Microsoft has made available earlier this month a set of simulation tools designed to deliver evaluations on scenarios involving stress, performance and the impact of MAPI clients on Exchange servers. Exchange Server Stress and Performance Tool and Exchange Load Generator are the two simulation tools with support for both 32-bit and 64-bit platforms.

According to Microsoft, the Exchange Server Stress and Performance tool has been updated for compatibility with Exchange 2007, and features an additional test module for Outlook Web Access. The new stress and performance tool no longer supports the OLEDB and Outlook Mobile Access protocols.

"Exchange Server Stress and Performance Tool simulates large numbers of client sessions running on Exchange Server 2007. Use Microsoft Exchange Server Stress and Performance (ESP), a highly scalable stress and performance tool for Exchange, to simulate large numbers of client sessions by concurrently accessing one or more protocol servers. ESP includes multiple modules that you can use to simulate a wide variety of protocols and loads. You can run modules concurrently from multiple hosts, thereby more realistically simulating physically separate client machines," revealed Microsoft informing that there is no limit of machines on a network that can host ESP modules.

Exchange Load Generator is designed to measure the impact of MAPI clients on Exchange servers. The tool will enable users to test the response of Exchange servers to email loads.

"To simulate the delivery of these messaging requests, you run LoadGen tests on client computers. These tests send multiple messaging requests to the Exchange server, thereby causing a mail load. LoadGen is a useful tool for administrators who are sizing servers and validating a deployment plan. Specifically, LoadGen helps you determine if each of your servers can handle the load to which they are intended to carry. Another use for LoadGen is to help validate the overall solution," explained Microsoft.

Exchange Server Stress and Performance Tool 08.01.0038 was tested by Softpedia as being 100% Clean, and is available for download here.

Exchange Load Generator 08.01.0038 was tested by Softpedia as being 100% Clean, and is available for download here.