Exchange 2000... Before I test, any helpful hints?

[LuMBoY]

Current Domain Setup:

• Win2K domain, 2 way trust with NT4 PDC, all clients Win2K SP3
• All Win2K servers are SP3 - DC1 (GC)/ DC2/ Exchange 2000 Member Server (Not in production yet)

Hardware:
• 3 Dell PowerEdge 2650 - Each server has 2 NICS, 1GB RAM, and RAID 5.
• One Exchange 2000 TEST server. SP3 2 NICS, Dual P3, 1GB RAM, Dynamic disk.

Status:
• All Errors/Warnings on each server have been troubleshot and/or fixed.
• Have run forestprep and domainprep, and installed Typical install of Exchange 2000
• All Exchange 2000 services have started successfully.
• Have an Exchange 5.5 Server in NT4 Domain. Don’t want to migrate what so ever.
• DC2 and test server’s DNS (ALL AD integrated zones) are pointing to DC1, and DC1 is using DNS forwarders to ISP.

Questions that I have:

1. Should I switch to native mode for Exchange 2000 now or later?
2. I want to test E2k sending and receiving, internally and externally, what are the steps required to do this. Any step-by-step reads that you recommend?
3. Will I have to reconfigure my current DNS settings as far as using forwarders?
4. In DNS what does the typical DNS forward lookup zone for an exchange 2000 server with 2 NICS for internal and external routing look like? SOA, A, CNAME, MX, www, ISP hostname.
5. Any typical errors or mistakes made by persons new to Exchange 2000 in a mixed mode domain to watch out for?

Any assistance is greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.
I tried to be as thorough as possible.

 

[ritut]

first put it in Native mode
configure your smtp connector & pop3 connector properly
and try to send and receive mails internaly then externaly
you have not cleared where your DNS server is running
if it is on 2000 then it is ok
but if it is on NT 4.0 still it will work but better you put on 2000. with dynamic update. and define forwarders here
check you mx records to your ISP