Any Exchange / 2003 Server Experts in here? :)

B

BS911

Limp Gawd
Joined
Mar 22, 2000
Messages
270
Here is my scenario:

I will be installing a new Exchange 2003 Server in a environment that already has an Exchnage 5.5 server. The current 5.5 server will be made the primary domain controller and will house the data shares, login scripts, etc.

I know how to setup the exchange server atleast to the point of getting it working but what I'm confused about it after I get the new server up and running how to make it a backup domain controller? I was thinking I could use DCPromo but the problem is after Exchange is setup and you run this option it says it will remove active directory? I assume this would make the Exchange portion non operational correct?

Both servers will be Windows 20003 Standard Edition. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

If you need any more insight into the setup please ask and I'll fill you in the best I can!

Thanks!
 
Another thought...

It seems to me the correct way to do this would be to have the primary controller up and running before i setup the exchange server but that isn't possible because to setup the Exchange server I need access to the old server to grab the mailboxes and such. Suggestions?

Just thought I'd throw that in! :)
 
Exchange 2K3 requires Active Directory. In Active Directory there is no Backup/Primary Domain Controller. There are only Domain Controllers.
 
ok, so just setup this exchnage server as a domain controller and then setup the other server as a domain controller on the same domain then?

If this is the case how will the client machine know which computer to authenticate with and grab login scripts from?
 
Login scripts aren't stored on a specific server in Active Directory. The scripts are stored in AD itself. So a client can go to any AD Domain Controller and get their scripts.
 
That makes since. So when i place a script in the Sysvol directory that replicates to all other domain controllers.

When a user authenticates how can I make sure that they authenticate with Server #1 and not the Exchange server?
 
You demote the Exchange server from being a Domain Controller to a Member Server.
 
exchange doesn't require AD be installed on the same server as itself. Are you going to migrate from 5.5 to 2003? sounds like your going to run 2 exchange organizations for some reason. I think you should pickup some good reading material on AD.
 
Doesn't Exchange server 2000 and above require AD in native mode? Seems I recall that having to happen, so the PDC/BDC goes bye-bye. I'd highly recommend upgrading the 5.5 server before putting in Ex2003. If I remember right, you'll have to run the 5.5 server with ADC to get it to play right.

Are you running NT 4.0 server boxes still? You defintitely want to read up on this before going into it. It took me a couple months to move an Exchange 5.5 server to 2000, and it was the only one in the domain. Basically you don't want to screw up or you can kiss all that mail/etc goodbye.
 
How about you give us smoe more information?

Im an MCSE 2003 with a Messaging Specialization - so I can help, i just need to know some simple specifics

how many servers?
how many workstations (pc's)
how many users?


after that i can tell you the best route to take.

if you need interactive support from there, we can talk about it.
 
Exchange 2000 and above require AD to be running. M$ says best practice is to not have Exchange and AD running on the same server.

Furthermore, as I understand it (althought things may have changed) you cannot migrate from 5.5 to 2003. Exchange 2000 was supposed to be the step in between the two. There were too many things that M$ wanted to do with Exchange but couldn't do at the time so they released E2000 as a step in between 5.5 and 2003.

Anyway, what you will need to do is to upgrade your NT domains to AD capable domains and take it from there. I assume the Messaging MCSE here knows a bit more than I do but I did the NT > 2k AD migration then the 5.5 > 2000 migration in a relatively small environment. No problems what so ever. :)
 
Wolf-R1 said:
Furthermore, as I understand it (althought things may have changed) you cannot migrate from 5.5 to 2003.
Click to expand...

This must have changed at one point then, cuz I recently assisted someone in doing this.
 
Nybbles said:
This must have changed at one point then, cuz I recently assisted someone in doing this.
Click to expand...

That's good to know. Originally it was a big NO on M$'s part when asked if that could be done. Thanks for confirming that. :D
 
Exchange 5.5 to 2003 is possible but not reccomended by microsoft. It is suppose to get pretty messy.
 
Wolf-R1 said:
That's good to know. Originally it was a big NO on M$'s part when asked if that could be done. Thanks for confirming that. :D
Click to expand...

I went back and did some looking...... I dont know what I was thinking originally....

The word from Microsoft:
"You cannot perform an in-place upgrade in a Microsoft Windows NT® 4.0 environment. Instead, move your Exchange Server 5.5 mailboxes to a new server running Exchange Server 2003."

So that was my mistake guys. When we did the job here, we did the above solution. However, I will say, if you are getting rid of Exchange 5.5 on NT4, you REALLY should consider some new hardware anyway. ;)

EDIT: http://www.microsoft.com/exchange/evaluation/tour/Upgrade_4.asp
 
An Excahnge 5.5 to 2003 migration _IS_ possible and fully supported by Microsoft

In a very broad overview...
Step one: address the NT Domain to Active Directory migration... if required
Step two: address the Exchange 5.5 database migration to Active Directory

There are several ways to approach it...
Microsoft's Technet has how-to and migration docs...
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/exchange/2003/upgrade.mspx

If you don't want to deal with it... the advanced use of the exmerge utility could help.
 
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