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RE: Cant connect to new exchange when old exchange is disconnected

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RE: Cant connect to new exchange when old exchange is d... - 6.Jul.2008 8:30:02 AM

Exchange_Geek

Posts: 1026
Joined: 31.Dec.2006
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"I want to make sure that you realize that the New Server will NOT be a DC. This is partially the reason for retiring the old server, we want to get away from one server having Exchange and ActiveDirectory installed (which I've been told is best practice)." - sorry i probably might not have read in between the lines. That was the reason i was consistently looking forward for Exchange being sitting on a GC (keeping in mind the Exchange was on DC - ofcourse this wasnt the story).

Thanks for sharing the event i was looking for :)

"I do have a few with 2103 (thats the only one of the few mentioned)
Process MAD.EXE (process=4280) All Global Catalog Server in use are not responding. name.of.OldServer "

This basically means that there is only 1 GC in your environment - your old server. And when that shuts down - your environment is running without GC - again this is something Exchange wont work without.

So, my recommendation - promote any other server (i believe its your "third server" as a GC) - reboot it. And then lets get things sorted out.

Thanks for checking that your new Exchange server is pointing to your "third server" for DNS. That definitely saved one headache out of the picture.

So, please post reboot the new GC and ofcourse do post your response.

(in reply to xgumbyx)

Post #: 21

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RE: Cant connect to new exchange when old exchange is d... - 6.Jul.2008 8:51:54 AM

Sembee

Posts: 3585
Joined: 17.Jan.2008
From: Somewhere near London, UK
Status: offline

To put it simply. While you have Exchange installed on a domain controller the "shutdown" method of confirming if the new server works correctly will never work.
As I wrote above, when Exchange is on a domain controller the behaviour of Exchange with regards to domain controllers changes.
You need to go through the procedure to remove Exchange and remove it. You cannot shutdown that machine while Exchange is installed on it.
Moving GC, DNS etc roles will have zero effect on the behaviour of Exchange, because it will still be using that DC with Exchange on it exclusively.

It isn't clear - is the new machine that you have Exchange on it also a domain controller?

Simon.

_____________________________

Simon Butler,
Exchange MVP
Blog: http://www.sembee.co.uk/
Web: http://www.amset.info/
In the UK? Hire me: http://www.amset.co.uk/

(in reply to xgumbyx)

Post #: 22

RE: Cant connect to new exchange when old exchange is d... - 6.Jul.2008 10:34:44 AM

xgumbyx

Posts: 14
Joined: 1.Feb.2008
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The new machine is not a domain controller. I'm still confused as to why a fresh exchange install in a domain that has multiple domain controllers (one happens to also have exchange already on it "oldserver" which is the one we will eventually be removing) is dependant on an existing exchange server because it is also a domain controller. We have no issues removing that machine from the network and still having full use of the domain, its users, and its computers. I understand now that exchange needs the global catalog to function and this is the reason exchange stopped working properly when we removed the old server. Now that we have multiple domain controllers having a global catalog, why would the new exchange server still be dependant on the oldserver?

I'm trying to understand this all, and most of it is starting to make sense but this one thing still confuses me.

(in reply to Sembee)

Post #: 23

RE: Cant connect to new exchange when old exchange is d... - 6.Jul.2008 10:40:28 AM

xgumbyx

Posts: 14
Joined: 1.Feb.2008
Status: offline

Exchange_Geek,

The DCs have been promoted to also being GCs. I wont be able to fully reboot the server until wednesday which is also the day I'll be able to do more testing. I dont want to reboot the server remotely in case something happens and it doesnt start back up properly. Slim chance I know, but I really dont want to have to go into the office until Wednesday. I will report back then what I find and I hope you are still able to help and we can go from there.

Thanks again for all your guidance.

Gumby

(in reply to Exchange_Geek)

Post #: 24

RE: Cant connect to new exchange when old exchange is d... - 6.Jul.2008 11:02:16 AM

Sembee

Posts: 3585
Joined: 17.Jan.2008
From: Somewhere near London, UK
Status: offline

When Exchange is installed on a domain controller it will ONLY use that domain controller for its domain functionality. If you add an additional Exchange server to the domain then it will also only use the DC that has Exchange installed on it for domain controller functionality. When Exchange is on a DC its interaction with the domain changes.
It looks like it is based around Exchange using the first domain controller to respond which will always be the DC that has Exchange on it.

Furthermore I never recommend the "shut down" method to confirm things work, even when Exchange is on a member server. Due to the way Exchange is designed, the other server/s will still expect that server to be there. The only way to know that everything is working correctly is to remove Exchange correctly using add/remove programs.

Simon.

_____________________________

Simon Butler,
Exchange MVP
Blog: http://www.sembee.co.uk/
Web: http://www.amset.info/
In the UK? Hire me: http://www.amset.co.uk/

(in reply to xgumbyx)

Post #: 25