Exchange 2010 Servicing

Article
06/29/2011

[This topic is in progress.]

Exchange Server 2010 is serviced very similar to Exchange Server 2007 servicing. This servicing method offers several advantages over the previous servicing method. This article provides guidance about how to deploy fixes for Exchange 2010. These topics outline the servicing strategy for Exchange 2010, list the updates that are available for Exchange 2010, and provide information about how to apply the appropriate updates.

Engineering Improvements

Several improvements have been made in the servicing area, including:

Developing an integrated automated test product that is built together with the shipping product. Therefore, we can perform better integrated, end-to-end system testing than was previously possible.
We no longer use the Update.exe installation program. Instead, we use Windows Installer technology.
Each update rollup package is cumulative. For example, if you apply Update Rollup 4 on a computer that is running Exchange 2010, you receive all the fixes in that particular update package together with all the fixes that were released in all earlier update rollup packages. In this example, you receive all the updates that were released in the Update Rollup 1 through Update Rollup 4 packages.

Note

This approach to updating does not replace service packs for the product. We still deliver additional product fixes and features in separately available service packs for Exchange 2010.

Deployment Order

Exchange update rollups work across multiple server roles. The order in which you apply the update rollup to the servers is not important, unless you are deploying Client Access Server to Client Access Server proxying. Because the update rollups are not segmented for different Exchange server roles or for specific file configurations, apply each update rollup package to all Exchange 2010 servers in your environment.

If you have multiple Active Directory sites and have deployed a Client Access server in the proxy sites that are not internet-facing, apply the update rollup to the internet-facing Client Access servers, before you apply the update rollup to the non-internet-facing Client Access servers. For other Exchange configurations, we recommend that you apply the update rollup package to the Client Access servers before you apply it to servers that are running other Exchange server roles, such as the Mailbox server role, the Hub Transport server role, and the Edge Transport server role. For more information about CAS-CAS proxying, see Understanding Proxying and Redirection.

Outlook Web App Customization

The update process modifies Outlook Web App directory names. Additionally, the update process overwrites any .aspx files, such as the Logon.aspx file. Therefore, you may have to re-create Outlook Web App customizations, such as company logos and custom forms.

Release Schedule and Distribution Methods

Microsoft releases update rollup packages approximately every six to eight weeks. The rollup packages are available on the Microsoft Update and Microsoft Download Center Web sites.

Interim Updates

The critical fix process for Exchange resembles the critical fix process for earlier versions of Exchange.

After working with a Customer Support Specialist or with Escalation Services personnel to troubleshoot an issue, Microsoft Support personnel may escalate a request to the Exchange Customer Experience team. The Customer Experience team may fix the particular problem and give you an interim update to resolve the issue. The update is intended to support your Exchange installation until the next scheduled update rollup package is released. The interim updates benefit from much of the same testing that the cumulative updates experience. However, interim update testing is not as comprehensive as update rollup testing.

We deliver the interim update to you under your existing service level agreement. However, you must agree to remove the interim update and install the official update rollup package that resolves your problem when it becomes available. This process ensures that your Exchange 2010 configuration returns to a known, quantifiable state.

Interim updates for Exchange 2010 are update rollup-specific. For example, an interim update that is created to fix a problem on a server that is running the release version of Exchange 2010 does not function correctly on an Exchange 2010 server that has Update Rollup 2 installed. If you receive an error message when you install an interim update, check for one of the following issues:

You have another interim update installed
You are installing an interim update that was targeted for a different update rollup baseline

Interim Update and Update Rollup Interaction

If you have an interim update installed on an Exchange 2010 server, you must remove the update before you install the next update rollup package. If the interim update is not removed, you may receive an error message when you try to install the next update rollup package.