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Upgrading exchange 5.5 to exchange 2003

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Upgrading exchange 5.5 to exchange 2003 - 14.Jul.2004 8:59:00 PM

Shohab

Posts: 53
Joined: 14.Jul.2004
From: USA
Status: offline

Hi

I have done alot of research and I have few questions which I want to
clear up before I run the upgrade on production servers. Right now,
we have two NT 4.0 domains i.e. abc.com (abc) and test.com (test). We
have one exchange 5.5 server in abc.com domain running on windows 2000
server with latest service packs (users email address as
user@abc.com). First, I am planning to upgrade our windows enviroment
from NT 4.0 to 2003 Active directory. The way I have planned is that
we are going to have one root domain as new.local which will be the
first domain controller in the forest and it will be a empty DC. Then
I will upgrade abc.com as child domain of new.local, named as
corp.new.local. Then I will upgrade second domain test.com as second
child domain named as prod.new.local. First question is that after I
am done upgrading all domains controllers in child domain
corp.new.local, exchange 5.5 will keep on working and co-exist with AD
2003 with no problem or I need to run ADC to do that. As I want to
upgrade domain enviroment to 2003 for both domains on one weekend and
then upgrade exchange on next weekend. So during the week after
the windows upgrade, what kind of problems I can run into. When I am
ready to do exchange upgrade and will bring up new exchange 2003
server on network and join same orgination and move mailboxes to new
server, whats going to happen to already existant users email address
and when I will add new users, will it create user email as
user@corp.new.local? I want it to be user@abc.com (same old email
addresses for all users). Shall I go into user smtp properties and
configure address as user@abc.com manually? Please do reply with your
views. I really appreciate your help.

Thanks

Shohab Baig

Post #: 1

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RE: Upgrading exchange 5.5 to exchange 2003 - 14.Jul.2004 9:11:00 PM

rytmehans

Posts: 803
Joined: 10.Jul.2004
From: Denmark
Status: offline

Hi,

There should be no problems upgrading the existing NT4 domains to windows server 2003 AD and still have the exchange 5.5 server running on a windows 2000 server.

You need to install the ADC at some time as it is this program that integrates exchange 5.5 directory with windows AD, but you can wait and have this done automatically by the exchange 2003 setup wizard.

In exchange 2003 there is a recipient update service that stamps users with email addresses. This service gets the addresses from a recipient policy which you configure to have the correct addresses. (because you are migrating from 5.5 the correct policy should be imported automatically.

(in reply to Shohab)

Post #: 2

RE: Upgrading exchange 5.5 to exchange 2003 - 14.Jul.2004 9:44:00 PM

Shohab

Posts: 53
Joined: 14.Jul.2004
From: USA
Status: offline

Thank you sir for quick reply. Let me re-confirm this, it means that for first part of my project ( upgrading domain enviroment) does not effect exchange 5.5 functionality. Just domain controllers and exchange will work as it was working before.
During secind part of my project, then I will run forest prep,domainprep,adc and all other tools followed by first 2003 exchange server installation.
Just to give me a rough idea (if possible), to move mailboxes of around 50 GIG what time am I looking at as I will be moving mail boxes from 5.5 t0 2003 on weekends or evenings.

Again, I really appreciate your help.

Shohab

(in reply to Shohab)

Post #: 3

RE: Upgrading exchange 5.5 to exchange 2003 - 14.Jul.2004 11:12:00 PM

rytmehans

Posts: 803
Joined: 10.Jul.2004
From: Denmark
Status: offline

Hi,

There should be absolutely no exchange problems in the first part of the migration.

I can't give you an estimate of the time involved in moving mailboxes but you are looking at a lot of hours. Luckily you can schedule the migration of a number of mailboxes to happen from say 7 PM and if it hasn't finished by 6 Am it should stop.
There is no need for you to keep an eye on the actual mailbox move (should a mailbox fail to move the original will be left untouched.

Just to play it safe - is it possible for you to mimic some of your production environment in a test environment so that you can test the actual migration process once before doing it live?

(in reply to Shohab)

Post #: 4

RE: Upgrading exchange 5.5 to exchange 2003 - 14.Jul.2004 11:30:00 PM