How to join two exchange servers over a VPN and route mail to correct users on the local server

How to join two or more exchange servers over a vpn tunnel and route the users mail to the correct server.

i have a client that has 3 offices and they are connected through a VPN tunnel. All the mail is routed into the mail server we will call this server1. From server 1, we have two other offices. Each has an exchange server. The users in the remote office are currently connecting to the email server over the VPN and the responce times are SLOOOOOWWW. we want to route the mail to the server 1, and then from there, route the mail to the server 2 or server 3 depending on which office the user resides. we have already created all the mailboxes on server 1 and so we will need to move the mailboxes once the routing is set up. Here is the steps we used to set up the servers and route the mail.

1) server1 and server2 is set up as an exchange server in their respective locations. It is reccomended not to make this server a domain controller just a member server. make sure you don't forget to install all security and service packs before proceeding on both servers.

2) server 2 is set up on location 2 and the vpn tunnel is established. we dont need to go into this part of it. just set up the VPN and then make sure the two computers can ping eachother.

3) join server2 as a member server to your domain not a domain controller. This requires you know how to properly setup DNS and route DNS requests properly. this is not covered here. We have written articles on how to properly set up dns on other pages.

4) open exchange system manager on second server2, we need to be sure the servers are in native mode, if not, change it so that they are. if you have older NT servers, then you can not follow these directions, you need to create seperate routing groups and then create connectors, this does not cover that case. All your servers must be running at least windows 2000 server for this to work. we have written articles on how to change your server to naitive mode on other pages as well, just search for it....

5) put bot servers in same routing group. This is done in the exchange system manager and is as simple as drag and drop. Or maybe you correctly specified this when you set up the second exchange server from the get go. Yes, when setting up the second server, put it into the same routing group as the first one.

6) restart exchange routing service and smtp service on both servers

7) create a test user on server2. Make sure and specify server2 as the server that the box is to be created on. You will get a choice and if you don't something went wrong in one of the previous steps. Send the test user a mail from an external address and a local one. Check the mailbox to see testuser got the mail.

8) to move a mailbox from one server to another, open active directory users and computers -> right click on the user -> click exchange tasks -> choose move -> select he new server to move the mailbox to.

NOTE: this could take some time and if your not backed up first you may risk losing the mailbox entirely....

DID i mention to Make sure you backup your server before hand. this would be very bad to corrupt all the mailboxes that you don't have backed up. this is especially true on a slow or unreliable vpn.

9) BAM your done.

Have fun with this one! Give me some props if you get it working!!

Jake