Exchange Server 2003 Performance Tuning: Webcast (6-30-2006)

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Good day My Exchange Performance Guru’s

Thank you for attending the web cast on Exchange Performance and Tuning.  I hope you enjoyed all the different ways you can improve Exchange.  I also want to send a huge thank you to Keith Combs for helping me out on the Q/A, as promised here is the scrubbed Q/A log.  I also have some really good resources for you to help with Exchange Performance Tuning:

There are quite a few virtual labs on Exchange:
https://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/exchange/virtuallab/default.mspx

I also did a screen cast highlighting the advanced search capabilities here; also this blog entry has several links to resources for WDS:
https://blogs.technet.com/matthewms/archive/2006/05/17/428884.aspx

Watch the stream of the web cast here:
Exchange Server 2003 Performance Tuning

Please comment if you need more information. 

Question: While I could look up the exact Kb articles, I recall conflicting indications as to what SYSTEMPAGES registry setting should be if the /3GB switch & /USERVA=3030 is utilized. In one case it says to set to zero in another something like 32,232. What is the correct setting for this registry value?
Answer: https://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;823440

Question: KB823440 does not contain verbage regarding system pages.
Answer: https://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;316739

Question: Is there a class on ISA Servers
Answer: There are several resources on the Microsoft web site to learn more about ISA:

There is also an official training class, 2824: https://www.microsoft.com/learning/syllabi/en-us/2824bfinal.mspx

Question: What is the KB for this IMAP registry value?
Answer: https://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/exchange/guides/E2k3Perf_ScalGuide/1dbf7065-d7fd-4695-b6d5-4e266148ccdf.mspx?mfr=true

Question: How many MTA's can exist in a 4 way cluster with 3 active nodes?
Answer: One

Question: The IMAP compatibility reg value that was discussed prior to MTA...Would that be made on FE or BE?=
Answer: Be https://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/exchange/guides/E2k3Perf_ScalGuide/1dbf7065-d7fd-4695-b6d5-4e266148ccdf.mspx?mfr=true

Question: What should be the max size of users email boxes?
Answer:   That really depends on the server: check this link https://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/exchange/guides/PlanE2k3MsgSys/1a11b866-f6e1-4ad4-9e59-4ab0fc24cb02.mspx?mfr=true

Question: Ok, here the conflict in systempages setting between kb316739 you listed & www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/exchange/guides/PlanE2k3MsgSys/6b3e1265-9d94-4fb4-bf4d-f037a0297871.mspx?mfr=true
Answer: Looks like there may be a little confusion, make sure you are looking at the right version of windows and exchange.  Both articles reference windows 2000 and Windows 2003 with Exchange 2003.  As for the answer to the question, I would rely on the latest article which is: www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/exchange/guides/PlanE2k3MsgSys/6b3e1265-9d94-4fb4-bf4d-f037a0297871.mspx?mfr=true.  Ultimately you need to test to make sure these work correctly.

Question: Is there an MTA on the back end cluster in a front/back topology?
Answer: Yes, there is only 1 and there is more information here: https://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/exchange/guides/E2k3HighAvGuide/5671ab53-29f0-4d8e-8ebe-9367a547cbfd.mspx?mfr=true

Question: What does Exchange use to monitor or alert on VM usage? VM = virtual memory
Answer: With a combination of Event Viewer and performance monitor you can take a look at VM usage.  For more information on what to take a look here: https://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=325044