About Exchange Plug-in

This Knowledgebase article provides information about this specific release of the Exchange Plug-in V201.5.9.

The  Exchange Plug-in provides protection for critical data, services, and monitors the performance of Exchange components.

New Features

• Support for Microsoft Exchange 2019 
  
• Support for Windows Server 2019 platform
  

Changed Features

Performance counters structure has been changed for Exchange 2016 and 2019: 

• MSExchangeIS Store\Messages Delivered/sec\_Total→ is present only on Mailbox role, so it will get disabled for Edge Transport Role
  
• MSExchangeTransport SmtpSend\Messages Bytes Sent/sec\_Total →  is present only on Mailbox role, so it will get disabled for Edge Transport Role
  
• MSExchangeIS Store\RPC Requests→  is present only on Mailbox role, so it will get disabled for Edge Transport Role.
  

Supported Versions and Platforms

Microsoft Exchange 2019 up to and including CU3

     Platform:

• Windows Server 2019 (Standard and Datacenter)
  
• Windows Server 2016 (Standard and Datacenter)
  
• Windows Server 2012 R2 (Standard and Datacenter) 
  

Microsoft Exchange 2016 up to and including CU6

     Platform:

• Windows Server 2016 (Standard and Datacenter)
  
• Windows Server 2012 R2 (Standard and Datacenter) 
  

Microsoft Exchange 2013 up to and including CU17

     Platform:

• Windows Server 2012 R2 (Standard and Datacenter)
  
• Windows Server 2012 x64 (Standard and Datacenter) 
  
• Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1 x64 (Standard and Enterprise)
  
• Windows Server 2008 R2 x64 (Standard and Enterprise) 
  

Microsoft Exchange 2010 SP1, SP2 and SP3

     Platform:

• Windows Server 2012 x64 (Standard and Datacenter)
  
• Windows Server 2008 x64 R2 (Standard and Enterprise)
  
• Windows Server 2008 x64 SP1 (Standard and Enterprise)
  

Microsoft Exchange 2007 SP1, SP2, and SP3

     Platforms:

• Windows Server 2008 x64 SP2 (Standard and Enterprise)
  
• Windows Server 2008 x64 R2 (Standard)
  
• Windows Server 2003 x64 SP1, SP2 (Standard and Enterprise)
  

Microsoft Exchange 2003 SP2

     Platform:

• Windows Server 2003 x86 SP1, SP2 (Standard and Enterprise)
  

Supported Components and Features

Roles 

Neverfail supports the following Exchange 2019 role based deployment:

• Mailbox Server
  
• Edge Transport Server
  

Neverfail supports the following Exchange 2016 role based deployment:

• Mailbox Server
  
• Edge Transport Server
  

Neverfail supports the following Exchange 2013 SP1 role based deployment:

• Client Access Server (deploy IIS Plug-in)
  
• Mailbox Server
  
• Edge Transport Server
  

Neverfail supports the following Exchange 2013 role based deployment:

• Client Access Server (deploy IIS Plug-in)
  
• Mailbox Server
  

 Neverfail supports the following Exchange 2010 and 2007 role based deployment:

• Edge Transport Server
  
• Hub Transport Server
  
• Client Access Server (deploy  IIS Plug-in)
  
• Mailbox Server
  
• Unified Messaging Server
  

Neverfail supports the following Exchange 2003 deployment:

• Mailbox Server
  
• Front End Server
  

Mobility

Exchange ActiveSync (EAS) and all compatible mobile devices, requires the IIS plug-in to be deployed on the:

• Exchange 2010 and 2007
  • Client Access Server
    
• Exchange 2003
  • Front End Server
    

Known Issues

• Known inter-operational imitation: Engine requires Register this connection's addresses in DNS checkbox (on the DNS tab of the Advanced TCP/IP Settings dialog box of TCP/IPv4) to be deselected (it disables it if found enabled). T Due to an Exchange 2013/2016 issue, this may cause the email messages to get stuck in the Drafts folder
  Workaround: Apply the second method recommended by Microsoft in the following article: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/3007623/-dns-query-failed-error-when-an-email-message-is-stuck-in-the-draft-fo
• After uninstalling Neverfail Heartbeat, MSEXCHANGEDIAGNOSTICS service fails to start (Ref-14549)
  Workaround: See Knowledgebase article #2602 - After uninstalling Neverfail Heartbeat, MSEXCHANGEDIAGNOSTICS service fails to start
• When Exchange 2013 is protected using Neverfail Heartbeat v6.6.2, attempts to use Data Rollback will fail (Ref-14220) 
  
• Attempting Data Rollback When Exchange 2013 is Protected on Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1 or Windows Server 2012 Causes Data Rollback to Fail (Ref-14782)
  Workaround: See Knowledgebase article #2600 - Attempting Data Rollback when Exchange 2013 is protected on Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1 or Windows Server 2012 Causes Data Rollback to Fail 
• When performance counters do not exist the .Net stack trace is returned
  
• In Exchange 2003 environments, where Microsoft Search service is running, some index catalog files might be "Out-of-Sync" after a switchover; see Knowledgebase article #2397 - After a Switchover, Some Index Catalog Files Cannot Be Synchronized Causing the Server Pair to be "Out-of-Sync"
  
• Exchange Plug-in does not protect the Microsoft Exchange Event Service (MSExchangeES) as this service starts on demand and restart protection is not required (Ref-10911).
  
• The  Exchange Plug-in does not support circular logging (Ref-11367).
  
• Exchange Plug-in does not protect SMTP queues on Exchange Server 2003 
  

Unsupported features and topologies

This Plug-in does not protect the following application features or components:

• Clustering
  
• Database Availability Groups – Exchange 2010, 2013
  
• Exchange 2007 CCR, SCR, LCR
  
• Exchange 2003
  
• Filter discovery for Edge Transport Server
  
• Index catalogue database - contain unsupported file system feature, sparse files.
  
• Exchange 2003 STF Files- temporary files do not need to be included in the protected set.
  
• The Recovery Storage Group
  

Service Availability Monitoring

Neverfail Engine monitors services specified by the plug-ins to ensure application availability. In the event that a specified service stops or fails, Neverfail Engine can take up to three pre-configured actions to remedy the issue. 

When the plug-in is installed, all protected services will be set to manual unless otherwise stated. This is the list of all services protected by this plug-in:

Common (All versions)

• IIS Admin Service (IISAdmin)
  
• Microsoft Exchange System Attendant (MSExchangeSA)
  
• Microsoft Exchange Information Store (MSExchangeIS)
  
• World Wide Web Publishing Service (W3SVC)
  
• Indexing Service (cisvc) - obsolete
  

Exchange 2019, 2016, 2013 SP1

• Tracing Service for Search in Exchange (SearchExchangeTracing) 
  
• Microsoft Exchange Active Directory Topology (MSExchangeADTopology)
  
• Microsoft Exchange Anti-spam Update (MSExchangeAntispamUpdate)
  
• Microsoft Exchange DAG Management (MSExchangeDagMgmt)
  
• Microsoft Exchange Diagnostics (MSExchangeDiagnostics)
  
• Microsoft Exchange EdgeSync (MSExchangeEdgeSync)
  
• Microsoft Exchange Frontend Transport (MSExchangeFrontEndTransport)
  
• Microsoft Exchange Health Manager (MSExchangeHM)
  
• Microsoft Exchange Health Manager Recovery (MSExchangeHMRecovery) - [on Exchange 2016 and 2019]
  
• Microsoft Exchange IMAP4 (MSExchangeImap4)
  
• Microsoft Exchange IMAP4 Backend (MSExchangeIMAP4BE)
  
• Microsoft Exchange Information Store (MSExchangeIS)
  
• Microsoft Exchange Mailbox Assistants (MSExchangeMailboxAssistants)
  
• Microsoft Exchange Mailbox Replication (MSExchangeMailboxReplication)
  
• Microsoft Exchange Mailbox Transport Delivery (MSExchangeDelivery)
  
• Microsoft Exchange Compliance Audit (MSComplianceAudit) - [on Exchange 2016 and 2019]
  
• Microsoft Exchange Mailbox Transport Submission (MSExchangeSubmission)
  
• Microsoft Exchange Migration Workflow (MSExchangeMigrationWorkflow) [not present on Exchange 2019]
  
• Microsoft Exchange POP3 (MSExchangePop3)
  
• Microsoft Exchange POP3 Backend (MSExchangePOP3BE)
  
• Microsoft Exchange Replication (MSExchangeRepl)
  
• Microsoft Exchange RPC Client Access (MSExchangeRPC)
  
• Microsoft Exchange Search (MSExchangeFastSearch)
  
• Microsoft Exchange Compliance Service (MSExchangeCompliance) - [on Exchange 2016 and 2019]
  
• Microsoft Exchange Search Host Controller (HostControllerService)
  
• Microsoft Exchange Service Host (MSExchangeServiceHost)
  
• Microsoft Exchange Throttling (MSExchangeThrottling)
  
• Microsoft Exchange Transport (MSExchangeTransport)
  
• Microsoft Exchange Transport Log Search (MSExchangeTransportLogSearch)
  
• Microsoft Exchange Unified Messaging (MSExchangeUM) [not present on Exchange 2019]
• Microsoft Exchange Unified Messaging Call Router (MSExchangeUMCR) [not present on Exchange 2019]
• Microsoft Filtering Management Service (FMS)
  
• Microsoft Exchange ADAM (ADAM_MSExchange)
  
• Microsoft Exchange Credential Service (MSExchangeEdgeCredential) 
  

Exchange 2013

• Tracing Service for Search in Exchange   (SearchExchangeTracing) 
  
• Microsoft Exchange Active Directory Topology (MSExchangeADTopology)
  
• Microsoft Exchange Anti-spam Update Microsoft Exchange Anti-spam Update (MSExchangeAntispamUpdate)
  
• Microsoft Exchange Address Book (MSExchangeAB)
  
• Microsoft Exchange Transport Delivery (MSExchangeDelivery)
  
• Microsoft Exhange Diagnostics (MSExchangeDiagnostics)
  
• Microsoft Exchange EdgeSync (MSExchangeEdgeSync)
  
• Microsoft Exchange Fast Search (MSExchangeFastSearch)
  
• Microsoft Exchange Health Manager (MSExchangeHM)
  
• Microsoft Exchange Mailbox Assistants (MSExchangeMailboxAssistants)
  
• Microsoft Exchange Mailbox Replication (MSExchangeMailboxReplication)
  
• Microsoft Exchange Replication Service (MSExchangeRepl)
  
• Microsoft Exchange RPC Client Access (MSExchangeRPC)
  
• Microsoft Exchange Service Host (MSExchangeServiceHost)
  
• Microsoft Exchange Throttling (MSExchangeThrottling)              
  
• Microsoft Exchange Unified Messaging (MSExchangeUM)
  
• Microsoft Exchange Unified Messaging Cell Router (MSExchangeUMCR)
  
• Microsoft Exchange Searh Host Controller (HostControllerService)
  
• Microsoft Exchange File Distribution (MSExchangeFDS)
  
• Microsoft Exchange Forms-Based Authentication service (MSExchangeFBA)
  
• Microsoft Exchange IMAP4 (MSExchangeIMAP4)
  
• Microsoft Exchange Mail Submission Service (MSExchangeMailSubmission)                      
  
• Microsoft Exchange Monitoring (MSExchangeMonitoring)
  
• Microsoft Exchange POP3 (MSExchangePOP3)
  
• Microsoft Exchange Search Indexer (MSExchangeSearch)
  
• Microsoft Exchange Protected Service Host (MSExchangeProtectedServiceHost)                                             
  
• Microsoft Exchange Transport (MSExchangeTransport)
  
• Microsoft Exchange Transport Log Search (MSExchangeTransportLogSearch)
  
• Microsoft Search (Exchange) (msftesql-Exchange)
  
• Microsoft Speech Engine (MSSpeechService)
  
• Microsoft Exchange ADAM (ADAM_MSExchange)
  

Exchange 2010 Only

• Microsoft Exchange Address Book (MSExchangeAB)
  
• Microsoft Exchange Forms-Based Authentication service (MSExchangeFBA)
  
• Microsoft Exchange Mailbox Replication (MSExchangeMailboxReplication)
  
• Microsoft Exchange RPC Client Access (MSExchangeRPC)
  
• Microsoft Exchange Server Extension for Windows Server Backup (Wsbexchange)
  
• Microsoft Exchange Protected Service Host (MSExchangeProtectedServiceHost)
  
• Microsoft Exchange Throttling (MSExchangeThrottling)
  
• Microsoft Exchange Credential Service (MSExchangeEdgeCredential)
  

Exchange 2007 and 2010

• Microsoft Exchange Active Directory Topology (MSExchangeADTopology)
  
• Microsoft Exchange EdgeSync (MSExchangeEdgeSync)
  
• Microsoft Exchange File Distribution (MSExchangeFDS)
  
• Microsoft Exchange Mailbox Assistants (MSExchangeMailboxAssistants)
  
• Microsoft Exchange Mail Submission Service (MSExchangeMailSubmission)
  
• Microsoft Exchange Replication Service (MSExchangeRepl)
  
• Microsoft Exchange Service Host (MSExchangeServiceHost)
  
• Microsoft Exchange Transport (MSExchangeTransport)
  
• Microsoft Exchange Unified Messaging (MSExchangeUM)
  
• Microsoft Exchange ADAM (ADAM_MSExchange)
  
• Microsoft Exchange Credential Service (EdgeCredentialSvc)
  
• Microsoft Exchange Anti-spam Update (MSExchangeAntispamUpdate)
  
• Microsoft Exchange IMAP4 (MSExchangeIMAP4)
  
• Microsoft Exchange Monitoring (MSExchangeMonitoring)
  
• Microsoft Exchange POP3 (MSExchangePOP3)
  
• Microsoft Exchange Search Indexer (MSExchangeSearch)
  
• Microsoft Exchange Transport Log Search (MSExchangeTransportLogSearch)
  
• Microsoft Search (Exchange) (msftesql-Exchange)
  
• Microsoft Speech Engine (MSSpeechService)
  

Exchange 2003

• Simple Mail Transport Protocol (smtpsvc)
  
• Microsoft Exchange Routing Engine (RESvc)
  
• Microsoft Exchange Management (MSExchangeMGMT)
  
• Microsoft Exchange IMAP4 service (IMAP4SVC)
  
• Microsoft Message Transfer Agent (MSExchangeMTA)
  
• Microsoft POP3 Service (pop3svc)
  
• Task Scheduler (schedule)
  
• Network News Transfer Protocol (nntpsvc)
  
• Microsoft Exchange Site Replication Service (MSExchangeSRS)
  
• Microsoft Exchange Active Directory Connector (MSExchangeADC)
  

Other Supported Features

Exchange Plug-in supports native Exchange Archiving and Journaling.

Performance and Application Health Monitoring

Tasks - The following 'Tasks' are installed by Exchange Plug-in: 

• Pre Start (services optimized start)
  
• Pre Stop (services optimized stop)
  
• Periodic
  • Protected Services Discovery
    
  • File Filter Discovery
    
  • Registry Filter Discovery
    

To configure/modify Periodic 'Tasks', follow the steps below:

1. Using the Neverfail Advanced Management Client, click on Application -> Tasks.
   
2. Select the desired 'Task'.
   
3. Click on the Edit button at the top of the 'Tasks' pane.
   
4. Configure/modify the 'Interval' field. 
   

Note: 'Interval' is the only field available for configuration/modification and is measured in seconds.

5. Click OK to save the changes.
   

Note: This dialog is also used to Enable/Disable the selected 'Task'.

Rules - Application Monitoring

• Check for Dismounted Stores - Check all storage groups for dismounted mail stores; log and send an alert if any stores dismount. One or more dismounted stores changes the Neverfail Application to Degraded Application on the System and Application screens. If all stores are mounted, log No Dismounted Stores Found.
  

Rules - Performance Monitoring

Exchange 2013, 2016 and 2019

• Message Bytes Recvd/Second- Monitors the rate messages are received by the transport component. Compare this counter to a system baseline to determine the healthy output.
  
• Message Bytes Sent/Second- Check the total size of messages in bytes are sent per second. Compare this counter to a system baseline to determine the healthy output. - Disabled on Edge Transport Role for Exchange 2016 and 2019.
• Message Delivered/Second- The number of messages delivered to the database per second. - Disabled on Edge Transport Role for Exchange 2016 and 2019.
• RPC Requests - The number of client requests currently being processed by the store, which should typically be below 25. - Disabled on Edge Transport Role for Exchange 2016 and 2019.
  
• Send Queue Items- The number of messages currently queued. Assure that the send queue is empty (0) at least once in the set period.
  

All Versions of Exchange (2003, 2007, 2010)

• checkRPCRequests
  Exchange Store RPC Requests - The number of client requests currently being processed by the store, which should typically be below 25.

• checkMessagesSent/Sec
  Messages Sent/Sec - Monitors the rate messages sent to transport component. Compare this counter to a system baseline to determine the healthy output.

• checkReceivedQueueSize
  Receive Queue Size - Check for the number of queued messages, inbound from the information store. Compare this counter to a system baseline to determine the healthy output.

• checkMessagesRecvd/Sec
  Messages Received/Sec - Monitors the rate messages are received by the transport component. Compare this counter to a system baseline to determine the healthy output.

• checkMessageBytesSent/Second
  Message Bytes Sent/Second - Check the total size of messages in bytes are sent per second. Compare this counter to a system baseline to determine the healthy output.

• checkMessageBytesRecvd/Second
  Message Bytes Recvd/Second - Check the total receive rate for inbound messages. Compare this counter to a system baseline to determine whether the output rate is healthy.

Exchange 2003 Only

• checkSendQueueSize
  Send Queue Size - Monitors the queue of messages outbound from the Information Store. In cases where the SMTP service or the Message Transfer Agent (MTA) is down, or is experiencing a reduction in performance, there will be a non-zero value for this queue. Under normal operating conditions, this queue should not stay at a non-zero value for any significant length of time except for large systems of more than 2000 users, where the value will never be zero.

• checkLocalQueueLength
  The Local Queue Length is the number of messages in the SMTP queue awaiting local delivery. As a guideline, the maximum value should be less than 1,000.

• checkCategorizerQueueLength
  Exchange Transport Categorizer Queue Length is the number of messages waiting for advanced address resolution to occur before the message can be stored in the local queue or sent to the routing engine for delivery. A high number indicates a message flow problem within the intranet.

• checkInboundConnectionsCurrent
  Inbound Connections Current - Monitor the number of inbound connections to the Exchange Server. A reading of 0 for an extended time can indicate network problems.

• checkAvgRetries/MsgsDelivered
  Avg Retries/Msgs Delivered - Monitors the average number of retries per local delivery, shown as the number of retried messages as a fraction of the overall message delivered. Mail delivery problems are evident if the average number increases.

• checkAvgRetries/MsgsSent
  Avg Retries/Msgs Sent (checkAvgRetries/MsgsSent) - Monitors the average number of retries per outbound messages sent, if this increases then it will indicate send message problems. Number of retried messages as a fraction of the overall messages sent.

• checkAddressListQueueLength
  Address List Queue Length - Monitors the load on the Recipient Update Service, this usually exists on the first Exchange Server installed within the domain. Enabling this rule on any other Exchange server will result in the error Object reference not set to an instance of an object.

Installation/Upgrade information

The Exchange Plug-in can be installed either via the Neverfail CE deployment process or by using Application -> Plugins in the Neverfail Advanced Management Client using the procedure below. Neverfail recommends that for initial deployments of Exchange Plug-in, installation should be performed using Engine Management Service.

Install/Uninstall the Exchange Plug-in Via the Neverfail Advanced Management Client

To manually install the Exchange Plug-in, follow the steps below:

1. Unzip the Exchange Plug-in to the desired location.
   
2. Launch the Neverfail Advanced Management Client.
   
3. Navigate to Application -> Plugins.
   
4. Click on the Install button.
   
5. Click the Browse button and navigate to the location of the <plug-in name>.dll file.
   
6. Click OK to complete the installation.
   
7. Repeat this process for each individual plug-in.
   
8. To remove/uninstall the Exchange Plug-in, follow the steps below:
   
9. Launch the Neverfail Advanced Management Client.
   
10. Navigate to Application -> Plugins.
    
11. Select the desired plug-in to be removed/uninstalled.
    
12. Click on the Uninstall button in the 'Plugins' pane.
    
13. When the plug-in is uninstalled, the files are not removed.  This is by design for future functionality and therefore the following workaround is provided:
    
14. Delete the contents of the r2\plugins\<sponsor>\<version> folder.
    
15. To reinstall the plug-in, when prompted for the location of the plug-in files, navigate to the new folder location (e.g. C:\temp).
    

Note: As an alternative, reinstallation can be accomplished by using the downloaded files from the original download location after removing the plug-in.

Exchange Plug-in Configuration

The Exchange Plug-in provides the following configuration options:

• Protect catalogue data (Default Disabled)
  • Neverfail does not recommend protecting these files, because they may contain the unsupported file system feature Sparse Files
    
• Protect Message Tracking Logs (Default Disabled)
  • Exchange’s message tracking logs help diagnose message delivery problems
    
  • Only enable this setting if Exchange message track logging is enabled, and the log files require protection
    
• Extensive Logging (Default Disabled)
  • Provides verbose debug logging for the Exchange Filter Discovery task
    
  • Enable this when there are problems detecting changes to protected data
    

Applies To

Exchange Plug-in V201.5.9