How to create DAG in Exchange Server 2013

Lets get started, as we all know that Exchange Server 2013 RTM has been released for public few months ago.

Today we are going to Create and Configure Database Availability Group (DAG) in Exchange Server 2013 RTM running on Windows Server 2012.

LAB Environment:

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Login to EAC (Exchange Admin Center) with Administrator rights. Click on Servers in the left pane, click on Database Availability Groups and Click on + sign to create the DAG.

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Now specify the name of the DAG, File Share Witness Server and Witness Directory. In my case I am using Exchange Server 2007 as FSW Server and Witness Directory. We will define the DAG IP Address as well.

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Click on Save you will get the below warning message, which you can ignore. This warning message has been there with DAG since exchange server 2010 days and Microsoft has failed to fix the issue till date.

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In EAC now we will see the DAG01 object. DAG is nothing but an empty object in the active directory, if you check the Adsiedit.msc for DAG you will see nothing in it, as we haven't added any member server in it.

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As we have DAG created and we will now add the member servers into the DAG. Click on Manage Member Servers and follow the instructions.

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Click on** +** sign to add the servers.

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Select the servers you want to add it as a member of the DAG and click on add button.

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Click on Save and after you click on Save, it will install Windows Failover Clustering Components on the member servers and configure the cluster.

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http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7OgiCg3LkcY/UQ-jRJjPllI/AAAAAAAAATg/AiHucooMGSY/s1600/Member10.png

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http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YzI4DlT2P5Q/UQ-jSIo1R3I/AAAAAAAAAT4/tKS7jVBfv24/s1600/Member7.png

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1CmfGq9rFJk/UQ-jSDHWnuI/AAAAAAAAAT8/2ieLhpz7PkM/s1600/Member9.png

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yz4CcTF_TPQ/UQ-jSPfvHCI/AAAAAAAAAUI/Nkk-PdkE4p0/s1600/Member8.png

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NlQyJRhso8U/UQ-jRPbpnsI/AAAAAAAAATo/ZYDAKMvYdlw/s1600/Member11.png

We have now added the member server in the DAG successfully, now it's time Add-MailboxDatabaseCopy from One (Active) Server to another (Passive). In my case E2K13 is the Active Server and MBXCAS is Passive Server.

We can only use EMS (Exchange Management Shell) to Add MailboxDatabaseCopy. We cannot use EAC to Add the MailboxDatabaseCopy. In Exchange 2010 RTM we had the same situation. We had only EMS option to add the MailboxDatabaseCopy.

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After Add-MailboxDatabaseCopy completed successfully, lets check the status of the Database by running the command Get-MailboxDatabaseCopyStatus and the output of the command and EAC should be as shown in the below image.

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http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EeahwxXPWEE/UQ-o2kiF66I/AAAAAAAAAU8/DrIYtcae0y0/s1600/Get-MailboxDatabaseCopyStatus.png

Last but not the least check the replication health by running the Test-ReplicationHealth and Get-DatabaseAvailabilityGroupNetwork | fl.

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I hope it helps.

Cheers,