Moving Mailbox To New Server 2

[mickeytech]

I just did a new install of Exchange Server 2003 and am thinking about moving the existing mailboxes from Exchange 2000. I am wondering if someone could help me with some directions...Do I need to perform Export and Import or is there a way to do a direct transfer?

Thank you very much in advance!

 

[compgirlfhredi]

Windows Server 2003 is the preferred platform for Exchange 2003. However, Exchange 2003 will run on Windows 2000, but with reduced functionality. For example, you don't get Volume Shadow Copy capabilities, Remote Procedure Calls over HTTP (RPC/HTTP) support (for Outlook 2003), and some of the security improvements in Internet Information Services (IIS) 6.0.

The other common question I get about Exchange 2003 is whether it'll work with Windows 2000 Active Directory (AD). Exchange 2003 works fine with AD 2000; however, you need to install additional schema classes and attributes—even if you use Exchange 2000 currently. You can do this quickly by running the Exchange 2003 setup program with the /forestprep switch.

Microsoft has published a slew of Exchange 2003-related whitepapers, comparison guides, and general information.


I recommend doing a clean install of Windows Server 2003 and Exchange 2003 rather than upgrading; once the new server is installed, move the mailboxes from the old server to the new one. When installed cleanly, Windows Server 2003 and Exchange 2003 are more secure than a server you've upgraded. However, if you plan to upgrade an existing Exchange 2000 server, you should upgrade Exchange 2000 to Exchange 2003 first, then upgrade Windows 2000 to Windows Server 2003. Microsoft doesn't support running Exchange 2000 on Windows Server 2003.

The Move Mailbox feature in AD Users and Computers has been improved (it's faster and multithreaded). You can also find the Exchange Tasks menu (including Move Mailbox) in the Exchange System Manager now

 

[mickeytech]

I did a clean install of Windows Server 2003 and Exchange 2003. Can I just use the Move Mailbox feature on the new server or do I need to do it from the old Win2k/Exchange2k server? Thanks.

 

[compgirlfhredi]

Are you 'decommissioning' the E2K server altogether?

 

[compgirlfhredi]

Moving Server to new Server:

In contrast, the Ed Crowley Server Move Method requires you to set up your new server in parallel with the old one, cutting over to the new one only when you're sure it's working properly. To use the Ed Crowley Server Move Method, perform the following steps:

Bring up a new server as a new server in the same site. Use a different name for the new server. If you need to move Exchange to another server with the same name, follow the instructions in the Microsoft article “XADM: How to Move Exchange Server to a New Computer with the Same Name” (

http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/q155/2/16.asp).

To move user mailboxes to the new server, start Microsoft Exchange Administrator, click Tools, and select Move Mailbox. You can move all the mailboxes at once, one at a time, or several at a time. In many cases, you can move mailboxes during working hours because each user is locked out of his or her mailbox only while that mailbox is being moved.
Create replicas of the public folders on the new server. When the contents of the folders have been replicated (do wait a little while!), remove the folders from the old server.
Create new connectors on the new servers. Change the costs of the old connectors you're replacing to be higher than the new ones, then recalculate routing.
Create mail exchanger (MX) records pointing to the new Internet Mail Service (IMS) as appropriate, and change the cost on the old MX record so that it’s higher than the costs on the new records. When you’ve verified that messages are flowing across the new connectors, remove the old ones, then recalculate routing again.
Follow the steps in the Microsoft article “XADM: How to Remove the First Exchange Server in a Site” (

http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/q152/9/59.asp)

if the server you're replacing is the first one in the site.
Leave the old server up for a while to give Messaging API (MAPI) clients time to connect to the new server automatically ( the old server provides referrals to the new one). It's true—you don't have to reconfigure MAPI clients!
Tell POP3 and IMAP4 users how to reconfigure their clients to point to the new server.
If you have a WINS or DNS alias for the old server, point it to the new server.
Stop the Exchange services on the old server, then use Exchange Administrator to delete the old server's server object, thus removing it from the site.

 

[compgirlfhredi]

Sorry, got carried away...yes, use the new resource in your 2003 program.

 

[mickeytech]

Thank you very much for the detail instructions. I am 'decommissioning' the E2K server altogether. Both exchange servers were installed as the 1st Mail Server in the same site. I hope that won't cause any problems during the mailbox transfer.

 

[mickeytech]

Both Exchange Servers are also Active Directory DCs.
I demoted the Win2k DC (Exchange Server) before the mailbox transfer. But Exchange Server failed to start. I will restore the server from backup and try transfer the mailboxes before the demote. My concern is that 'will it cause problems with two Active Directory DCs online?' Thanks for your help!

 

[CCFAdmin]

mickeytech,

Anything new to report, I'm doing the same thing this weekend.

Thanks

Charles

 

[compgirlfhredi]

Exchange 2000 Move Server Method
Like the Ed Crowley Move Server Method for Exchange 5.5, this method should create less potential for grief and downtime in your organization than other methods of moving to a new server. Many of the changes (especially changes to Active Directory) can take quite some time to replicate, so completing this process over the course of several days might be appropriate in many organizations. Like the 5.5 version of the ECMSM, this is probably not the easiest method for moving servers, but we believe it to be the least risky.
Remember that Exchange 2000 offers multiple databases and storage groups, so you may have to repeat some of the steps listed below on multiple databases. You can also configure multiple connectors and virtual servers, so you may have to recreate multiple instances of those as well.
Exchange 2000 no longer has its own directory. For the purposes of this document we’ve made the assumption that this move is of a single monolithic server in an organization (meaning that it handles both AD and Exchange). If this is not the Active Directory server in in your organization, you can probably skip all of the steps listed in blue.
1. Take a good backup of your existing server and save a copy of any custom forms or applications in use to a PST file.
2. Bring up a new Windows 2000 server in the same AD domain as the existing server.
a. Make sure the following are installed on the server:
i. SMTP service
ii. NNTP Service
iii. Terminal Services (Not required but highly recommended)
iv. DNS
3. Bring the box up to the same Windows 2000 service pack and hotfix level as the existing Exchange 2000 server.
4. Run DCPROMO to promote the new server to a domain controller. Choose to create an additional domain controller in an existing domain.
5. Wait for replication to complete. A tool such as ADcheck from NetIQ might help in this regard.
6. Install Exchange 2000 and bring it up to the same service pack and hotfix level as the existing server.
7. Create new mailbox stores and public folder stores on the new server to match the old server (This is not a requirement per se, you might instead choose a different configuration to take advantage of new and improved hardware).
8. Apply any Server, Mailbox Store or Public Store policies to the new server as needed.
9. Change the default Public Store for the existing Exchange server to the new Exchange Server. This is done on the General tab of the Mailbox Store in the Exchange System Manager. Once this change is completed all new public folders created by users on this mailbox store will be created on the new server. (Repeat this for each mailbox store defined).
10. Create a replica of each public folder on the new server. Be sure to create a replica for the following system folders (and all their subfolders) as well: EFORMS Registry, Offline Address Book and Schedule+ Free Busy. To access the system folders, right-click on Folders | Public Folders in the Exchange System Manager and choose View System Folders.
11. Promote the new server to a Global Catalog server. This is done by going to Active Directory Sites and Services and double-clicking on the server you wish to promote to be a GC. Then right-click on NTDS settings and choose properties. On the properties tab, check the box labeled Global Catalog. Allow plenty of time for the changes to replicate.
12. Modify the Recipient Update Service in the Exchange System Manager to point to the new server.
13. In the Exchange System Manager | Tools | Monitoring and Status recreate any monitoring or status monitors needed for the new server.
14. Transfer the 5 FSMO roles to the new server. If you don’t know what a FSMO is and have no idea why anyone would want 5 of the suckers, we’d like to recommend this book to you for future reading: Windows 2000 Essential Reference. The RID, Infrastructure and PDC FSMO roles are changed in Active Directory Users and Computers. The Domain Naming Master is changed in Active Directory Domains and Trusts and the Schema FSMO is changed in Active Directory Schema. If Active Directory Schema is not available, you must install the Windows 2000 Administration Tools from the Windows 2000 Server compact disc and add it to an MMC console.
15. Recreate any virtual servers or connectors on the new server.
16. Apply any existing SMTP filters against the new SMTP virtual servers as needed.
17. Move mailboxes from the existing server to the new server using Active Directory Users and Computers. (If you are running AV software on the Exchange server, you may want to stop it during the process of moving users).
18. Verify that the AD Changes have replicated successfully.
19. Run DCPROMO on the old server to demote it to a member server.
20. Leave the old Exchange server up and running for a while so that MAPI clients can be redirected to the new server. Yes, it happens automagically as long as the client can connect to the old server at least once before you shut it down.
21. Notify POP3 and IMAP 4 users that the server address has changed (this step may not be necessary if your users were connecting to an Exchange Front End Server.).
22. Create MX records pointing to the new server as necessary. (For those using port forwarding via NAT, you may only need to change the internal IP address that packets are forwarded to, or you might choose to change the IP address of the new server after everything else is running smoothly… lots of possibilities here and we can’t cover them all).
23. Uninstall Exchange 2000 from the original server.
24. Additional Resources:
a. Q252117 Some Files Not Deleted When Exchange 2000 Server is Removed
b. Q260378 How To Manually Remove an Exchange 2000 Installation
c. Q251825 Uninstalling Last Server in Routing Group Does Not Clean Up the RG Connectors from Other RGs.
d. Q307917 Removing the First Exchange 2000 Server from the Site
e. Q266686 How to Configure the Simple Mail Transfer Protocol Service, Part 1
f. Q268163 How to Configure the Simple Mail Transfer Protocol Service, Part 2

 

[CCFAdmin]

Thanks for all the help... sorry but I forgot to mention I'm going to 2003 server. As of right now I have a 2000 DC with exchange 00 on it. Then I have 2 03 member. I want prep the domain and add one of the 03 servers as a DC then trasnfer the FSMO roles. Then I want to migrate exchange to the other 03 server, this leaving it as a member. Once all replicated I want to dcpromo the 00 server then do a clean install of 03, finally adding it back as a SDC.

Ant thoughts on this? Should I move exchange first or should I make the other 03 server a DC first, (to replicate AD). I assume the forest needs to be adprep-ed first.

What about the built in migration tools for exchange or the migration tool found at microsoft. Why would I do the EC method over these tools?

BTW, my current scenario is:

1 domain, company.local
45 users
1 server doing everything


Thanks again,
Charles