Best method to go from 5.5 to 2003 ?

[mitzysman]

Hi All,

I purchased a new server to put exch 2003 on.

Is it best to start over and migrate the mailbox in some way or is it better to attach to the current 5.5 site and move the mailboxes from 5.5 to 2003 ?

I'm not 100% comfortable with how the site is currently setup ... there are some names that are funny, etc

Looking for the best practice. Time is not an issue. We only have 300 mailboxes.

 

[penguin69]

Hi,

You baically have two options here. Both are Microsoft approved. You can install Exchange 2003 and join to your existing 5.5 organization and then pull mailboxes over to your new server.

This option is very slick as you don't have to go around to the workstations and change the server name around. They will pull it automagically. The downside to this is your case. If you have a dirty configuration, you are transferring all of that crap right into your brand new clean server.

Your second option would be to run exmerge. This is a utility you can run at the server that will export all of your mailboxes out to .PST files. Then setup your new server, re-run exmerge, and import your .PST files into your Exch 2003 box.

There are several things to keep in mind when performing this kind of move. You WILL have to go to every workstation and rebuild the Outlook profile. In my mind, you are better to delete the profile and re-create it. (remember, if you chose this way it was to clean out the old configuration, not keep it!) It took myself and another guy and ENTIRE weekend to perform this move on 300 people. It is a MASSIVE procedure this way, but it is all clean and new.

Up to you either way. Hope this helps as well!

 

[Marcs41]

http://www.microsoft.com/exchange/evaluation/tour/Upgrade_1.asp

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/exchange/2003/library/default.mspx

Marc [santa2]
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[mitzysman]

thank you all !!

 

[dayron]

I used Exmereg/PST route. Keep in mind public folders do not get extracted. If you need public folder info you'll want to log on with an account with full public folder access and extract those to PSTs before killing off Exchange 5.5

I tried method #1 and it went horribly wrong. I was on the phone with MS after awhile and would up having to rebbuild Exchange 5.5 THEN going to the Exmerge option. THe MS tech said he had seen things get crazy with the migration method and his personal recommendation was the Exmerge option if possible depending on the size of your company. Yeah, 300 PST's is a lot of work. I only have 30 users so once I got Exchange 5.5 healthy again Exmerge and PST imports only took a few hours. The entire ordeal lasted 16 hours...non stop. What a way to spend a Friday night.

So my advice is... if you are a smaller company or have extra hands to help... Exmereg! Just don't forget your public folder data!



"Your second option would be to run exmerge. This is a utility you can run at the server that will export all of your mailboxes out to .PST files. Then setup your new server, re-run exmerge, and import your .PST files into your Exch 2003 box."