Primary Cloud Extender in multi-Cloud Extender environments

The Exchange ActiveSync module now allows multiple Cloud Extender® environments in which multiple primary Cloud Extenders are supported by both On-Premises Exchange servers (Exchange versions 2010, 2013, 2016) and Office 365 servers in an Exchange environment.

Configuring multiple Cloud Extenders

You can now have a primary Cloud Extender for each Exchange cluster. For example, you can now have a primary Cloud Extender for the On-Premises Exchange cluster and a primary Cloud Extender for the cloud-based Office 365 cluster. The administrator no longer needs to designate a primary Cloud Extender.

The Cloud Extenders collaborate with each other through a shared data area to determine which Cloud Extender is the primary Cloud Extender. The Cloud Extenders heartbeat into the shared data area to communicate the following:
  • All active Cloud Extenders are aware of other Cloud Extenders that are active.
  • The first Cloud Extender to register with the shared data area assumes the primary Cloud Extender role.
  • If the primary Cloud Extender becomes inactive, one of the other Cloud Extenders assumes the primary Cloud Extender role.