManager 3.2 that are relevant here that might dissuade some administrators from wanting to use a separate LUN for the SnapInfo directory:

1) Copy-less transaction log archiving: When the live Exchange transaction logs are located on the same LUN with the SnapInfo directory, SnapManager will use NTFS hard links to archive the transaction logs to the SnapInfo directory rather than copying the file. This has two benefits. First, the backup will take a little less time because generating an NTFS hard link takes less time than copying a 5mb file does. Also, less storage appliance volume space (not to be confused with LUN space) is consumed because fewer blocks are changed when the links are created versus copying the files. There is a new formula in the 3.2 administrator's guide that takes this into account.

2) Support for multiple SnapInfo directories: This allows you to configure one SnapInfo directory per Exchange storage group so that the transaction logs and SnapInfo directory can be located together when there is more than one Exchange storage group.

Please let us know if you have any other questions or concerns.

Regards,

Paul Benn SnapManager Development Team Network Appliance

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From: Grey Friday [mailto:grey.friday@gmail.com] Sent: Thursday, March 30, 2006 6:36 AM To: Willeke, Jochen Cc: toasters@mathworks.com Subject: Re: snapinfo -- exchange on netapp The main problem with the snapinfo folder is when you put it on the logs lun and you run out of space it stops exchange. This is the reason for it's own volume. G- On 3/29/06, Willeke, Jochen Jochen.Willeke@wincor-nixdorf.com wrote:

Hi everybody, we are setting up an exchange 2003 system on a filer. Right now i am about to size the system. I often read that i need to have a snapinfo-lun. But i do not understand where i need this lun for. Exchange does not need it, does it? What i want to configure are two aggregates. One containig qtrees with luns for the databasefiles and one aggregate with qtrees and luns for the logfiles. And if really needed i would put the snapinfo-lun into the logfile aggregate. Perhaps somebody has already set up an exchange server on netapp storage and can help me. Thanks a lot in advance Jochen