XCON: How To Install and Configure the Dynamic RAS Connector

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The advantages and disadvantages of using the Dynamic RAS Connector are as follows:

Advantages:

• You can control when connections are made.
  
  
• It works over asynchronous, non-permanent connections.
  
  
• It supports asynchronous and ISDN connections.

Disadvantages:

• Data transfer is dependent on the speed of the modem.
  
  
• Bottlenecks may occur because all message traffic must go through one bridgehead server on each site unless you configure multiple bridgehead servers in the site.

Before you set up a Dynamic RAS Connector:

1. Windows NT RAS software must be installed and working properly on both Microsoft Exchange Server computers.
2. You must know the name of the Microsoft Exchange Server in the remote Site.
3. Each Microsoft Exchange Server computer must have a RAS phone book entry for the remote server.

To setup a Dynamic RAS Connector:

1. In the Microsoft Exchange Administrator program, create a RAS Message Transfer Agent (MTA) Transport stack by clicking File, New Other, and MTA Transport Stack. The default name for the transport stack is "RAS (servername)".
2. Also in the Microsoft Exchange Administrator program, from the File menu, choose New Other, and select Dynamic RAS Connector. This will bring up the RAS Connector Properties page.

The following are the minimum configuration tasks required to put a Dynamic RAS Connector in service. Additional configuration may be required in order to get a RAS Connector working properly:

1. In the Microsoft Exchange Administrator program, open the RAS Connector Properties page and on the General tab, specify the remote server name and the correct RAS Phone Book entry.
2. Also in the Microsoft Exchange Administrator program, specify an address on the Address tab of the RAS Connector Properties page or specify a site using the Connected Sites tab.

For more detailed configuration procedures, see the Microsoft Exchange Server Administrator's Guide. For additional information, please see the Readme.wri file on the Microsoft Exchange Server CD. Microsoft Exchange Server Administrator's Guide, pp.172-178

Microsoft Exchange Server Concepts and Planning Guide, p.103