Microsoft Exchange Hosting
Features and Pricing
Understanding Exchange Server hosting
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Exchange Server Environment
Exchange Server Monitoring
FAQ about Exchange Server Hosting
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FAQ about Exchange Server Hosting
These questions have been asked by clients in the past. If you have a specific questions that is not answered here please email exchangehostingexperts@localweb.com or call toll free 1.800.525.0031 (outside USA call 919.544.4101) to speak to a professional Exchange server hosting expert.
Exchange Server: Security
Exchange Server: Reliability
Exchange Server: Monitoring
Exchange Server: Back up
Exchange Server: Configuration
Exchange Server: Storage
Exchange Server: Power
Exchange Server: Support
Exchange Server: Security
Describe your hardware/software security practices for Exchange Server hosting, including spam filtering and virus scanning services.
With servers hosted at ADTI's network, security is provided by ADTI at the network level, server level, and the application level. At the network level, a Cisco Pix firewall and other network security, router and intrusion detection hardware devices are normally used. At the server level, software security updates, guidelines and "Best Practices" are applied to the server. At the application level, active, a third-party commercial spam and virus filtering service is used to ensure that the user's email boxes are free of viruses and unwanted email.
Does your spam filtering occur on a separate server from Exchange server?
Yes, this is performed on a separate set of servers Independent of the Exchange server. This ensures a zero footprint and load on the Exchange server, maximizing the performance and response of your Exchange server.
How many spam filtering options do you provide?
On dedicated servers, customers may choose to install other Spam and virus filtering services of their choice if they so wish. We unlike most other Hosted Exchange providers we do not install spam and virus filtering software on the same server on which Exchange is running. This is done to avoid unnecessary processor load and stability issues on the Exchange servers.
Exchange Server: Reliability
Provide aggregate uptime statistics for all your Exchange customers over the last twelve (12) months.
We currently maintain an Exchange 2003 Enterprise server for shared customers, a hot backup Exchange server for the same, an Exchange2003 Server for internal ADTI use, and one dedicated exchange server for a customer. In the past 12 months, we have had zero downtime on all of these servers, i.e. our uptime has been 100%.
Of your existing or prior Exchange customers, what were the top three (3) longest duration unplanned service outages of any Exchange customers, in the last twelve (12) months? Explain the circumstances of each of the outages.
We have not had a single unplanned or "unexplained" outage for our Exchange 2003 Enterprise servers in the past 12 months. The longest downtime that has been experienced has been for scheduled maintenance which we typically perform on early Sunday mornings if and when needed and with prior notification, during reboots to apply Microsoft security patches and updates. These reboots typically take 2-5 minutes.
Exchange Server: Monitoring
Describe the process by which you monitor Exchange Servers.
All our servers are automatically monitored from at least three separate locations, every 5 minutes, 24/7/365. We have one automated monitoring system in each of our two data centers (which are on entirely separate and independent networks), and in addition we have external independent third party monitoring from Red Alert, of Keynote Systems (the industry leader in Internet monitoring services).
We utilize diverse software for monitoring, both Windows based and UNIX based. Each server is monitored for basic "ping" as well as for application level services such as http, POP3, SMTP, etc. as applicable to the server. When a problem is detected, our monitoring systems alert the tech support staff on duty via alarm enunciators as well as email pager systems on two redundant cell phone systems.
Exchange Server: Back up
How often do you backup email and domain data?
In our data center, all servers and their data are fully backed up once a week, and differential backups are performed daily. Email data is backed up daily but is not retained once the customer has downloaded and deleted the mailbox contents, as the sheer volume of such data would amount to terabytes per week.
Domain data is backed up with the servers. Because of the nature of our web hosting infrastructure, each of our dedicated servers is on its own private domain and remains (and must remain) isolated from all other servers. This isolation is maintained in the backups.
Where is data backed up to?
Depending on the service level agreement with the customer for backup services, the data is backed up to a separate backup volume (drive) in the server itself or to dedicated space on our SAN (Storage Area Network) device, or to off-site tape backup storage .
Describe your backup and restore process
BACKUPS: Every server has an internal backup storage volume of sufficient size to which daily and weekly backups are performed. On critical servers and for those servers on which Customers have opted, the backups are performed to a separate SAN device. On Windows servers, backup software that is used includes the standard Windows Backup software, Veritas, or other third party backup software. On UNIX and Linux servers, backups are performed via BRU, the industry standard commercial grade backup software tool for Linux and UNIX. All network backups are performed over private network connections so as not to interfere with normal network traffic.
RESTORES: When needed, restore operations are performed manually by running the appropriate restore utilities manually, depending on whether it is a UNIX or Windows backup. Usually, restore operations can be performed immediately.
Exchange Server: Location
Provide the information about your Network Operating Center :
Describe your Network Operating Center.
ADTI operates out of two data center locations, and each data center location has it's own NOC which consists of a room with large display screens and monitors, phones, and central document storage so that the tech support staff on duty at that NOC can maintain and manage the data center.
Where is it located?
Each of the two data center spaces has its own NOC , and each NOC is an integral part of the data center space. The two data center spaces are about 10 miles apart. The data centers are strategically located in Research Triangle Park , North Carolina, recognized as one of the top 5-10 technology hubs in the United States .
Describe your connections to the Internet.
Coming into the data center, we have triple redundant OC3 and OC12 connections from independent providers (UUNet, Time Warner, Digex/UUNet). Each provider's OC3/OC12 connection comes in over a separate fiber connection and a different entry point into the building. From there, the connections go into a dual redundant mesh of Cisco routers and switches so that there is no single point of failure for any connection, cable, router or switch. The routers operate BGP 4 so that the connection to the Internet is maintained independently and transparently over the best available path over the three providers.
Exchange Server: Configuration
Describe your configuration of front-end or back-end servers used in conjunction with your managed Exchange servers.
ADTI maintains a clustered backup solution with RAID redundant storage systems for the mailboxes, and an external secondary "MX" store-and-forward backup in addition to the clustered solution.
ADTI can also provide an architecture consisting of a second backup clustered Exchange 2003 server located on the client's premises, and a third backup non-Exchange "secondary MX" server configured in simple "store and forward". If client's entire network is down, the emails being sent to the client will not bounce but will be stored externally and be delivered when the client's network comes back on line.
Exchange Server: Storage
Do you have a Storage Area Network used in conjunction with your Exchange Servers?
Yes, we have dedicated SAN devices, each of about 1 Terabyte or more, which is solely for the use of Customers' backups. We also have additional expansion capability for SAN storage of up to 4 Terabytes per SAN.
Exchange Server: Power
Describe standby power capability .
Power from the mains grid enters the data center via suitably sized power conditioning devices so that all AC and DC power going to the cabinets in the data center is clean and steady within 0.5% (one half of one percent) of tolerance with absolutely no spikes or brownouts.
In addition, there are four large UPS systems on the data center floor, which are capable of maintaining the data center for up to 45 minutes on full load.
Outside the data center, an 850KW dual diesel generator stands ready to switch on and provide the data center with full power, within 10-15 seconds of a mains grid disconnect via an ATS (Automatic Transfer Switch). The diesel generator has additional tanks so that it is capable of running the entire data center for up to 4 days without any refueling, and indefinitely with refueling.
The UPS and diesel generator system are tested weekly and monthly, and a full "grid disconnect test" coordinated with the local power company is performed once per quarter. This ensures that the entire power backup system is kept well tested and ready, and the diesel fuel etc. are cycled and kept fresh and topped up on a constant basis.
As an example, the last major power incident we experienced was in December of 2003, when a major ice storm hit the area and grid power was completely out for two and a half days in the immediate vicinity of our data centers. During that entire period, the data centers experienced zero milliseconds of downtime in either power or network. We offer a 100% SLA (Service Level Agreement) on power to all our hosted customers, and a 99.999% (five nines) on network SLA.
Exchange Server: Support
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What on-line administrative tool is available for managing user accounts?
Online Administration Tool: This tool has two levels: Administrator, and User. Users can change their individual preferences, display names, enable or disable email forwarding, etc. In addition to all the features they can configure directly via their Outlook 2003. Administrators can perform additional functions such as adding, deleting or editing existing users, global contacts, change or apply permissions to public folders and sub folders, mailbox size limits, etc. Many of these changes are effective immediately, while others may require intervention by ADTI support personnel as part of this support contract (i.e. at no additional charge), such as archiving or restoring a mailbox from backup, adding additional "domain aliases", etc. This administrative tool will be password protected.
What technical support is available?
Our technical support is available 24x7x365 via toll free number 800.525.0031 for clients in USA and Canada. All other clients can call 919.544.4101
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