Can OWA 2000 access Exchange 5.5 private mailboxes?

[davedave1234]

We have a Exchange 5.5 server and no CD but we do have Exchange 2000 that was purchased before I got here when they were thinking of upgrading the server to 2000 without understanding that the domain needed to have active directory installed which is a issue because the hardware we have wont handle 2000 server (P1 166-233) to well. So what I wan to do is install 2000 server on a desktop with some more power and then Exchange 2000 on it and then create a new domain and configure OWA 2000 to access the Exchange 5.5 mailboxes. Is this possible? do I have to get new hardware and upgrade the current PDC to 2000 with AD? if I do that would it be better to upgrade the Exchange 5.5 server from NT4.0 BDC to 2000 then Exchange to 2000?
Thanks,

 

[Trackhappy]

Hi Dave,
You need to get AD installed and proven before you think of Exchange 2000. Concentrate on that first. (DNS muat be 100% before AD as well). Get those on your new server. Then look at the Exchange 2000 server.
AD/DNS will need a bit of "grunt" and depending on the load may be too much along with Exchange 2000. I'd be trying to beg/borrow/steal another machine for Exchange 2000 and then migrate the users onto it.
OWA only "presents" user data from the server it is installed on. If you insall 2000 and access OWA on it, it will "refer" you off to the users home server and it's OWA (5.5) will display, which is not what you are trying to achieve.

 

[davedave1234]

Thanks for your help. I will try to get the big wigs to buy some new equipment.