Exchange 2010 and WS2008R2 Datacenter question

[pnlrogue1]

Hey everyone

 

We're about to start deploying Ex2010 but I'm confused:

MS say that in a 2008R2 environment, the minimum requirements for the Schema Master are 2008R2 Standard or Enterprise but makes no mention of Datacenter

The same is true for Global Catalog server requirements

When you get to Domain Controllers, however, it does list Datacenter as well as Enterprise and Standard

 

Does this mean I have to have a 2008R2 Standard/Enterprise machine around despite having Datacenter licenses? My head says this can't be correct as there's no real difference between Ent and Data, but why list it as valid for one situation and not for others?

[pritchardavid]

I would say they missed it out, cant see it making any difference between those versions

 

I would say just carry on tbh

[pnlrogue1]

See that's what I thought but I keep asking myself 'why mention it under Domain Controllers but not Schema Master or Global Catalog?'

[sukh]

Theoretically speaking, it should be supported for “Schema master” and “Global catalog server”. However, it indeed isnt included in the list by official article. I have asked the product team to verify but in my experience is should be fine.

 

Sukh

[pnlrogue1]

Thanks Sukh

 

There certainly doesn't seem to be anything which could interfere but still...

 

Please let us know when you hear back from MS

 

Thank you!

[sukh]

out of interest why are you using datacentre for a DC, is purely to get the free VM? or is there a techinical requirement?

[pnlrogue1]

Free VM. I suppose we could probably use the downgrade rights in some way to get Enterprise but I'd rather keep things standardised where possible and all our other VMs are Datacenter (except two Windows 2003 VMs we have - a Terminal Server and the existing FSMO master DC!)

[SteAWAC]

Hi, I am new to the forum today. I found this post while researching exactly the same issue and can't find any reference online to confirm whether 2008 datacenter can be a GC and FSMO role holder to sit in a site with Exchange 2010.

Did you ever get an answer or confirm in practise that this works ok?

Thanks

Edited February 16, 2012 by SteAWAC

[sukh]

Federated access to internal resources for external users and partners through

Active Directory Federation Services (AD FS)

Better management of certificates and smart card enrollment with Advanced

Certificate Management Services (AD CS)

 

I see no reason why (AD DS) is not supported.

[Arthur]

The Standard and Enterprise editions of 2008 R2 are just artificially restricted versions of the Datacenter edition. I wouldn't worry about it personally.

 

You can always perform an in-place upgrade to go from Standard to Enterprise or Enterprise to Datacenter if you want to (via DISM). This is supported according to Microsoft.

 

DISM /Online /Set-Edition:Datacenter /ProductKey:XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX

[SteAWAC]

That's what I thought. Just odd microsoft quote standard and enterprise as supported for the GC and Schema master roles, then mention datacenter addition as supported further down as supported for a DC role.

Ha, it won't let me add a link yet as I only have 1 post!