1. F5 solution for Microsoft Exchange

2. What’s new in Exchange Server 2010?
All clients need BIG-IP
Elevation of Client Access Server (CAS) role
All client connections, regardless of protocol, are with CAS servers
CAS servers rely on ADC for high-availability
Microsoft recommends hardware load balancing for every Exchange 2010 deployment
ADC recommended over NLB
Includes multi-role Exchange server installations
Includes installations with Microsoft clustering services
HWLB for highest availability
Database Availability Group (DAG) is now an org level object. Resilience achieved through multiple copies of the DAG across the organization. The DAG replication time savings is based on TMOS 10.1 testing done with TCP optimizations and adaptive compression with replication from a source store out to a replica. Here are the actual test times:
25:33-21:35 = 3:58 | 3:58/25:33 = 16% less time
25:33-13:26 = 12:07 | 12:07/25:33 = 47% less time  This 47% less time is where the 2X acceleration factor comes from. When any confusion arises around “X times” improvement versus “X%” improvement, fall back to the times. Reading out the times clears up the ambiguity.
DAG optimization features are not in the primary slide at this time.
Technical white paper on the MS internal Exchange design:

3. The F5 Solution for Exchange Server 2010
High-availability and superior user response
Site resilience
Pre-authentication of users in network perimeter
SPAM filtering and web client security
Availability
Performance
Security
Configuration
Intelligent load balancing
Server and site level health monitoring
SSL offload
Cross-site resilience
Server optimization
Caching and compression for Web clients
Reduced bandwidth use
Bi-directional proxy
Protection against application layer attacks
SPAM filter
AuthN/AuthZ from the perimeter
Application template for error-free, fast configuration
DevCentral online user community
Integration with systems management
These 4 solution characteristics map directly back to clear business value: Make more money and spend less.
Layer-7 attacks: (Cross-site scripting, parameter tampering, brute force attacks, and other known or unknown threats)

4. F5 Solution for Exchange Server 2010B
Load balancing message is that it’s smart load-balancing. Need types described in these notes.
Spam filter message: We were first in market and if you can filter 70% of spam based on known offenders, why not leverage that functionality before ma
Enhance availability and scale up through load balancing
Client to CAS and Edge farms
Recommended for multi-role Exchange servers, deployments with more than 8 CAS servers and “brick” deployments with clustering services.
Accelerate
TPC optimization
Caching 154 of 160 OWA objects
Compression of attachments with up to 90% faster file downloads
Off-load SSL (25% savings of server CPU utilization)
Reduce SSL connections by RPC over HTTP
Exchange Database Availability Group (DAG) replication time savings
Secure
Pre/post logon checks for Web clients
Remove 70% of spam before it reaches Exchange
il gets to any of your Exchange servers or spam filters at all? Increases capacity (reduces load) on all messaging elements. D

5. Multi-datacenter considerations
Multiple datacenters provides additional options for redundancy and load-balancing
Load-balancing and Failover across locations
DNS management
Secure, accelerated application data synchronization
Seamless integration with systems management tools
Key enabling functionality
BIG-IP LTM – GTM communication
iSessions
iControl
F5 PRO-Enabled Management Pack
iSessions:
Any two BIG‑IP devices can be deployed symmetrically to enable data to be optimized, encrypted, and optionally tunneled. iSessions can be combined with symmetric data de-duplication, CIFS acceleration, or other functionalities to create a traditional WAN optimization deployment such as hub and spoke, fully meshed, bridged, one-armed, or WCCP. Only BIG‑IP devices offer the flexibility to combine WAN and LAN application delivery services in a unified solution.

6. Summary
Highest availability through intelligent, hardware-based load-balancing of client connections to CAS servers
Dramatically increased server processing power through off-loading of SSL, caching, compression and client connection isolation.
F5 enables cross-site availability and resilience
Pre-authenticate users in the perimeter network
F5 devices can be controlled using PowerShell and Management Packs

7. Exchange related resources
F5 Solution page for Exchange Server
F5 Deployment Guide for Exchange Server 2010
Technical white paper by Microsoft on their internal deployment
Load-balancing requirements from TechNet
F5 developer/IT admin user community