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Upgrade Exchange 2003 or Windows 2003 AD first? - 1.Apr.2004 5:46:00 PM

KevKelly

Posts: 10
Joined: 16.May2001
From: New Orleans, LA, USA
Status: offline

I am starting the project plan to upgrade our Domain to Windows Server 2003 and our Exchange environment to Exchange 20003. I was wondering wether I should upgrade AD first or the Exchange Servers first. I have read numerous articles on both, but none discuss upgrading both, and the best path to take. I know you can upgrade either one first, but has anyone run into any issues that may help in making the decision on which part to upgrade first?

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RE: Upgrade Exchange 2003 or Windows 2003 AD first? - 13.Apr.2004 4:51:00 PM

atguilmette

Posts: 401
Joined: 4.Mar.2003
From: Southfield, MI
Status: offline

If you're going to upgrade both, upgrade AD first. The Exchange 2003 feature set works best (such as query-based distribution groups) when installed into a Windows 2003 environment.

One other tidbit is that Exchange 2000 won't run on Windows 2003. If you're going to upgrade your Exchange servers, you'll need to upgrade them to Exchange 2003 before upgrading the OS.

So, the order of operations in my book would be:

1. Upgrade domain controllers (at least the one holding the PDCE role) to Windows 2003. ADPrep.exe needs to be run first, which will modify the schema.

2. Upgrade to Exchange 2003 on your Exchange servers.

3. Upgrade to Windows 2003 on your Exchange servers.

[ April 13, 2004, 04:54 PM: Message edited by: atguilmette ]

(in reply to KevKelly)

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RE: Upgrade Exchange 2003 or Windows 2003 AD first? - 15.Apr.2004 7:47:00 AM

BeTaCam

Posts: 420
Joined: 24.Feb.2003
From: India
Status: offline

Confusion .......................

Lets look at it in simple steps

Extend AD Schema of Windows 2000 AD

1. Seize the FSMO Role of schema master to a windows 2000 GC
2. Assign permissions on the Schema manager for the administrator
3. ADPREP/FORESTPRESP
4. ADPREP/DOMAINPREP
5. UPGRADE THE FSMO MASTERS TO WINDOWS 2003 OS.

--------------------------------

If you want to introduce the Exchange 2003 server into the exisitng Exchange 2000 Org.

You need to upgrade th FRONT END SERVER ON EXCHANGE 2000.

The sequence of Upgrade is always FE-BRG.HD-BE..
---------------------------------
Step 2

Retain the OS on Windows 2000 for all Exchange Servers and upgrade E2k to E2k3. Easier quicker and less downtime.

When you install EXCH 2K3, we have to run Setup/Forestprep and Setup/Domainprep.

HTH

(in reply to KevKelly)

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