Looking to discuss pfs with someone who manages multiple public folder servers. I am in the process of breaking apart a 2tb db into 3 less-huge dbs. One of the many new things that will come from this is that no single server will contain all public folders. Anyone manage an environment like this?

What's the actual concern here, this is typical for Global deployments, it's not uncommon.Sukh

Yes, I knew it had to be typical for larger environments but totally foreign to midsized businesses. Even the MS engineers are puzzled at times. My mailboxes are all 2007, I only have 2003 around for the public folders. I am still in the process of replacing the 2 original servers pfr-1 and pfr-2. I have built pfr-4, pfr-6 and pfr-8 to replace pfr-1. On the other side I still have one to build, pfr-3, pfr-5 are in place, pfr-7 is being built. pfr-2 remains for now, but will be gone when replication completes, all users need access to all public folders. When I configure the remaining original server (pfr-2) as the default public folder for a database, all public folders are available to users with mailboxes in that db. If I configure any of the new pf servers, some of the public folders are not available. Specifically, my current question is about routing. Since no server contains all the folders, do I need a RGC for each folder set?

Are all the PF servers 2003 or just pfr-1 & pfr-2? Sukh

All are 2003. When I break them up again I plan moving to 2007. I didn't want to add that to the situation the first time around.

Not sure if you have read this. You need an RGC for all the servers if they exist in different RG. http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb691235(EXCHG.80).aspxSukh

On Fri, 16 Mar 2012 20:05:22 +0000, The_Messenger wrote: >Looking to discuss pfs with someone who manages multiple public folder servers. I am in the process of breaking apart a 2tb db into 3 less-huge dbs. One of the many new things that will come from this is that no single server will contain all public folders. Anyone manage an environment like this? Yes, and also others that replicated _some_ folders to multiple databases (none of which contained a complete set of public folders), not just between two databases that had an homogenous set of folders. What you're doing doesn't seem at all odd. --- Rich Matheisen MCSE+I, Exchange MVP --- Rich Matheisen MCSE+I, Exchange MVP

On Sat, 17 Mar 2012 18:08:49 +0000, The_Messenger wrote: > > >Yes, I knew it had to be typical for larger environments but totally foreign to midsized businesses. Even the MS engineers are puzzled at times. > >My mailboxes are all 2007, I only have 2003 around for the public folders. > >I am still in the process of replacing the 2 original servers pfr-1 and pfr-2. I have built pfr-4, pfr-6 and pfr-8 to replace pfr-1. On the other side I still have one to build, pfr-3, pfr-5 are in place, pfr-7 is being built. pfr-2 remains for now, but will be gone when replication completes, all users need access to all public folders. > > > >When I configure the remaining original server (pfr-2) as the default public folder for a database, all public folders are available to users with mailboxes in that db. If I configure any of the new pf servers, some of the public folders are not available. That's a problem of public folder referral. Each database should have a complete hierarchy, but only a subset of folders. >Specifically, my current question is about routing. Since no server contains all the folders, do I need a RGC for each folder set? It's "Referral", not "Routing". RGCs are only for routinggroup-to-routing group (e.g. 2003<=>2007 or 2003<=>2010, or 2003RG<->2003RG). You should probably have "-PublicFolderReferralsEnabled:$true" set on your RoutingGroupConnectors. This would probably help you understand how things work: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb691235(v=exchg.80).aspx --- Rich Matheisen MCSE+I, Exchange MVP --- Rich Matheisen MCSE+I, Exchange MVP

I appreciate the replies! Each server does contain all folder heirarchy, just not all content. I get the referrals, PublicFolderReferralsEnabled:$true is set on the rgc. But I only have the 2 Routing Groups. Previously I only had/needed two routing groups, one that E2k7 creates at installation, the original one in the 2003 environment. Now, once my last 2TB server is out, will referrals work with only 1 routing group/rgc? Do I need to create a routing group and rgc for each folder set?

You need 1 RGC between 2003 & 2010, 2003 will see all 2007 as a single RG, not sure what you mean by each folder set?Sukh

No 2010. 2007 with 2003 public folders. By folder set I mean 2003 server holding all public folder hierarchy but about 1/3 of the content.

It's the same for 2007. As long a single RGC exists between 2003 & 2007 with PF referral enabled it's fine. You can add mutliple source and targer server. Or create additiona RGC connectors between 2003 RG and the default 2007 RG.Sukh

On Sat, 17 Mar 2012 22:48:32 +0000, The_Messenger wrote: >Each server does contain all folder heirarchy, If they didn't it would be an error. :-) >just not all content. Perfectly acceptable. >I get the referrals, PublicFolderReferralsEnabled:$true is set on the rgc. Good. >But I only have the 2 Routing Groups. > >Previously I only had/needed two routing groups, one that E2k7 creates at installation, the original one in the 2003 environment. "Previously" means "before installing Exchange 2007", or "after installing Exchange 2007"? If you meant "before" you'd need a Routing Group Connector between the two pre-Exchange 2007 routing groups, plus the bi-directional RGC between 2003 and 2007. If you meant "after" then you'd need just the one bi-directional RGC between 2003 and 2007. Once you get rid of the last 2003 server you'll only have one routing group (but two Administrative Groups -- don't remove the AG that 2003 was using, but *do* get rid of the empty "Servers" container in that AG). >Now, once my last 2TB server is out, will referrals work with only 1 routing group/rgc? If you have only one routing group it's going to be the one that Exchange 2007 lives in. Since all Public Folders will be in one Administrative Group and one Routing group it's up to the Outlook client, not the Exchange server, to locate a database that contains a replica of the desired folder. Exchange just provides a list of Public Folder databases, ordered by 'cost', to Outlook. >Do I need to create a routing group and rgc for each folder set? No. Absolutely not. --- Rich Matheisen MCSE+I, Exchange MVP --- Rich Matheisen MCSE+I, Exchange MVP

On Sat, 17 Mar 2012 22:48:32 +0000, The_Messenger wrote: >Each server does contain all folder heirarchy, If they didn't it would be an error. :-) >just not all content. Perfectly acceptable. >I get the referrals, PublicFolderReferralsEnabled:$true is set on the rgc. Good. >But I only have the 2 Routing Groups. > >Previously I only had/needed two routing groups, one that E2k7 creates at installation, the original one in the 2003 environment. "Previously" means "before installing Exchange 2007", or "after installing Exchange 2007"? If you meant "before" you'd need a Routing Group Connector between the two pre-Exchange 2007 routing groups, plus the bi-directional RGC between 2003 and 2007. If you meant "after" then you'd need just the one bi-directional RGC between 2003 and 2007. Once you get rid of the last 2003 server you'll only have one routing group (but two Administrative Groups -- don't remove the AG that 2003 was using, but *do* get rid of the empty "Servers" container in that AG). >Now, once my last 2TB server is out, will referrals work with only 1 routing group/rgc? If you have only one routing group it's going to be the one that Exchange 2007 lives in. Since all Public Folders will be in one Administrative Group and one Routing group it's up to the Outlook client, not the Exchange server, to locate a database that contains a replica of the desired folder. Exchange just provides a list of Public Folder databases, ordered by 'cost', to Outlook. >Do I need to create a routing group and rgc for each folder set? No. Absolutely not. --- Rich Matheisen MCSE+I, Exchange MVP --- Rich Matheisen MCSE+I, Exchange MVP

Previously - you can see in the diagram. Previously I had 2 pf servers mirroring/replicating with each other. Both had a full copy of all folders. when I remove the pfr-2, I will no longer have a single server with all folders residing there. I think I have this. RGC connecting the 2k7 and 2k3 admin groups. On the 2k3 side, configure server properties to do public folder referrals with a custom list, place other pf servers in the list. This tests out - 2k7 mailboxes can get to the default pf server db through the rgc, from there requests can be referred with the referral list for that server. Now - The curse of the 2 terabyte public folder continues. I have another issue, have to back track on this before moving ahead with the process. My 5th pf server will not replicate - no hierarchy, nothing. I've built these with the same set of procedures, step by step. Can't see that I missed anything but something is obviously different. I'm going through the troubleshooting pf replication articles now.