for mailbox servers planned to be configured in a DAG, how is the storage supposed to be configured? since it is going to be similar to clustering, i assume both the mailbox servers will have a common lun partition presented , or do we require only one for the quorum? where can i find details regarding this? also the network, does there have to be a heartbeat connection between both servers just as in a clustering scenario ?$hAz@iB

Hi, For servers in a DAG there is no common storage. But a given database must be placed on the same location on all servers where there should be a copy of the database (for example f:\database1 - the F drive must be present and configured alike on both servers). With 2 servers in the DAG you will need a third server for the file share witness - by default a HUB transport server is selected if such a server is present. 2 networks are recommended - one for client traffic and one for replication traffic. Leif

Hi Does this mean I do not need to configure any common storage for Quorum? I understand i will have the same drive letters assigned for both the mailbox servers. thanks$hAz@iB

Hi, You don't configure any common storage - you configure a file share witness on a server that is not a member of the DAG. Leif

Seems like you talking about how Exch 2003 worked. Exch 2010 has changed the way you plan and deploy mbx roles. As Leif has mentioned those are the changes, I advise to read the technet http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd638121.aspx and the links within. You basically have no shared storage as you did with Exch 2003 for the databases or quorum. For the databases native exch replication is used. For the Quorum, you setup a share, which can be argused but normally at the primary site on a HUB. Sukh

so in short you are implying that for a two-node DAG , it is compulsory to have a witness file share on a third server, and the concept of common storage as in a Quorum is no more functional in exchange 2010. ? $hAz@iB

Correct Leif

yea thats rightSukh

so in short you are implying that for a two-node DAG , it is compulsory to have a witness file share on a third server, and the concept of common storage as in a Quorum is no more functional in exchange 2010. ? $hAz@iB and that File Share Witness 3rd server can not be in the DAG either.