We run mailbox servers with over 1500 mailboxes on 4GB machines. I think you'd be wasting money for more than 4GB. In fact, I'm not even sure Exchange can see more than 4GB.
MMS, at least the version before it became bundled with server 2003, was just a glorified scripting language and proprietary database. Perl and Net::LDAP was a more effective tool. I'm not sure what's changed in MMS since it was bundled. PKI - W2k3 Enterprise has the ability to "auto enroll" client certificates. Basically you can create group policy so that users and computers will automatically have certificates pushed to them. Could be handy if you are doing large scale wireless implementation using TLS-EAP, or other things that require user or workstation certificates. Shadow copy - Your SAN vendors are lying to you. To my knowledge, MS VSS has no capability to hook into any SAN vendor's snapshot technology. You don't need VSS for Exchange. Use ntbackup to disk files on your SAN if you like, but leave VSS out of the picture for Exchange until the technology settles out[1]. AFAIK, all SAN vendor snapshot technology requires that the store be stopped for a brief period while the snap is taking place. [1] This is my humble opinion about VSS. There has been some good debate on this list in the past about using VSS with Exchange. -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Blunt, James H (Jim) Sent: Monday, September 13, 2004 8:52 AM To: Exchange Discussions Subject: Will Ex2k3 take advantage of... While I know that Exchange 2003 Standard will run just fine on a Windows 2003 Standard Edition server with 4GB of RAM (provided you add the /3gb switch), Standard is limited to 4GB of RAM. Win2k3 Enterprise however, is capable of using 32GB of RAM. Will Ex2k3 run any better or be able to take advantage of the additional memory capabilities in Win2003 Enterprise? My guess is that yes...it will use as much RAM as you can throw at it, provided your server has been configured correctly. I am planning on ~650-1000 users, with mailboxes from 250mb to 2gb. We spec'ed out a server that would handle 2gb mailboxes for all of them (2TB SAN), as for several obvious reasons, we would rather have information residing in the stores, than in a .pst file. However, users will be granted mailbox space on a graded approach and chargeback methods will be used if additional space above and beyond 250mb is required. We have been enforcing 25mb limits on mailboxes for the last 3 years now, so our users will be ecstatic, when we get it implemented. I have 4 questions about the differences between Win2k3 Standard & Win2k3 Enterprise. According to the comparison chart on MS web site, all of the features below are missing from the Standard version but are included in Enterprise. 1. Microsoft Metadirectory Services (MMS) - This would seem like a big feature to me, based on where we are trying to go next contract with integrating the HR department with AD and tying that into automated Network/E-mail account creations and then allowing users/managers to manage their own location/phone data. 2. Public Key Infrastructure, Certificate Services, and Smart Cards - Comparison list only shows this as partially supported in Standard, but doesn't indicate which features of this are supported and which aren't 3. Shadow Copy Transport - If my understanding of Exchange 2003 is correct, this one is HUGE. Without this VSS service, I cannot utilize the VSS support of Exchange 2003. If I understand it correctly, it is the VSS that will allow me to snap the exchange storage groups and logs and back them up to a SAN. I was under the impression from what I've read, that a configuration of something like Allocity software running on an EMC/Clarion SAN is built around the ability of the Exchange system to utilize VSS and restore the recovery storage group in case of failure. If you don't have it, you can't use snap technology. 4. Windows Media Services - This feature appears as partially supported for Windows Standard, but again, they don't specify what part is and what part isn't supported. Is the wireless part supported in Standard? If it's not, will this affect my ability to implement OMA on the Ex2k3 system? Or does the non-support of the wireless part apply only to streaming media? TIA, Jim Blunt _________________________________________________________________ List posting FAQ: http://www.swinc.com/resource/exch_faq.htm Web Interface: http://intm-dl.sparklist.com/cgi-bin/lyris.pl?enter=exchange&text_mode=&; lang=english To unsubscribe send a blank email to %%email.unsub%% Exchange List admin: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To unsubscribe via postal mail, please contact us at: Jupitermedia Corp. Attn: Discussion List Management 475 Park Avenue South New York, NY 10016 Please include the email address which you have been contacted with. _________________________________________________________________ List posting FAQ: http://www.swinc.com/resource/exch_faq.htm Web Interface: http://intm-dl.sparklist.com/cgi-bin/lyris.pl?enter=exchange&text_mode=&lang=english To unsubscribe send a blank email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Exchange List admin: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To unsubscribe via postal mail, please contact us at: Jupitermedia Corp. 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