Exchange 2003 Migration

[JeffITman]

Here's the deal...

I currently have a location that I host my DC and Exchange server. I am opening another location about 20 miles away that will be purchasing 3 new servers for that location. I would like to leave my exchange server at old location and create another exchange server at the new location but use the same domain name to contact both servers (hope that makes sense).

Is this possible? If not, what would be the easiest way to have 2 exchange servers at 2 different locations all using the same domain name?

I appreciate all the help.

 

[xmsre]

Put a DC/GC and an Exchange server in the same Org at the second location. This assumes a VPN tunnel or private connection between the two sites.

 

[58sniper]

First, is another Exchange server warranted? How many users in this other location?

Pat Richard
Microsoft Exchange MVP

 

[JeffITman]

20 users in one and 15 in the other. I have just tried to set up RPC over HTTP and can not get it to work... Not sure why.. I've followed instructions from 3 different websites and have come up with no luck. I have 5 new servers now and only have need for 2 of them so I figure why not have an additional exchange server...

 

[Zelandakh]

RPC over HTTP is a much better plan than having another box.

5 MORE servers? 35 users?

Eek.

 

[xmsre]

For 15 user's are you sure you want to invest in that kind of infrastructure? Give RPC over HTTP a shot again. If you run into a problem, post it here.

 

[JeffITman]

I get really good deals on Hardware so the "investment" isn't costing me more than 700 per server and the software was purchased 3 years ago. We purchased 4 copies of SBS 2003 because I thought that I would need them all and I only needed one copy then. I still have this software and want to put it to good use.

Do I need to have a front and back end server for RPC? I currently only have 1 server being used for exchange.

 

[Zelandakh]

RPC over HTTP can be done with one server. SBS has a wizard for it (as it does for everything).

 

[JeffITman]

The only problem is that my exchange server was put on to a server 2003 enterprise.. So the box that's currently up isn't on SBS and that's why I was going to build another one.

Would it be easier to just build a new exchange box with SBS and then just migrate all the mailboxes to that server and then do the RPC?

Also, do I have to have a security certificate to use RPC?

 

[Zelandakh]

If it works on 2003E then leave as is.
RPC is basically just an extra "service" and is no real big headache.
You don't NEED a cert, you can use your internal CA but you'll get an error every time you connect - I've covered this topic numerous times in this forum and on 2007.

The GoDaddy certificates are something like $20 a year.

 

[JeffITman]

K. So get a Godaddy Cert and I'll check out your other threads regarding setting up RPC over HTTP. I'll just recreate another thread if I come across any problems...

 

[Zelandakh]

I meant other threads for the certs. RPC is normally ok but gotchas have been documented in this forum too plus

http://www.gillott.co.uk/nick/RPCoverHTTP.pdf

may help you.