Cluster Continuous Replication Resource Model

Applies to: Exchange Server 2007 SP3, Exchange Server 2007 SP2, Exchange Server 2007 SP1, Exchange Server 2007
Topic Last Modified: 2006-11-29

Cluster continuous replication (CCR) uses the Cluster service to help manage a Mailbox server to automatically recover from failures. When provided with redundant hardware, CCR can automatically recover from several types of complete failures. For more information about recovery actions for different kinds of failures, see Cluster Continuous Replication Recovery Behavior.

CCR uses a logical model, called the resource model, of the individual resources that make up a clustered mailbox server, such as the Microsoft Exchange Information Store service and the databases maintained by the clustered mailbox server. The resource model is represented as a tree to allow the software to define an order of actions when a piece of the model starts or stops.

Databases, the Microsoft Exchange Information Store service, and other resources can be brought online and offline manually by an administrator or automatically by the Cluster service. The term online generally refers to the process of starting a service and mounting a database. The term offline generally refers to the process of stopping a service or dismounting a database. The Cluster service tracks the online and offline states of resources in the resource model.

The resources are used as a focal point for managing the processes, databases, and network identities associated with the clustered mailbox server. The following is a brief summary of each resource type:

Storage Group/Database Instance This resource represents a database that is hosted on the clustered mailbox server. When this resource is online, the database is mounted. When this resource is offline, the database is dismounted. The Microsoft Exchange Information Store instance must be online before the database resource can come online.
Exchange Information Store Instance This resource represents the clustered mailbox server. When this resource is online, the Exchange Information Store service is started and capable of accepting MAPI traffic. The clustered mailbox server may or may not have mounted databases. When it is offline, the Microsoft Exchange Information Store service is stopped, and it is not capable of accepting MAPI traffic.
Exchange System Attendant Instance This resource represents the System Attendant service for the clustered mailbox server. When this resource is online, the System Attendant service is started. When this resource is offline, System Attendant service is stopped.
Network Name This resource represents the network name of the clustered mailbox server. When the network name is online, the name is associated with a network adapter on the specified computer. When the network name is offline, the name is not associated with a network adapter on the specified computer.
IP Address This resource represents the IP address associated with the clustered mailbox server. This IP address is bound to the clustered mailbox server network name in DNS. When the IP address is online, it is associated with a network adapter on the specified computer. When the IP address is offline, it is not associated with a network adapter on the specified computer.