tazinlwfl

Hi TSF

Recently we had a DSL outage in our area. We couldn't go online, and worse yet, we couldn't receive email. Even if we used our cellphones, the email was routed directly to our server from the web host, so we couldn't send mail out or receive it until the server was given internet access.

My boss wants me to make a back-up plan for when the internet/power goes out. We have battery backups for all of the workstation and our server, but if there is service outage, we need a way to get online to receive email (browsing online isnt as important).

The first thing we considered is a Wireless 3G Card (usb or PCIe) to use as our internet source. A problem I see is the Static IP we use for the domain (local.FQDN) to access RWW and OWA wont work because of the new IP supplied from the Wireless service, which means we wont receive email anyways.

Is it possible to use some sort of proxy? I am not familiar with that sort of set-up.

I know there were services that can maintain a connection even when you have a dynamic IP. Would something like that work?

Also,
I have 2 NICs (1st from modem > Server then the 2nd one from Server > Workstations). I have the RRA set-up, but what would I have to do when I need to utilize the back-up internet source?

I welcome and appreciate and help with this issue.

-Tim

tazinlwfl

Update/Edit:
I've thought about it a bit more. I think I can explain better what I'm looking for.

I need a method of maintaining communication with my Server regardless of it's method of internet connection. If we need to move the server (i.e. to a hotel in case of an emergency), I need it to be able to receive email and be accessible to clients (when they want to check their email). I need to know how I can set up my domain registration to always know where my email server is no matter "where" my email server is (even if its in the same room, just using a backup form of internet connection). Currently we have a static IP (from AT&T) that I have assigned to our registrar for our mx.domain.com address. I need to make sure that I have something assigned to my registrar that will always communicate with my email server, and not just when it's using that static IP.

The RRA isn't as big of a problem anymore. If we are going to use a backup form of internet connection (like dial up or wireless 3G) then I don't necessarily want users to be using that connection. So I am going to use whatever form of backup internet service I can get my hands on. All I need to know is how to guarantee communication between my server and the registrar so it will always receive email (and allow access to whoever will use OWA).

This is really important, so any ideas or comments are welcome.

Thanks!

-Tim

bilbus

Just get a second provider .. like perhaps a business cable connection. Buy a router/firewall with a multi wan capability.

Setup the router for policy based routing, dsl will be the main connection, and if theys down .. then it will use the backup.

As for getting email, you will need to instruct your users to use a second dns name when the primary fails.

If money is not an option (sounds like your funds are limited) this is an option.

This could be done with two T-1's from two providers, routed though two diff COs. This would cost 1000-2000 a month.

Guessing your budget is not enough to warrant a true 2 provider BGP solution. In a AS name/ BGP situation, the transition from backup, to primary is seamless.

bilbus

Another option, is to co-lo your server somewhere. You can still maintain your own server, it would just sit in a data center and you would pay a monthly fee for power, cooling, and bandwidth. You would then setup a ipsec vpn between your office and the datacenter.

If you used ESXI you could put a few servers there for 1U worth of rack space (well 2x 1U, you should have a on site backup server where you can backup data to HDs or tape.)

ESX has changed the data center world in regards to density.

In this situation, you would have 2 internet connections in the office ... say two routers (or a multiwan router) When source 1 goes down, you would switch it to source 2.

After the switch you will have internet connectivity again, and would be able to access the web, and the VPN to the datacenter.

tazinlwfl

Well, the second provider wouldn't help as much if we had to relocate for a while. That's why I was thinking about something mobile. Our server is barely a server, its essentially just a HP Workstation with SBS 03 installed. All we would really need to do is move the tower to another location if the place gets flooded/damaged. Having a backup ISP like Cable would be as restrictive as the DSL if we can't stay here.

Yea, that's the basic idea. How would that work with something like a ISP that uses a USB antenna? (for example)

I was thinking about something like DNSMadeEasy's service for Mail Backup, which offers 3 MX records that will queue any messages that are received while my server offline, then deliver them as soon as it gets back online. But then theres the point of getting online again and their servers finding mine. If I'm using a different ISP, how do they find me?
Our e-mail is a service of our SBS (Exchange 03) so we need to be able to access the server to get our email.

Nope. We're looking for something cheap if we could do it. I convinced them to go from a P2P network to a server/workstation set up. We have one server that acts as our office DC, Mail Server, File Server, etc. It was economical to do with the expectations of expansion (which we are still doing). We've already added a few people and adding them to our system was easy (thanks to the server). This issue needs to be solved as inexpensive as possible.

tazinlwfl

This was one of the first things we were thinking of from the beginning. We would only have to worry about our internet connection from our end, and they'd manage it from theirs. But I think we're going to keep it the way we have it for now. I am thinking about reinstalling the server from scratch - things have been added and removed that may have hampered it's processing ability, but that is a thought that only comes up occaisionally. The idea of moving or changing anything major at this time isn't really an option.

bilbus

Well, backup mx is fine for queing mail, i use that.

If you want something portable, i dunno .. you are not gonna find a static ip.

Really the only option is putting the box at a co-lo

unless you just want a redundent connection, thats easy.

Are you worried about your building going away? Thats not realistic .. a loss of power happpns ... but if it did you could just take it home, and redirect the dns.

As for a 3g card, its not static, slow upload and limit you to 5gb generaly

tazinlwfl

I might get that in general.

Could you explain?

I'm concerned that a hurricane would cause massive water damage. Sometimes there are tornadoes too, so the amount of damage to the building that would require us to relocate temporarily is quite realistic. Happened to a previous job once. I was thinking if we needed to relocate, then it would be to someone's house or a hotel that has internet connection. And what do you mean redirect the DNS?

Right. The size limitation is fine because it would only be for email (I wouldn't set-up routing for internet access to the workstations). We were considering Dial-Up, too... sort of... Then theres something like no-ip where a software installed on our system would maintain communication with their server. Something like that would allow us to quickly update our IP even if it was dynamic, like from Wireless 3G (which is only 1 idea). I'm not sure the details, but I think we would be able to use whatever they (no-ip) offer as our primary MX record...

bilbus

a redundant connection, as in just a backup if the intenet goes down ... not if your building is out of power, or gone.

Many non business dsl/cable connections block port 80/25 so even if you move there, you will not be able to host exchange.

You would keep your primary mx record (mx1.domain.com A record, pointing to your public ip)

secondary would be mx2.domain.com it would be a cname (Alias) and it would point to name.no-ip.org. You do not want to put a no-ip.com in your mx record directly

tazinlwfl

well then. I guess that answers the question then... We'll see if that works. I thank you for your advice and patience bilbus.
:-)

bilbus

sure good luck