New Exchange Mailboxes

[cbrunet17]

So we are finally going ahead with changing all the accounts in our organization. We have finally finished testing out script which runs through payrolls info and creates all the users, along with proper accounts and passwords, and sets up the email address perfectly. Now, before we roll this out, I received a request from a Director. They basically want all their old e-mail tranfered to their new email, so it will look exactly the same to them. I know I can setup an alias of their previous account to guarantee that new email (using the old mail name) will be sent to the new account, but how I can transfer all the previous accounts to the new accounts. Is this even possible in the System Manager? I know I can move the users mailbox to a different server with Exchange Tasks on the mailbox, but I really would like to move the mailbox to a completely different user.

Players:
-Windows Server 2003 STD
-Exchange 2003

Thanks for any help.

 

[58sniper]

Do you just want to add another email address to the existing accounts? If that's the case, the Recipients Policy is what you want to look at. Add another SMTP address.

You didn't mention where the mail was originally....

Pat Richard, MCSE(2) MCSA:Messaging, CNA(2)

 

[markdmac]

I agree with Pat, need more info here.

From what I gather from your post is that you are moving from one mail system to another? What was the past mail system? Are you dubbling your number of users by switching naming conventions or something similar?

If you are doing what I think which is moving from one Exchange Org to another, then what you can do is use ExMerge on the old mail to export it to a PST file. You can then user ExMerge on the new system to import the old mail into the new mailbox.

Regarding "looking the same" this is really an issue of the profile unless you consider having the same messages in the mailbox to "look the same".

I hope you find this post helpful.

Regards,

Mark

 

[cbrunet17]

Basically, each user is getting a brand new NT based account (within active directory). This will also result in them getting new mailboxes and address, but they will still be resting on the same Exchange server as the old mailboxes, which will, in theory, be sitting there being useless (and more then likely deleted at one point). What I'm pretty much looking for is an Exchange Task, within System Manager, that would let me right click on an existing mailbox and say something like "Associate with another AD User"

We are NOT going to a different org.
Imagine a user whose current logon and email is:
logon: jdoe
email: jdoe@organization.org

Well thats changing to:
logon: P12345
email: john.doe@organization.org

So its like having two completely dis-associated accounts that I want their mailboxes to be the exact same. Or at least copy ones contents into the other seamlessly.

 

[markdmac]

You would need to delete the old account but not the mailbox. you can then manually link it to the new user ID. Totally waste of time.

Why are you creating new accounts and making so much work for yourself. Rename the existing accounts and be done with it.

Or, export all exisitng mailboxes using ExMerge. Then rename the PST files to match the new user ID and import them all in bulk to the new ID. you can easily script the rename with VBScript and an Excel spreadsheet listing old and new login names.

I hope you find this post helpful.

Regards,

Mark

 

[cbrunet17]

Sorry for the double post:

---------

I decided to try using ExMerge when this happened:

Reference: thread955-736001

I'm getting the same error: "Error opening message store (MSEMS). Verify that the Microsoft Exchange Information Store service is running and that you have the correct permissions to log on. (0x8004011d)"

From what I can understand, I need to give "send/receive" values to the user Im trying to export. Where is this? I cant find this in Active Directory or System Manager (Exchange 2003). Any ideas?

 

[cbrunet17]

Mainly it was a management decision to go to the new naming convention. We're going from having around 200 accounts to having close to 1000 accounts, so its only around 200 users who will be looking at new email accounts. The creation of the 1000 new accounts is being done in a script, and unfortunately, its doing more then jsut creating these users' mailboxes. I udnerstand what you mean by its alot of work, btu it would be even more work doing all of this manualy.

How do I manually link the old mailbox? Why do I need to delete the old account first?

Would using ExMerge do pretty much exactly what I am trying to do? From what I've read about it

 

[markdmac]

You need to delete the user account first so that the mailbox is no longer associated with an account. It can then be linked to a new account.

Exmerge would allow you to export all mailbox info and then import it directly into the new user mailbox. So you could automate the setup of the new users accounts with mailboxes and then in mass import the old mailbox info.

For the Send/Receive as see this KB

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=273642

I hope you find this post helpful.

Regards,

Mark

 

[cbrunet17]

I apparently need to add the security rights for the user "Send As" and "Receive As" to the mailbox store in the system manager. Im going to try this on a test server, but my real question is this. What does setting this value do? Anyone know? Cause by default it seems that "Everyone" isnt set to that value, so I wouldnt want to change that on our main Exchange Server.

And does the user indeed need to be deleted for me to take their store?

 

[markdmac]

You are taking bits of advice out of context and lumping it all together.

Please re-read the above posts.

You only need to delete a user ID IF you wish to link the existing mailbox to another user ID (one that does not have a mailbox).

You need to provide the ID runnign ExMErge Send\Receive as rights to allow the ExMErge utility the ability to "Send" mail to the PST.

I hope you find this post helpful.

Regards,

Mark

 

[cbrunet17]

Thanks Mark, is that all that Send/Receive is used for? Or are there other purposes. I just mainly don't understand why this is defaultly set to neither allow nor deny.

Ive tested on my test server, and I have successfully exported a users mailbox, then imported it to another user. All I needed to do was rename the generated PST to match the user it was being imported to. Im just not sure what is going to happen if I change the security settings for "Everyone" to Send/Receive -> Allow

Thanks again for all the help, and I apologze for some of my confusing posts, just trying to take alot of information in at once, adn trying to ask questions based on multiple documentation I'm reading.

 

[markdmac]

If you are concerned about the send/recieve right then create a special account for the ExMerge and assign that right to the new account. When done, disable that account to effectively null the rights until the next time you need them.

I hope you find this post helpful.

Regards,

Mark

 

[58sniper]

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/292509

is a good method for Exmerge.

Pat Richard, MCSE(2) MCSA:Messaging, CNA(2)

 

[cbrunet17]

I am concerned Mark, I'm concerned because the company has worked for years without these settings and no one seems to be able to understand what they're used for, if it's strictly ExMerge or not. And I'm sorry, I don't quite understand your post.

How could I pull a mailbox off of a user if Im giving these permissions to another user (Exmerge Account)?

 

[markdmac]

It may have worked for years but you are looking to do something you never did before!

I think sufficient advice has been given to accomplish the task at hand. Please take a little time to research on the Microsoft web site to gain the understanding that you need to make you more comfortable with accepting the advice given.

If you are truly in doubt, then I suggest calling in an Exchange consultant that you trust.

I hope you find this post helpful.

Regards,

Mark