Q. What tools are available to stress test and benchmark my new Exchange 2007 deployment?

A. Microsoft provides a great suite of tools for benchmarking and testing Exchange 2007. These tools should be used in addition to the Exchange Best Practices Analyzer (ExBPA), which is available as a download and is part of the Exchange 2007 Toolbox. ExBPA should always be run after deploying Exchange to ensure best practices have been adhered to.

For initial testing of the disk subsystem, ensure it's stable and can meet the performance requirements by using the Exchange Server Jetstress tool, available for download in both 32-bit and 64-bit versions. This should be done before you use the server in production.

After using Jetstress, use the Exchange Load Generator, also available for download in 32-bit and 64-bit versions, to perform stress testing using a variety of simulated loads such as MAPI, OWA, IMAP, POP, and SMTP. Again, this should be run prior to production usage.

You can also use the Exchange Server Stress and Performance tool to simulate large numbers of client sessions. This tool is also available for download in 32-bit and 64-bit versions.

Finally, once your Exchange 2007 server is running, you can run the Exchange Server Profile Analyzer, which collects statistical information from a single mailbox store or across an entire Exchange organization. This information can help you analyze Exchange's performance and general health. This tool is, of course, available for download in both 32-bit and 64-bit versions.

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