Exchange 2013 Client Access Server Role

In a previous article, I discussed the new server role architecture in Exchange 2013. This article continues the series by discussing the Client Access server role.

While this Exchange server role shares the same name as a server role that existed in the last two Exchange Server releases, it is markedly different. In Exchange 2007, the Client Access server role provided authentication, proxy/redirection logic, and performed data rendering for the Internet protocol clients (Outlook Web App, EAS, EWS, IMAP and POP). In Exchange 2010, data rendering for MAPI was also moved to the Client Access server role.

In Exchange 2013, the Client Access server (CAS) role no longer performs any data rendering functionality. The Client Access server role now only provides authentication and proxy/redirection logic, supporting the client Internet protocols, transport, and Unified Messaging. As a result of this architectural shift, the CAS role is stateless (from a protocol session perspective, log data that can be used in troubleshooting or trending analysis is generated, naturally).

Session Affinity

As I alluded to in the sever role architecture blog post, Exchange 2013 no longer requires session affinity at the load balancer. To understand this better, we need to look at how CAS2013 functions. From a protocol perspective, the following will happen:

1. A client resolves the namespace to a load balanced virtual IP address.
2. The load balancer assigns the session to a CAS member in the load balanced pool.
3. CAS authenticates the request and performs a service discovery by accessing Active Directory to retrieve the following information:
   1. Mailbox version (for this discussion, we will assume an Exchange 2013 mailbox)
   2. Mailbox location information (e.g., database information, ExternalURL values, etc.)
4. CAS makes a decision on whether to proxy the request or redirect the request to another CAS infrastructure (within the same forest).
5. CAS queries an Active Manager instance that is responsible for the database to determine which Mailbox server is hosting the active copy.
6. CAS proxies the request to the Mailbox server hosting the active copy.

--> Please see the rest on the blog : http://blogs.technet.com/b/exchange/archive/2013/01/25/exchange-2013-client-access-server-role.aspx