Moving Exchange 5.5 to new hardware

[logo29a]

My company has recently decided to move several of our existing network services to a new quad p4 machine. The main service in question is Exchange 5.5. I have found many resources for migrating an existing installing of Exchange 2000 to new hardware but nothing for 5.5. How should I approach this? What planning should be done? Can anyone point me to microsoft or any other resources?

This is the microsoft resource for moving Exchange to new hardware: http://support.microsoft.com/?id=297289 How different would 5.5 be?

 

[valve1138]

You can install Exchange on the new server and join it to the existing server. Then just move the mailboxes and other information stores over. Then when you are done, remove Exchange from the old server.

 

[logo29a]

Sounds good. Then just remove/rename the old machine and rejoin the domain on the new server?

 

[valve1138]

Originally posted by logo29a
Sounds good. Then just remove/rename the old machine and rejoin the domain on the new server?

Shouldn't be any rejoining the domain, as you do that when you setup the new server.

I wish I could provide more detail but I haven't done this in ages. You should really pick up a good Exchange 5.5 book, everything will be in there.

 

[NetJunkie]

You can move the mailboxes and Outlook will find them, assuming the old box is up. But if you want to actually swap the hardware you can.

Build the new box.
Copy the Exchange databases to it.
Down the old server.
Rename the new server to the old name.
Install Exchange in disaster recovery mode (Use the same Service Account)
Patch/Service Pack It
Move the DBs back over
Might need to run isinteg -patch
Start Exchange.
Done.

I've done this a number of times.