Networking Setup and Security

[Guest]

Hello All, I currently have a 10 user network using a front end exchange
server/vpn/NAT server and a backend exchange server behind a cisco firewall
both
running 2000. Can anyone suggest a better setup or point me to some MS
documentation that might explain a better method for networking our location.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Phillip Windell]

Get rid of the FE Exchange. Run a single Exchange while it is "published"
from behind the firewall device.

Did you actually spend all that $$$$$$$ for two copies of Exchange, two sets
of hardware to run it on, and the CALs to make it legal?,....for just 10
users?

I have 100 users and don't even do that.
If fact I have yet to be convinced of any situation where a FE Exchange is
*really* needed to begin with on any sized network.

 

[Guest]

Thanks Phillip, but what do I do about the VPN and the NAT? Seperate server
for those? My backend exchange server is also my main fileserver.

Thanks again.

Get rid of the FE Exchange. Run a single Exchange while it is "published"
from behind the firewall device.

Did you actually spend all that $$$$$$$ for two copies of Exchange, two sets
of hardware to run it on, and the CALs to make it legal?,....for just 10
users?

I have 100 users and don't even do that.
If fact I have yet to be convinced of any situation where a FE Exchange is
*really* needed to begin with on any sized network.

--
Phillip Windell [MCP, MVP, CCNA]
www.wandtv.com

Hello All, I currently have a 10 user network using a front end exchange
server/vpn/NAT server and a backend exchange server behind a cisco
firewall
both
running 2000. Can anyone suggest a better setup or point me to some MS
documentation that might explain a better method for networking our
location.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Phillip Windell]

Thanks Phillip, but what do I do about the VPN and the NAT?
Seperate server for those?

They can stay right where they are. No need to change them.

My backend exchange server is also my main fileserver.

Remove Exchange from one of the two machines. If you keep it on the
Fileserver then you will use RRAS to "publish" SMTP back to the Exchange
box. It should be in the "services" portion of the RRAS Admin,...a little
hard to find,..I forget exactly where they have it buried.

If you remove it from the file server and keep it on the VPN/NAT box then
nothing changes and you just simply adjust the Mail clients to look at the
internal IP# of the VPN/NAT box to get mail instead of the fileserver.

In a perfect world Exchange would be on a box by itself, the File Server on
a box by itself, and the VPN/NAT together on one box as they are now.

 

[Guest]

Thanks Phillip, but isnt a front end and a back end server necessary for OWA
in Windows/Exchange 2000?

 

[Phillip Windell]

Thanks Phillip, but isnt a front end and a back end server necessary for
OWA
in Windows/Exchange 2000?

A front-end/back-end Exchange is never necessary for anything. If ti is,
someone better explain that to my OWA which has been running for years and I
certainly don't have two Exchange servers.