Contents
Overview 1
Introduction to Designing an
Exchange 2000 Management and
Operations Plan 2
Designing a Change Plan 9
Designing an Operations Plan 16
Designing a Support Plan 23
Designing an Optimization Plan 28
Discussion: Creating a Management
and Operations Plan 34

Module 8: Designing an
Exchange 2000
Management and
Operations Plan

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property rights covering subject matter in this document. Except as expressly provided in any

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Design an operations plan.
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Design a support plan.
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Design an optimization plan.

Materials and Preparation
This section provides the materials and preparation tasks that you need to teach
this module.
Required Materials
To teach this module, you need the following materials:
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Microsoft PowerPoint
®
file 1573A_08.ppt
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The Service Solution Change Request Form job aid
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The Northwind Traders Case Study

Preparation Tasks
To prepare for this module, you should:
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Read all of the materials for this module.
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Review the Service Solution Change Request Form job aid.
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Review the Northwind Traders Case Study.
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Designing an Operations Plan
Explain the function of an operations plan, and then describe the five
functions that should be included in an operations plan: system
administration, monitoring and measurement, security administration,
network administration, and maintenance.
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Designing a Support Plan
Explain the function of a support plan and then describe the three functions
that the plan includes: problem management, disaster recovery, and service
level agreement (SLA) implementation.
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Designing an Optimization Plan
Explain the function of an optimization plan, and then describe the three
functions that the plan includes: capacity planning, cost management, and
contingency planning.

Delivery Tip
An alternative method for
teaching this module is to
use the diamond slides as
talking points and simply
provide high-level
information on each sub-
topic, rather than going
through the module page-
by-page.
Module 8: Designing an Exchange 2000 Management and Operations Plan 1

Overview

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Design a support plan.
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Design an optimization plan.

Topic Objective
To provide an overview of
the module topics and
objectives.
Lead-in
In this module, you will learn
how to design an
Exchange 2000
management and
operations plan.
2 Module 8: Designing an Exchange 2000 Management and Operations Plan

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Introduction to Designing an Exchange 2000
Management and Operations Plan
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Providing Service Solutions and IT Service Management
Functions
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Overview of the Management and Operations Plan
Process
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SQL
SQL
Exchange 2000
Messaging Solution Data Storage Solution
Service Solutions
Service Solutions
Service SolutionsWell-defined service management functions provide consistent policies,
procedures, standards, and best practices that can be applied to any IT service
solution.
Service Solutions
Service solutions enable you to design IT services that meet your company’s
business goals. Some examples of service solutions include messaging solutions
and data storage solutions.
Messaging Solutions
As a messaging solution, Exchange 2000 extends basic messaging functionality
to provide enhanced client application and server functionality, such as:
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Interconnectivity with other messaging systems.
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Enhanced security.
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Multiple stores for both mailboxes and public folders.
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Recipient and storage policies.
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Access through various client applications, including:
•

4 Module 8: Designing an Exchange 2000 Management and Operations Plan

Data Storage Solutions
As a data storage solution, Microsoft SQL Server
™
2000 combines database
functionality with data analysis to enable you to create business solutions, such
as:
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A technical support call-logging database that, in combination with data
analysis, tracks problems and resolutions, and also provides insight into the
enterprise’s overall technology structure and its possible vulnerabilities.
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Data mining that assists in uncovering hidden patterns and predicting future
trends.
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E-commerce solutions that can be used in conjunction with Microsoft
Commerce Server to provide Internet-based functionality, such as the ability
to store, query, and maintain the security of Web data.

IT Service Management
IT service management functions facilitate such processes as adding, removing,
or upgrading an IT service or its components. Examples of IT service
management functions include:
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Technical support functionality
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Problem management
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Contingency planning

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IT
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Mgt.Each of the remaining four sections of this module explores one of the four
plans that make up a management and operations plan: the change plan, the
operations plan, the support plan, and the optimization plan.
Designing a Change Plan
Because both users and day-to-day business operations are affected whenever a

make up a management
and operations plan.
Lead-in
Creating a management and
operations plan involves
developing four plans:
changing, operating,
supporting, and optimizing.
6 Module 8: Designing an Exchange 2000 Management and Operations Plan

Designing a Support Plan
A support plan outlines the standards, processes, and procedures needed to
track and resolve each problem as it arises. This plan includes the following
functions:
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Problem management
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Disaster recovery
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Service Level Agreement (SLA) Implementation

Designing an Optimization Plan
An optimization plan outlines the methods for achieving better performance
from the current system. This plan includes the following functions:
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Capacity planning
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Cost management
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Contingency planning

Infrastructure diagrams Physical network
Network routing
Domain structure
Server location
Other system connectivity
Logical diagrams Network administration
Network server roles
Operating system administration
Messaging system administration
Message routing
Other system connectivity
Other system administration

Topic Objective
To outline the type of
information that you should
include in your
documentation.
Lead-in
Maintaining proper
documentation is crucial to
the ongoing success of any
deployment.
8 Module 8: Designing an Exchange 2000 Management and Operations Plan

(
continued
)
Type of information Topics included


documentation on virus-
scanning software.
Module 8: Designing an Exchange 2000 Management and Operations Plan 9

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Designing a Change Plan
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A well-designed change plan will help you to minimize any adverse effects that
the implementation of the new system might have on users and on day-to-day
business operations. To ensure that the change occurs in a controlled fashion
and that users have uninterrupted access to system resources, the change plan
must document all of the processes and procedures for implementing the IT
service change.
The following three service management functions are used to implement a
change plan:
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Change management
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Configuration management
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Release management For more information about change management, see Process Model for
Operations under Additional Readings on the Student Materials compact disc.

Topic Objective
To define the purpose of a
change plan, and to
describe the three service
management functions that
support it.
Lead-in
A change plan includes the
procedures required to

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Identify the change
Identify the change
Analyze the effect of the change on IT services

To describe the functions of
change management.
Lead-in
The goal of the change
management process is to
ensure that everyone
affected by the change is
aware of it and understands
its effects.
Delivery Tip
Mention that change
management entails
understanding the change
process and its possible
effect well enough that the
decision can be made to
back out of the change and
return the system to its
original state if necessary.
Module 8: Designing an Exchange 2000 Management and Operations Plan 11

Software
How users and services are affected by a software change depends on the type
of change that is made. For example, completely reinstalling an application
affects users and services differently than simply updating a service pack.
However, because all software changes result in some loss of service, you must
carefully plan the change in order to minimize its effects on users and on
business operations.
Systems Communications
Any change that affects the links between physical locations, servers, and

Note
12 Module 8: Designing an Exchange 2000 Management and Operations Plan

Configuration Management
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Configuration management is the maintenance of the structure and integrity of a
company’s system infrastructure by means of identifying, recording, tracking,
and reporting the company’s IT service components and organizational assets.
These components and assets are typically the same as those listed in change
management, and include hardware, software, system communications, and
documentation. Information regarding IT service components and assets must
be stored in a central data repository. The best practice is to store this
information in a database that generates automatic updates.

Configuration management is not the same as asset management. Asset
management is an accounting process that is typically used to track depreciation
and cost.

Topic Objective
To describe the function of
configuration management.
Lead-in
The goal of the configuration
management process is to
identify, record, track, and
report IT service
components and
organizational assets.
Note
Module 8: Designing an Exchange 2000 Management and Operations Plan 13

Configuration Management Functions
The basic functions of configuration management include:
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Routing groups.
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Administration groups.
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System and recipient policies.

14 Module 8: Designing an Exchange 2000 Management and Operations Plan

Release Management
Managing Release Expectations
Managing Release Expectations
Set accurate expectations with staff and management
Set accurate expectations with staff and management
Discuss time frame, performance, and risks
Discuss time frame, performance, and risks
Creating a Roll-Out Plan
Creating a Roll-Out Plan
Identify systems and users affected by roll-out
Identify systems and users affected by roll-out
Identify the time frame for roll-out
Identify the time frame for roll-out
Identify procedure for implementing roll-out
Identify procedure for implementing roll-out
Creating a Roll-Back Plan
Creating a Roll-Back Plan
Identify the procedures for returning the system to its original
state in the event of a system-threatening error
Identify the procedures for returning the system to its original
state in the event of a system-threatening error

management process is to
introduce change into a
production or pre-production
environment.
Module 8: Designing an Exchange 2000 Management and Operations Plan 15

Creating a Rollout Plan
An effective rollout plan takes both the company and its users into
consideration by identifying:
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The systems and users affected by the rollout.
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The time frame for the rollout.
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The procedure for implementing the rollout.

For example, a rollout plan for a hardware update that involves adding an
additional network card to a server running Exchange 2000 should clearly
identify:
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Which server is being upgraded and how the upgrade will affect users
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Which technicians are performing the upgrade
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The estimated time frame for the upgrade
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Any additional software that may be required
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The procedures for updating the existing documentation


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For more information about operations management, see Process Model
for Operations under Additional Readings on the Student Materials compact
disc.

Topic Objective
To explain the purpose of an
operations plan, and to
describe the functions that
support it.
Lead-in
The goal of an operations
plan is the automated,
highly predictable
implementation of day-to-
day tasks.
Note
Module 8: Designing an Exchange 2000 Management and Operations Plan 17

System Administration
System Installation
System Installation
Software Installation
Software Installation
Configuration
Configuration
Connectivity
Connectivity
Account Management
Account Management
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.In an Exchange 2000 environment, an effective operations plan for system
administration includes the procedures that are used to ensure that the
messaging system is consistently and automatically maintained. Because
Exchange 2000 relies on the Microsoft Active Directory
™
service to provide its
directory services, these procedures should also include information about the
servers running Windows 2000, because these servers maintain the directory
information that Exchange 2000 uses.
At the very least, the operations plan should provide procedures for the
following system administration tasks:
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System installation. These procedures should include hardware and software
standards for the CPU, memory requirements, and hard disk requirements

management.
18 Module 8: Designing an Exchange 2000 Management and Operations Plan

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Configuration. These procedures should include standards for delegating
administrative control, configuring virtual servers, and applying policies.
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Connectivity. These procedures should include standards for creating
connections to other systems, including existing Exchange 2000 systems, as
well as to other e-mail systems or applications.
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Account management. These procedures should include standards for
creating accounts, including users, groups, and contacts, as well as naming
conventions and any additional account details, such as phone numbers, that
will be stored in Active Directory.

Module 8: Designing an Exchange 2000 Management and Operations Plan 19

Monitoring and Measurement
System Monitoring
System Monitoring
System Measurement
System Measurement
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Service
Mgt
Mgt
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.An effective operations plan for monitoring and measurement defines the tools
and tasks that are necessary to ensure that Exchange 2000 runs at optimal
efficiency and with minimal downtime. This plan also ensures that you gather
the appropriate information to manage the Exchange 2000 system proactively
and perform trend analysis and capacity planning.
At the very least, the operations plan should provide procedures for the
following monitoring and measurement tasks:
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System monitoring. These procedures should include information on server
resources that should be monitored, including memory, processor
utilization, hard disk space and performance, and network performance.
Applications, such as Exchange 2000, should be monitored based on the
role the server running Exchange 2000 is performing. Exchange 2000
systems should be monitored for store performance; message delivery and
message queues, and performance in connecting to other e-mail systems and
applications. Finally, procedures should exist for reviewing system and
applications logs.
Each of these procedures should specify the frequency of monitoring tasks,
the baseline or expected data to be captured, and appropriate escalation
procedures for managing problems as they arise.

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procedures for managing escalation should be defined.

Topic Objective
To discuss the system
security procedures that
should be included in an
operations plan.
Lead-in
An effective operations plan
should include procedures
for ensuring system
security.
Module 8: Designing an Exchange 2000 Management and Operations Plan 21

Network Administration
Hardware and Software Management
Hardware and Software Management
Firewall Management
Firewall Management
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Mgt
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.Network administration has a direct effect on the performance of
Exchange 2000. Operations procedures should define the tools and tasks that
are required to ensure that the network is appropriately maintained to support
Exchange 2000.
At the very least, the operations guide should provide procedures for the
following tasks:
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Hardware and software management. These procedures should include
standards for network components, including network interface cards, hubs,
switches, and routers. Procedures for configuring any required software
components, including supported protocols, should also be included.
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Firewall management. Based on the applications that are currently in use,
these procedures should include configuration information, including
protocol and port configurations. Procedures for configuring systems that
are positioned in the perimeter network, such as a front-end server, should
also be included.

Topic Objective
To discuss the network
administration procedures
that should be included in
an operations plan.
Lead-in