mailbox move

[sonroda]

Hi
Looking for some advice on how to move a user's mailbox from one site to another in same Domain.
Exchange 5.5 at each site
Would like to avoid using "move mailbox" feature as mailbox is very large and inter site bandwidth limited.
Thanks in advance

 

[zbnet]

Move Mailbox only works between servers in the same site, so it isn't an option for you.

You have to create a new mailbox and (at least) hide the old. You can give the new mailbox the same SMTP address as the old mailbox after you have replicated the hide of the old mailbox to the destination site. You can also give the new mailbox an X500 address of the identity of the old mailbox, which will then allow replies to old mail to be routed to the new mailbox once the old mailbox is deleted (create a New, Other address on the new mailbox, type is X500 and the address is /o=<orgname>/ou=<oldsitename>/cn=<recipientscontainername>/cn=<oldmailboxdirectoryname> - obviously you need to replace the <variables> with the correct names for your installation, and make sure you use the directory names not the display names for each portion).

You could also add a rule to the old mailbox to reply with a message that says the person's mailbox has moved, and that the sender needs to resend the message but pick the name off the GAL this time - this will catch any replies to old mail or PAB entries before you finally delete the old (hidden) mailbox.

Mailbox contents can be moved from the old to the new mailbox either by exporting all folders manually to a PST, and then manually importing again, or automate the process using ExMerge.

Yes, I know all the above is a pain, try doing it for 20 users! Exchange 2000 and onwards fix this problem...

 

[llww]

I am trying to do the same thing right now. What's the difference between a site and an server?

 

[llww]

Are there spaces between these entries:

o=<orgname>/ou=<oldsitename>/cn=<recipientscontainername>/cn=<oldmailboxdirectoryname>

Thanks,
jim

 

[llww]

Is the <orgName> the new site name? or the New Exchange server name?

I have added this entry but I am still getting NDR's.

Thanks,
Jim

 

[llww]

Ok, I got it working, but i deleted the old mailbox first. In your post you mentioned you can "hide" the mailbox. How do I hide it so I can reuse the SMTP address and not have to delete the mailbox?

Thanks,
Jim

 

[zbnet]

It's generally a bad idea to hijack or revive old threads to ask a new question - it can complicate the replies.

I can't really believe you asked what's the difference between a site and a server. Are you serious?

No, the X.500-style ODN (object distinguised name) doesn't have any spaces in it - and it doesn't care about case either.

The <orgname> isn't the new site name (we're trying to refer to the old mailbox here, not the new one), nor the server name (server names aren't part of the ODN, ever). It's the Organization name, which you can see by clicking on the properties of the Organization in your Exchange Admin screem right at the very top of the tree. As in all the elements of the ODN, make sure you use the directory name, not the display name (they might be the same, so no issue).

Remember the new mailbox won't pick up replies to old mail via this X.500 proxy until you delete the old mailbox that really owns the ODN (and replicate this deletion to the new site).