ExBPA - Exchange Best Practice Analyzer

ExBPA - Exchange Best Practice Analyzer 2.8

Microsoft's ExBPA gets better and better.  Furthermore, this Exchange Best Practice Analyzer is free.

The purpose of the ExBPA Tool is to scrutinize your Exchange 2007 server with the thoroughness of a top consultant.  Moreover, the ExBPA's reports are unbiased and easy to read.  What you get are details of how your configuration compares with Microsoft's recommended best practices. 

Topics for the Microsoft Exchange Best Practice Analyzer

• Download and Install the ExBPA
• Getting Started with ExBPA
• How ExBPA works
• Additional Exchange 2007 Troubleshooting Tools
• Summary of ExBPA

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Download and Install the ExBPA

Exchange 2007 has a built-in version of ExBPA which uses .Net 2.0.  However, it's better to run ExBPA from a workstation such as XP or Vista.  For this purpose you can download a free copy of ExBPA from Microsoft's site and install it on a workstation.  Watch out!  The downloadable ExBPA.msi requires .Net Framework 1.1.  It is likely that the next version of ExBPA will work with .Net 2.0.

As of August 2008, the latest version is ExBPA 2.8.  This is the first version that you can install on Vista.  However, in addition to installing .Net 1.1, you need to turn on Vista's IIS features:

1. Click the Start orb, type 'Programs and Features' in the Search box, and select 'Programs and Features'.
2. Under Tasks, click 'Turn Windows features on or off'.
3. Expand Internet Information Services, and then expand World Wide Web Services.
4. Click to select the Common Http Features check box, and then click OK.

Getting Started with ExBPA

Installing could not be easier, just double click on the ExBPA.msi file.

Once the install completes, and ExBPA launches, connect to the Active Directory responsible for your Exchange Organization.  Naturally, ExBPA uses the credentials of the account under which you logged on.

The next step is to start a new Best Practices scan, but before setting the scan to run, you need to select:

1. A name for the scan.
2. Specify the scope (of your Exchange Organization).
3. Select the type of scan, e.g. Health, Baseline, or Readiness.
4. Check the network speed.

Output

The ExBPA displays six categories of information.  Of most interest are the Best Practice and the Errors.  I also like to skim the output for any warnings and non-default settings.

Recommended Scans

The ExBPA makes a very good and comprehensive Health Check.  If you remember to run a baseline check early in your Exchange 2007 career, it will pay back handsomely later when you run future scans.

Talking of planning ahead, it's always worth running the Exchange Server 2007 Readiness Check (see opposite).

Vital readiness checks that ExBPA performs:

• Verifying that the Schema Master is Windows 2003 SP1 (or later).
• Identifying any Active Directory domains which are not in native mode.
• Checking that the Exchange organization is in native mode.
• Identifying any Active Directory sites that do not have a Global Catalog server.

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How ExBPA works

The key to ExBPA is XML configuration files.  In these XML files are WMI instructions for the very tests to be run on your Exchange server.  At the heart of the Best Practice Analysis is a list of rules which establish whether results pass or fails Microsoft's tests.  ExBPA even checks automatically to see if there are any XML updates on the Microsoft web site.  The ExBPA engine has a most descriptive name - the dispatcher.  What the dispatcher does is send WMI collectors to gather the information.  The ExBPA engine then analyzes the data against the configuration files, and generates the results on screen.

One feature to lookout for is the ExBPA scheduler.  This means that you can plan baseline scans to run at a time to suit you.  Naturally, you would direct the output report to a file, since nobody is likely to be looking at the screen if the tests are run in the middle of the night.

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Problems with ExBPA and .Net

If EXBPA says that it needs .Net Framework 1.1, then you could install this version in addition to .Net 2.0 (or 3.0)

Error Message: 'Common Language Runtime Debugging Services'.  Work-around, uninstall ExBPA and .Net 1.1.  Then reinstall! .Net 1.1 first, ExBPA.

To Uninstall the Exchange Best Practice Analyzer

Control Panel --> Add or Remove Programs.

Additional Exchange 2007 Troubleshooting Tools

Microsoft make plenty of money from Exchange, and these tools are their way of giving something back for free.  The Exchange Management Console has a rich selection of built-in tools, for example, the Microsoft Exchange Troubleshooting Assistant (ExTRA).  There is also the Exchange Performance Troubleshooter, which not only suggests the most likely cause any bottleneck, but also creates a check-list to cure the performance problem.  Lastly, there are two more assistants, the Exchange Database Recovery Management, and the Exchange Database Troubleshooter.

Exchange Server 2007 is a complex topic, do you need practical hands on training?  As an MCT trainer, I can thoroughly recommend TrainSignal.  In particular, I like the way that TrainSignal cover all learning methods, instructor lead, video and of course text material.  You can either take one module, for example Exchange 2007 or go for a combination of modules.  Learn more about Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 here

Summary - ExBPA (Exchange Best Practice Analyzer)

Best by name, best by nature, the ExBPA is a wonderful free Microsoft utility.  One particularly good option is to run the Exchange 2007 Readiness test.  The ExBPA is a real 'techie' tool, which not only makes your server more healthy and secure, but also makes it fun learning about how Exchange 2007 works.

See more Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 topics:

• Exchange 2007 Home   • SP1   • Migration   • Compatibility   • ExBPA   • Free Syslog Analyser

• Install   • Server Roles   • CAS Role   • Hub Transport  • SMTP Connector   • NDRs  • Exchange CCR

• Mailbox Role   • Create Mailbox   • Mailbox Stores   • Recipients   • OWA   • GAL   • Eseutil   • Edge

Please write in if you see errors of any kind.  Please report any factual mistakes, grammatical errors or broken links, I will be happy to not only to correct the fault, but also to give you credit.

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